|
|
Editor's Picks
|
Bush vetoes child health plan
The president made good on his promise to veto a bill that would have expanded SCHIP, a program that subsidizes health coverage for 6.6 million families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but can't afford private insurance. The bill would have added $35 billion over five years and let 4 million children into the program. With just his fourth veto in office, Bush claims the bill is a step closer to socialized medicine. But with evidence showing that many middle-income and working-class families are among the nation's 46 million uninsured, the president's rhetoric is clearly out of touch with the realities of society. [Read More]
Walgreens to open Nashville clinics
Not long ago, sources told me these pharmacy- and retail-based clinics wouldn't amount to much. I'm thinking otherwise, as I seem to find stories on nearly a daily basis about retail chains planning more of these clinics in their shops. A few physician groups have taken steps to align with these new clinics, while others have sought ways to better compete. It's obvious now that you need to react in some way. [Read More]
Doc gender may be factor in heart diagnoses
Here's an odd finding published in the Sociology of Health and Illness: Male doctors might be less biased than female doctors by the gender and age of heart patients. Researchers interviewed in this New York Times story are split about the reliability of the study's findings. I don't put too much stock in these results, but I always find studies about human interaction interesting. Perhaps the study's researchers can build on this and help explain why female doctors were less likely to consider age as a risk factor for female patients. [Read More]
Using the Web to review docs
The Internet has quickly made just about anybody a reviewer of movies, music, and restaurants. Now some new sites are letting patients review their physicians and other healthcare providers. And new health portals are being developed by big name tech companies. While this might be another step to transparency, it also can be a terrific tool for physicians who learn how to position themselves online. In addition, it could provide docs with useful information about how patients perceive their care. [Read More] |
|
Business Rx
|
Facilities learn from management and compensation mistakes
From Physician Compensation Report: The last time hospitals and health systems aggressively pursued physician employment and practice acquisition as growth strategies--during the managed care boom of the 1990s--many lost money. However, physician employment is making a comeback, and today's hospitals have learned from their previous mistakes. [Read More] |
|
Physician News
|
Microsoft rolls out personal health records
New York Times - October 4, 2007
Heart associations issue guidelines
New York Times - October 4, 2007
Doctors often delay their own care
Newsday/Hartford Courant - October 4, 2007
MDs launch network to treat sickle cell
AP/Yahoo News - October 4, 2007
ER doctors reach agreement with Texas hospital
Brownsville Herald - October 4, 2007
| |
| From HealthLeaders Magazine |
EMR Pushback
 Electronic medical record systems promise a long list of benefits, but most physician practices remain unconvinced. Can clinical IT proponents entice physicians to retire their paper charts for good? [Read More]
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
Audio Feature
Bruce Landes, president and CEO of Southwest Physician Associates in Dallas, discusses why so many physicians have misgivings about EMR technology. | |
|
|
| |
