| HealthLeaders Media PhysicianLeaders - January 22, 2009 | Bring the Fight Over Physician-Owned Hospitals Into the Open |
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Bring the Fight Over Physician-Owned Hospitals Into the Open
Elyas Bakhtiari, Managing Editor
It has already passed in the House, and the legislation to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program will likely make its way through the Senate with little resistance. After all, who would want to deny emergency health coverage to children who need it? Therein lies the brilliance of opponents of physician-owned hospitals, who have buried in the SCHIP bill a provision aimed at curtailing the growth and development of these facilities. [Read More] |
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January 22, 2009 |
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Editor's Picks
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HHS extends ICD-10 timeline
Good news: The Department of Health and Human Services has decided to extend the final deadline for implementing the ICD-10 code set by two years. Several physician associations criticized the original 2011 implementation goal, including the Medical Group Management Association, which argued that the conversion would cost a typical 10-physician group $285,000. The new date for compliance is October 1, 2013. [Read More]
EMR errors
The Veterans Affairs department is often held up as an example of successful EMR integration for the rest of the healthcare industry. But a newly exposed series of errors serves as a reminder of the system's flaws, as well. Patients at VA health centers were given incorrect doses of drugs, had treatments delayed, and were exposed to other medical errors resulting from a software glitch that incorrectly displayed EMR information. No health record system—paper or electronic—will be completely error-free, so this isn't necessarily a strong argument against adoption. But it is a reminder that no system is perfect, and we should be careful about putting too much faith in EMRs. [Read
More]
Lessons from the airline industry
Over at Lead Time, the new HealthLeaders Media blog, Jim Molpus ponders what the healthcare industry can learn from Pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, who crash-landed an Airbus in the Hudson River last week. Another blogger, Bob Wachter, MD, says the key was the mandatory team-based simulated training that all pilots go through. Physicians rarely train for emergencies in situations that require them to practice communicating with teammates in times of stress. But checklists aren't thing only thing physicians can adopt from the airline industry to reduce errors. [Read
More]
Number of e-prescribers doubles
The number of physicians prescribing medicine electronically has more than doubled in the past year to about 70,000, or about 12% of all office-based doctors. Medicare this month began paying doctors a bonus if they switch to e-prescribing, so last year's growth can't be attributed to those financial incentives. But given the additional funding, 2009 might see a much faster increase in the number of e-prescribers. [Read
More] |
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Business Rx
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Consider Drawbacks of Merging Practices
The increasing financial pressure on the healthcare market is leading to consolidation of a growing number of healthcare organizations, including physician practices. Although there are many benefits to merged entities, as with any venture, there are a number of drawbacks that must also be considered. [Read More] |
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Physician News
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Minnesota system's doctors will disclose ties to vendors
Minneapolis Star Tribune - January 22, 2009
Online disclosure of physician-industry relationships
New England Journal of Medicine - January 22, 2009
Waste feared in digitizing patient records
Wall Street Journal (subscription required) - January 22, 2009
More Americans go without prescribed drugs because of cost
Center for Studying Health System Change - January 22, 2009
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Audio Conferences/Webcasts
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February 20, 2009: ED Overhaul 2009: Five Improvements to Make Today
February 12, 2009: Incentive-Based Compensation Plans to Enhance Physician Performance
On Demand: Service Line Strategies Workshop 2009: Women's Health
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| From HealthLeaders Magazine |
Flat-World Healthcare
Globalization is no longer an uncertain trend in the future. Providers must refine their organizational strategy to compete in a marketplace that is broader than ever before. [Read More]
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| Service Line Management |
A Spinal Shift
As minimally invasive procedures consume a larger portion of spinal care, provider organizations have many opportunities—and challenges—in an increasingly outpatient service line. [Read More]
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Audio Feature
AMA's Agenda: Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, president of the American Medical Association, talks about legislative priorities for 2009 and the likelihood of passing meaningful healthcare reform in the coming year. [Listen Now] |
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Resources From HealthLeaders Media
Improve patient satisfaction, CAHPS scores, and quality with the strategies and tools in Physician Entrepreneurs: The Quality Patient Experience.
Learn how to harness the power of a large organization, either by expanding the practice or partnering with hospitals, private investors, or other physician groups, with Physician Entrepreneurs: Strength in Numbers.
Read about the latest business strategies to help you grow beyond traditional practice models in Physician Entrepreneurs: Going Retail.
Start marketing your practice or refine your existing marketing program with Physician Entrepreneurs: Marketing Toolkit, a new HealthLeaders Media book that combines expert tips with marketing samples, tools, forms, and checklists that will help grow your practice. |
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