| HealthLeaders Media PhysicianLeaders - November 8, 2007 | Looking Upstream |
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Looking Upstream
Rick Johnson, Senior Editor
Over the past few weeks, I've been on the road at conferences and meetings talking with healthcare administration and physician leaders. In my conversations with these industry experts, I've asked them to forecast changes that will have the most impact on physicians. In this week's column, I present five predictions for the near-future. [Read More] |
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November 8, 2007 | |
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Editor's Picks
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Family physician P4P model proposed
With reimbursement for preventive care sorely lacking, the National Committee for Quality Assurance is promoting a model to reward doctors for spending more time with patients and communicating with patients by phone and e-mail outside office hours. This New York Times story points out that reimbursement cuts are squeezing physicians out of family medicine. A more appropriate reimbursement model is a start, but requires wide-spread adoption to change the trend of declining primary care providers. [Read More]
Survey: Americans dissatisfied with medical care
The Commonwealth Fund surveyed seven Western countries to determine that the United States spends more than twice as much on healthcare yet many Americans go without medical care. In this Washington Post story, researchers report that one-third of survey participants said the U.S. health system needs reform. Clearly our top-notch system and providers continue to be undermined by nagging access-to-care problems. [Read More]
New technology seeks fewer surgical mishaps
A physician inventor created a device that warns surgical teams to properly mark patients' surgical sites. Although infrequent, stories about wrong-site surgery are gruesome. Investments that minimize human error seem like no-brainers. [Read More]
Boston surgeons got millions from implant firms
Stories like this one in the Boston Globe can shake patients' confidence in healthcare providers. According to the DOJ, joint replacement companies were paying physicians "consulting fees" that were really designed to influence their choices of implants. The article mentions two doctors by name. How would you feel if one of these guys recently replaced your knee? I might request a follow-up visit to ask a few pointed questions. [Read More] |
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Business Rx
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Hospitals Still Searching for On-Call Pay Solutions
From Physician Compensation Report: Most hospitals no longer ask themselves whether they should compensate specialists for providing call coverage--instead they ask how to structure pay and how much to offer. Although executives are beginning to grasp the answers to these questions for a handful of specialties, overall most facilities are still struggling to find the balance between the hospital's budgetary constraints and physicians' desires to be paid for working the emergency department. [Read More] |
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Physician News
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Experts propose rules to rate hospitals' safety
HealthDay/Washington Post - November 8, 2007
MDs balance pros, cons of 'super X-ray'
AP/Yahoo News - November 8, 2007
Chicago hospital's residencies at risk
Chicago Tribune - November 8, 2007
Burden, costs come with participating in Medicare quality program
Medical Group Management Association - November 8, 2007
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| From HealthLeaders Magazine |
Will There Be Enough Doctors?
 With a multitude of baby boom physicians nearing retirement and an aging U.S. population needing ever more care, how bad will the physician shortage really get-and what can you do about it? [Read More]
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