Many hospitals have begun to implement programs that urge patients to speak up if they have concerns or don't understand what nurses or doctors are doing. The Joint Commission's "Speak Up" program, for example, encourages patients to ask questions about their medications, medical tests, research studies, surgeries and living organ donation. But even with encouragement, many people are uncomfortable questioning a medical provider for fear of appearing too aggressive, mistrustful and unappreciative.
Massachusetts health plans that rate doctors individually are spreading beyond the state's Group Insurance Commission, despite the Massachusetts Medical Society's opposition to the ranking systems. Tufts Health Plan, the third-largest health insurer in Massachusetts, says it will expand its health plan that features doctor rankings. And Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, the second-largest insurer, says it is considering offering health plans with doctor rankings later this year to consumers who are not covered through the Group Insurance Commission. The Commission negotiates health insurance for about 295,000 municipal and state employees and their families.
Hospitals that receive high marks for coronary-bypass outcomes still may not be doing all they can to avoid preventable deaths from the procedure, according to a study. Researchers reviewed 347 deaths from coronary-bypass surgery at nine Ontario hospitals and found that 32% of them likely resulted from lapses in established procedures and other preventable shortcomings. The findings indicate that relying solely on hospital report cards misses a critical opportunity to improve quality of care.
A world-renowned Harvard child psychiatrist earned at least $1.6 million in consulting fees from drug makers from 2000 to 2007 but for years did not report much of this income to university officials, according to information given Congressional investigators. By failing to report income, the psychiatrist and a colleague may have violated federal and university research rules designed to police potential conflicts of interest, according to Senator Charles E. Grassley.
Doctors at a community hospital in New York City that is part of a large system of hospitals say they are being squeezed out so the system can sell off property in popular neighborhoods. The doctors contend that the parent company, Continuum Health Partners, has been downsizing the institution where they work, Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, and diverting resources to its more prestigious hospitals in Manhattan, primarily Beth Israel Medical Center. The doctors estimate that the system had already sold off $50 million in property belonging to their hospital, and have filed formal complaints with the State Health Department and attorney general's office seeking to terminate membership in the Continuum system.
The number of U.S. residents who have health insurance but not the ability to afford adequate medical care continues to climb. About 25 million Americans did not have sufficient coverage last year to shield them from financial hardship if they ended up in the emergency room or were seriously ill, according to a study by the Commonwealth Fund. The continuous rise in medical costs, combined with a growing number of insurance plans that require patients to pay a higher portion of their medical bills, has led to a 60% increase in the number of underinsured adults from 2003 to 2007, according to the study.