Federal law stipulates that every patient or a designated representative has the right to see and copy the patient's medical records. But missing or disputed records are the most common source of complaints on USA Today's Patient Safety website, which was created to give readers a venue to express concerns about inadequate medical care. Disputes over medical records often are at the crux of malpractice lawsuits as well. Even when records are provided, they sometimes are obscured, experts say.
The New Jersey human services commissioner said it was a "valid concern" that poor people would avoid medical care if the governor's proposal to charge them new fees for prescription drugs and some hospital visits is approved. Gov. Jon Corzine has proposed co-payments for Medicaid recipients to raise $7.55 million for the state budget. Legislators fear the payments could prompt poor people to forgo healthcare, especially senior citizens, the disabled and mentally ill.
Though Highland Park (IL) Hospital is owned by Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, the Federal Trade Commission has ordered Evanston and Highland Park Hospital to contract with managed-care plans separately. The FTC said the two parties are required to "establish separate, independent negotiating teams" to allow health insurance companies to "negotiate separately again for those competing hospitals, thus re-injecting competition between them for the business of the [managed-care organizations]."
Somerville (MA) hospital's intensive care unit will be closed, surgery will be performed only between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and the Somerville Transitional Care Unit will be closed, according to a report. The hospital's curtailing of services comes as the healthcare system it belongs to faces financial problems. Somerville Hospital is part of publicly funded Cambridge Health Alliance, a group facing a potential loss of $25 million to $35 million for the year.
Due to a spate of recent security lapses, private information on hundreds of thousands of patients has been compromised. But institutions are reluctant to clamp down on security too tightly, for fear that doing so could get in the way of patient care. The stream of privacy breaches also threatens to undermine the healthcare industry’s effort to adopt electronic medical records, a push meant to make medical care safer and more convenient for patients. The piece also provides a discussion forum where readers can share their thoughts.
Young physicians are intent on balancing work and family, and as a result are giving rise to different types of practice options. But the attempt by new doctors to lead a less-pressured work life is putting additional strain on America's healthcare system. To adapt, American medicine is drifting away from the old standard of single doctor handling all of a patient's needs and toward a more team-based approach. The new system includes not only several doctors but also nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Foreigners will be banned from receiving kidneys for transplant in the Philippines to prevent the country from becoming a major Asian center in the black market. Extensive kidney trading involving impoverished Filipinos and prisoners has been reported by the media in recent years. China and Pakistan, among the world's biggest sources of kidneys, have taken steps to outlaw the sale of human organs, and foreigners may be prompted to turn to the Philippines, said health officials.
Under a program known as Maryland eCare, six Maryland hospitals facing a shortage of emergency room doctors plan to use physicians in Delaware to electronically monitor intensive care patients. Under the $3 million program, a critical care doctor or intensivist based at a command center in Wilmington, DE, will oversee overnight care for as many as 150 patients and provide guidance to on-site nurses. Officials said the collaboration with the hospitals is needed, especially in exurban and rural areas.
Speaking at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, FL, Republican presidential candidate John McCain said he would offer families a $5,000 tax credit to help buy insurance policies. Anyone could get the credit under the plan, and those who like their company healthcare plan could choose to stay in it. The credit would be available as a rebate to people at lower income levels who have no tax liability. McCain still did not outline the total cost of the plan or provide an estimate of how many people it would help.
Author and consultant Chris Bevolo talks about why the time is right for branding and answers the trickiest question of all: Is it possible to prove ROI on a branding campaign? Bevolo will be a featured speaker in the upcoming HealthLeaders Media Webcast Healthcare branding: Advanced strategies to overcome common challenges.
