Category: Healthcare Blog

In the wake of the Affordable Care Act, there is an increased focus upon hospital readmissions and the financial penalties for hospitals with the highest readmission rates.  In 2012, almost one in five Medicare patients were readmitted within 30 days, leading to almost $280 million in forfeited Medicare payments for the 2,217 hospitals with the most egregious records. In 2014, the number of hospitals penalized by Medicare grew to 2,610—a record number—with a total loss of $428 million in Medicare funds. Much of this is spurred by preventable readmissions that are costing Medicare almost $26 billion; it is estimated that almost $17 billion of these expenditures could be saved with proper medical care following discharge. Although there have been a number of studies identifying the highest risk groups for readmission…

Most Americans believe that the U.S. healthcare system is the best in the world. Despite countless reports that ranks the U.S. near the bottom of modern countries, in terms of quality of care, access to medical services and cost, most Americans blindly believe that their overpriced, understaffed managed care organization is the best available. And while more medical professionals are likely to recognize the lagging standard of American healthcare, few will divulge this poorly held secret to their patients. There is one area in which the United States leads the world: money spent on healthcare.  Despite attempt after attempt by market and governmental forces to curb how much the country spends on healthcare, the U.S. still spends more per person-almost $8,500 annually-than any other nation in the world.  That equates…

Competency is the foundation of sound clinical practice and is essential to preserving the lives of patients.  However, unlike many other critical professions like airline pilots, air traffic controllers and law enforcement officials, the medical profession does not mandate that physicians of a certain age retire.  There is considerable evidence that physician fitness does degrade following age 65; a 2005 report by Khaliq, et al, found that physicians who have served for forty years or more had a 6.6% likelihood of receiving some form of disciplinary action as opposed to the 1.3% rate among those with only ten years of service. With the wellbeing of patients at stake, many within the healthcare community have argued that there should be a mandatory retirement age for physicians. There is a significant legal…

In the 21st century virtually everything is subject to online reviews. While these opinions can be helpful in determining the next car or television you purchase, there is considerably more at stake when you choose a physician.  If you are looking merely at the number of stars a physician has on sites like Ratemds.com or Healthgrades.com, you may be missing out on a medical expert who has provided decades of exceptional care. Like any profession, there are physicians who are less successful than others, but when determining the type of care you and your family are likely to receive, a one to five star rating system is hardly the most insightful and comprehensive way of measuring competency. Before you entrust you and your family’s health with a new physician, it…

As more physicians adopt advanced technology tools to streamline administrative and clinical duties, there is likely to be some loss in patient confidentiality. New systems like Electronic Health Records, telemedicine and mobile health apps may offer more patients greater access to their medical information, but these tools are hardly perfected.  Increasing patient access also potentially exposes personal information to employers, insurance companies, and various criminal elements.  Access to Personal Information For many physicians who value their patients’ right to privacy, there may be some resistance to transitioning to a completely digital workplace, and it would appear that most patients support them in their unwillingness to adopt these new services.  According to a 2014 HRI survey, more than 70% of respondents prioritized data security regarding medical tests and doctor’s advice over…

The quality of healthcare in the U.S. is at the center of a raging debate shaping the future of the industry.  With a total annual expenditure of almost $3 trillion, the healthcare industry should be providing better outcomes than it currently produces.  A recent Commonwealth Fund study found that the U.S. ranked last among eleven developed nations—including New Zealand and Canada—in healthcare quality. Behind this poor showing are the common culprits like criminal waste and inefficiency, bloated government agencies and medical groups, and poorly implemented public policies.  These issues can be overwhelming in their scope, but taken at the institutional or departmental level, they can be much more manageable.   Optimal Process Management Healthcare is inherently a team process with physicians orchestrating a number of professionals, while also adhering to policies…