A variation on Field of Dreams: if funded, it will happen; hospital surge capacity seems relatively immune to $4B surge in federal spending. Our national health system is a crisis waiting to happen. When you consider that most notions of universal healthcare in the US have a component of market competition, it is hard to [...]
Traveling for Care—in the U.S.
Some employers are looking to take advantage of geographical variations in the quality and cost of health care within the U.S., while others are leveraging deals they’ve struck with foreign hospitals in order to secure better rates with U.S. hospitals that are eager to keep American patients here. Most of the [...]
Posted in Healthcare | Also tagged physicians |
Iatrogenesis the adverse effects or complications caused by or resulting from medical treatment or advice. Fulminans the sudden or rapid onset of an intense phenomenon (often pain). P4P is all about the incentivization of “best practices” in healthcare, and in the race to meet P4P reimbursable–metrics the patient may be harmed.
Not long ago, a colleague [...]
The principle behind pay for performance, P4P, is that certain performances, in terms of health services, are beneficial for the patient. P4P is a third party beneficiary relationship. The provider promises to provide, the payer promises to pay, and the patient receives a benefit. What happens when there is no benefit conferred? What happens when [...]
Posted in Healthcare | Also tagged em, p4p, physicians |
Boston Globe:
According to a Medicare Payment Advisory Commission study, 75 percent of all 30-day hospital readmissions in Medicare in 2005 were potentially preventable…or 13 percent of total admissions. This represents a potential savings to Medicare of $12 billion in one year (PDF).
Higher rates of hospital readmissions are associated with infections[,] other complications acquired by patients [...]
Posted in Healthcare | Also tagged medicare, policy |
Congressional Quarterly:
The free clinics, hospitals and community health centers that provide care to people without insurance or other financial means are having to respond to a tougher health care marketplace by adopting the strategies of its more well-heeled competitors, in some cases curtailing free care as a result, according to a new study.
WSJ:
Hospitals meant to [...]
Posted in Healthcare | Also tagged policy, safety net |
AMN:
The Joint Commission is calling on hospitals to crack down on “disruptive” health care professionals, over concerns that such behavior impacts patient care. A new commission standard taking effect in January 2009 will require hospital administrators to adopt codes defining disruptive behavior and develop procedures to discipline medical staff and other health professionals who behave [...]
Posted in Healthcare | Also tagged physicians, policy |
Waiting doom, good business move, or “agitprop” are begging the question whose stable is fuller? Reality checks:
EDs are overcrowded used to board inpatients.
Hospitals must be fiscally responsible, run like businesses.
Hospital either have no physical inpatient beds or have no staffed inpatient beds.
Where inpatient beds are not staffed, boarding in the ER is a more [...]
Posted in Healthcare | Also tagged er, policy |
Wonder if there is a financial incentive for ER overcrowding?
