MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'cost'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:52:06 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181803&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysician-organizes-a-price-list-of-56-common-medical-tests%2F2011.08.31 I am smacking myself on the forehead and saying, “Why didn’t I think of this?”  Dr. Richard Parker, Medical Director at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,  has sent out a list to his physician colleagues of 56 common medical tests and procedures.  What is revolutionary is that there are prices next to each item.  You non-physicians may be surprised to know that we doctors have no idea what the tests or drugs we order actually cost.  Unless we get billed as a patient, we are as clueless as you are. As I wrote before, the ostrich excuse just won’t fly any more.  We all need to be aware of the cost of care and have skin in the game.  Some will argue that price can’t be the only driver.  I’ve heard physicians say you can’t compare one price ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181803 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5181803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181790&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FFSpBgAwfDVs%2F By Mary Grealy. When we talk about people who don’t have access to healthcare, there’s a natural assumption that it’s because they can’t afford it.  A new study shows that’s not necessarily the case. According to the study published in the journal Health Services Research, 21 percent of American adults said they had delayed care for non-financial reasons compared to 19 percent that cited cost as the primary reason for not seeking healthcare. Those non-financial reasons included not being able to get to a doctor’s office during working hours, long commutes to the medical office, or not being able to get an appointment soon enough.  As the study’s lead author said, “In reality, there are all kinds of reasons why people can’t get the care they need when they need it.” Th... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181790 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:16:36 +0100 5181790 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174614&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-beneficial-effect-of-laughter-on-your-health%2F2011.08.29 I stumbled upon the article ‘Laughter: gender-specific variations’ in Revista Clínica Española (‘Spanish Clinical Journal’) and I can’t help thinking about the need for taking this into account to improve doctor-patient relationships. The text can actually be read as a guide to understand how every person laughs and how to use it in clinical practice. Table 1. Laughter effect on health (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Diario Medico* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174614 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:00:27 +0100 5174614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174616&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fweaknesses-of-the-current-malpractice-system%2F2011.08.28 Medical malpractice reform is in the news again. Of course, for the medical profession, the medical malpractice system is the wound that simply will not heal. For the plaintiffs bar, in contrast, the medical liability system is the gift that keeps on giving. I have argued that the current system fails on four important fronts. Efficiency Cost Fairness Quality Improvement I admit readily that my profession has not been as diligent as it should be in holding ourselves accountable. We have not been forthright in admitting our medical errors, although can you blame us under the current medical liability construct? (more…) *This blog post was originally published at MD Whistleblower* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174616 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 21:30:00 +0100 5174616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158999&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fare-patients-considering-the-idea-of-medical-tourism-to-receive-health-care%2F2011.08.24 I must confess that I have a weakness for medical tourism. Patients have always been ready to go on a pilgrimage to find the world’s leading expert (we call it ‘key opinon leader’ now) hoping to find a cure. As long as traditional leaders in the field of Medicine have been the Germans, the French and the English -with some occasional Austrian and Spanish name in the mix- traffic of wealthy patients across Europe is nothing new. Since we entered the antibiotics era, these leaders started to be located mainly in the United States, the cradle of modern, technology-driven Medicine. Thus hi-tech centers got ready to welcome foreign patients, building strong International Customer Support departments. A random example -by no means the only one- would be the Mayo Clinic. On their website y... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158999 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:00:07 +0100 5158999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158854&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fthe-core-cities-health-network-report-new-horizons-and-new-challenges%2F Scan or click to download 'The Core Cities Health Network Report: New Horizons and New Challenges' Title:  The Core Cities Health Network Report: New Horizons and New Challenges The Skinny: Report from the Core Cities Health Network that identifies that understanding the commissioning task for securing healthcare for large city/urban areas will be essential for established (and yet to be established) GP commissioning consortia and new statutory Health and Wellbeing Partnership Boards. Building effective partnerships across agencies ensures that local health care strategies for city populations must be informed and driven by health improvement and the reduction of health inequalities. Publisher: DH Published: August 2011 Size: 35p. Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Annu... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158854 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:56:43 +0100 5158854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158856&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fhow-to-guide-improving-transitions-from-the-hospital-to-the-clinical-office-practice-to-reduce-avoidable-rehospitalizations%2F Scan or click to download 'How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to the Clinical Office Practice to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations' Title: How-to Guide Improving Transitions from the Hospital to the Clinical Office Practice to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations The Skinny: Guide from Institute for Health Improvement on avoiding avoidable rehospitalisations as a result of poor co-ordination of care settings. Avoiding this is a key step toward achieving broader delivery system transformation. Based on the healthcare system of the USA this guide is of use to those looking at primary care and community settings. Publisher: Institute for Health Improvement Published: August 2011 Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Clinical Governance, Collaboration, Coord... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158856 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:53:48 +0100 5158856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158858&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fhow-to-guide-improving-transitions-from-the-hospital-to-home-health-care-to-reduce-avoidable-rehospitalizations%2F Scan or click to download 'How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Home Health Care to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations' Title: How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Home Health Care to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations The Skinny: Guide from Institute for Health Improvement on avoiding avoidable rehospitalisations as a result of poor co-ordination of care settings. Avoiding this is a key step toward achieving broader delivery system transformation. Based on the healthcare system of the USA this guide is of use to those looking to aviod rehospitalisation on return to the community detailing initial steps to create an enhanced transition to home health care in the first 48 hours after the patient is discharged from the hospital, a post-acut... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158858 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:59:04 +0100 5158858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158859&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fhow-to-guide-improving-transitions-from-the-hospital-to-a-skilled-nursing-facility-to-reduce-avoidable-rehospitalizations%2F Scan or click to download 'How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to a Skilled Nursing Facility to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations ' Title: How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to a Skilled Nursing Facility to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations The Skinny: Guide from Institute for Health Improvement on avoiding avoidable rehospitalisations as a result of poor co-ordination of care settings. Avoiding this is a key step toward achieving broader delivery system transformation. Based on the healthcare system of the USA this guide is of use to those looking to aviod rehospitalisation from a residentia care/nursing home and rehabilitation setting.   Publisher: Institute for Health Improvement Published: August 2011 Size: 60p. Filed under: Ooops... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158859 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:35:32 +0100 5158859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139745&cid=t_102714_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2F5sSY0OCxWR8%2F The Unites States appears to be falling behind other nations when it comes to providing affordable health care for its population (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139745 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 03:32:28 +0100 5139745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139630&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F17%2Fpct-estate-future-ownership-and-management-of-estate-in-the-ownership-of-primary-care-trusts-in-england-2%2F Title:PCT Estate: future ownership and management of estate in the ownership of Primary Care Trusts in England Scan or click to download 'PCT Estate: future ownership and management of estate in the ownership of Primary Care Trusts in England' The Skinny: Updates and supersedes the FAQs relating to the future ownership and management of PCT-owned estate by aspirant Community Foundation Trusts (CFTs), published on 16 February 2011. Publisher: DH Published: 04/08/11 Size: 27p. Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Cost control, Estate management, Facilities management, Financial Management, Grey Literature, Land, NHS Foundation Trusts, NHS Trusts, Organisational Change, Primary care organisations, Property management, Reorganisation, Structural change (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139630 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:49:28 +0100 5139630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139632&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F17%2Fmaking-best-use-of-medicines-report-of-a-department-of-health-roundtable-event-hosted-by-the-king%25e2%2580%2599s-fund%2F Title: Making best use of medicines: Report of a Department of Health roundtable event hosted by The King’s Fund Scan or click to download ‘Making best use of medicines: Report of a Department of Health roundtable event hosted by The King’s Fund’ The Skinny: Considers the implications of the research findings of the scale, causes and cost of medicines wasted, published by university of London and York Health Economics Consortium, to develop a practical plan for collaborative action to minimise wastage of medicines and improve health outcomes. Publisher: DH Published: 09/08/11 Size: 16p Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Cost control, Drugs, Financial Management, Grey Literature, Management, Medicinal products (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139632 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:39:57 +0100 5139632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130741&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FUsPPCVyvHnQ%2F The following is a guest post by WomanCare Global CEO Saundra Pelletier. Besides serving as the founding CEO of WomanCare Global, Saundra is an international marketing expert, published author, keynote speaker and executive coach. By Saundra Pelletier. In 1965, Griswold v. Connecticut gave a married woman the right to use birth control to prevent or delay pregnancy as she saw fit. This guarantee of a basic human right led to other reforms that allowed millions more American women to decide the direction of their own reproductive lives.  This summer, we are proud to see another key reform go through: starting next year, the Affordable Care Act will allow even more women in the United States to be in charge of their own health by requiring new health plans to provide free birth control with... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130741 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:10:30 +0100 5130741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130748&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-pros-and-cons-of-ipab-and-why-it-shouldnt-be-repealed%2F2011.08.15 In recent weeks, several Democrats and some health reform advocates including the AMA have joined Republicans in calling for a repeal of provisions in the new health law that create the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). For these people, IPAB represents the worst aspects of the new law–an unelected, centralized planning authority empowered by government to make decisions about the peoples’ health care. Arbitrary cuts to providers, short-sighted decisions that stifle innovation and rationing of care are sure to follow, they claim. While it’s true that the rules governing IPAB are flawed and should be fixed, eliminating IPAB altogether would be a mistake. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Pizaazz* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130748 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:00:44 +0100 5130748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118647&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fexpensive-medications-is-the-benefit-worth-the-cost%2F2011.08.10 The concept of cost-effectiveness in medicine is elastic. One’s view on this issue depends upon who is paying the cost. Of course, this is true in all spheres of life. When you’re in a fine restaurant, you order differently when the meal will be charged to someone else. Under these circumstances, the foie gras appetizer and the jumbo shrimp cocktail are no longer luxuries, but are considered as essential amino acids that are necessary to maintain life. In the marketplace, except in the medical universe, goods and services are priced according to what the market will bear. If an item is priced too high, then the seller will have fewer sales and a bloated inventory. Consumers will not pay absurd prices for common items, regardless of supernatural claims of quality. Would you pay $100 fo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118647 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0100 5118647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118571&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F10%2Fpct-estate-future-ownership-and-management-of-estate-in-the-ownership-of-primary-care-trusts-in-england%2F Title: PCT Estate: future ownership and management of estate in the ownership of Primary Care Trusts in England Scan or click to download 'PCT Estate: future ownership and management of estate in the ownership of Primary Care Trusts in England' The Skinny: Updates and supersedes the FAQs relating to the future ownership and management of PCT-owned estate by aspirant Community Foundation Trusts (CFTs), published on 16 February 2011. Publisher: DH Published: 04/08/11 Size: 27p. Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Cost control, Estate management, Facilities management, Financial Management, Grey Literature, Land, NHS Foundation Trusts, NHS Trusts, Organisational Change, Primary care organisations, Property management, Reorganisation, Structural change, Structural changeCost ... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118571 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:45:38 +0100 5118571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096192&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FC8uUKj_w1Lo%2F The latest video from the Alliance for Health Reform is now available. It  features Karen Davis, president of The Commonwealth Fund. Health care spending will be a target of efforts to cut the federal deficit. The best way to reduce unnecessary spending, Dr. Davis says, is to make sure everyone gets the right care, using new provider payment mechanisms such as bundled payment and value-based purchasing. In this video, Dr. Davis describes some of these payment reforms and lays out the case for greater use of comparative effectiveness research to learn “what really works.” This video is part of a series produced by the Alliance and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care) Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096192 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:07:01 +0100 5096192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096193&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FN-g7Cqy56zw%2F By Robin Strongin. In the 1993 movie Dave, the temp agency owner posing as the President of the United States (if you haven’t seen the film, just trust me on this) is determined to come up with the funding to save a federal homeless shelter program.  Gathering all of the cabinet officials together with pencils, legal pads and calculators, they brainstorm different wasteful programs that can be cut, totaling numbers as they go, until they come up with the necessary $350 million. A bit of Hollywood silly escapism?  No doubt.  But, you can say this for President Dave and his fictional cabinet.  At least they approached the budget process with a constructive purpose and vision. We can only hope that the same holds true for the supercommittee, the panel of 12 Senators and Representatives ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096193 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:36:23 +0100 5096193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096209&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Feven-with-insurance-childbirth-is-an-expensive-undertaking%2F2011.08.03 Childbirth hospital costs these days aren’t cheap. Some studies suggest the cost of raising a child exceeds $200,000, not including education expenses.   Most insurance companies charge women of childbearing age more for their insurance because the actuarial tables say so.  Mrs  Happy and I now have a 3 month old Zachary in our wings.  He is a cute little peanut.  His two brothers, Marty and Cooper adore him. Forty-two days after his April 21st, 2011 delivery, we still had not received our explanation of benefits from Blue Cross Blue Shield for the midwife charge.  I had previously received a statement from them saying the charge was under review.  Perhaps they believed that delivering Zachary was not medically necessary.  I can’t explain it. When I called to ask them w... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096209 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5096209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096194&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ama-assn.org%2Fama1%2Fpub%2Fupload%2Fmm%2F399%2Fmedicare-survey-results-0510.pdf By Mary Grealy. I wonder how long it will take before people who should know better stop implying, or even saying outright, that payment cuts to Medicare providers don’t affect beneficiaries. This weekend, I was among those following the cable news shows to see if Congress would finally reach agreement on a debt ceiling package.  It appears now that, even though it may be a “sugar-coated Satan sandwich” to some, a legislative approach has been crafted that will raise the debt ceiling and establish a process for achieving approximately $2.5 trillion in budget cuts over 10 years.  In this process, a congressional super-committee will be charged with identifying $1.5 trillion in deficit reductions by Thanksgiving.  If they fail to do so, automatic cuts will occur and fall most heavil... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096194 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:24:24 +0100 5096194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069465&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FzGD2KUZ3Hx4%2F Many of the debt-reduction plans being considered by Congress and the Administration include proposals that would achieve substantial savings from the Medicare program over time. A  side-by-side summary of the proposals allows users to easily compare the key Medicare provisions found in five major debt-reduction plans put forward by the White House, Congress and independent, bipartisan commissions. The five plans are: the President’s Framework for Shared Prosperity and Shared Fiscal Responsibility; the House Concurrent Budget Resolution; the Senate “Gang of Six” Proposal; the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (Bowles-Simpson); and the Bipartisan Policy Center Debt Reduction Task Force (Domenici-Rivlin). The summary also includes brief descriptions o... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069465 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:06:32 +0100 5069465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069820&cid=t_102714_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAz6PCNoGg6Q%2F The Kentucky attorney general has filed a lawsuit in a state court alleging that McKesson, one of the largest distributors, and First DataBank, which publishes a database for prescription drug prices, conspired to artificially inflate wholesales prices for more than 1,800 brand-name meds and, consequently, cost state taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements. Specifically, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway alleges the companies concocted a scheme in which they “fraudulently inflated” the average wholesale prices published by First DataBank for the drugs, because they knew the Kentucky Medicaid program was required by law to use the inflated prices to calculate reimbursement to pharmacies and other providers. The lawsuit alleges the wholesale acquisi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069820 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:45:30 +0100 5069820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062244&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsome-young-europeans-are-starting-to-eat-like-americans%2F2011.07.24 For years I have touted the health benefits of the “Mediterranean Diet” and encouraged patients to eat like the Europeans.   Fresh farm vegetables, olive oil, fish and red wine have been linked with longevity and good health.  I just read in NPR news that young Italians are forgoing the eating patterns of their elders and are imitating the “U.S. diet”.  The result is soaring obesity, just like in the United States. According the the article, young Italians ages 6-12 are sitting in front of the TV and are eating fast foods and soda.  In just three generations, the eating habits and activity of kids has changed from their healthy grandparents.  Italian health officials say obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. Part of the diet changes are a result of (more&#... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062244 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5062244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057764&cid=t_102714_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F22%2F7-tips-for-deciding-how-best-to-spend-your-time-energy-and-money%2F We all have to make decisions about how to spend our time, energy, and money. Because of my happiness project, I now explicitly ask myself, “Will this decision make me happier?” I’m determined to get the most happiness bang for the buck. Here are some questions I consider: 1. Is this decision likely to strengthen my relationships with other people? Strong relationships with other people are a key — the key — to happiness, so decisions that help me build or strengthen ties are likely to boost my happiness. Yes, it’s a hassle and an expense to go to my college reunion, but it’s likely to have a big happiness pay-off. 2. Will this decision provide me with novelty and challenge? Novelty and challenge make me happier—but they also make me feel insecure, intimidated, frustrated,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057764 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:55:45 +0100 5057764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050541&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1462     Examiner.com/Grand Rapids MI has just posted a comprehensive article explaining cord blood banking, its uses and what to look for if you are choosing to  bank your baby’s cord blood privately as well as publicly.    The author,  Nancy Zielinski, is an expert in the fields of public and sexual health. You can read more here. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050541 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:11:57 +0100 5050541 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028200&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F6Yvhta4ECuk%2F By Hope Ditto. Most of the country is sweltering its way through this week’s heat wave, but there is one thing here in DC rising faster than the mercury in our thermometers – tensions on the Hill as the debt ceiling stalemate continues. Whispers [well, tweeted whispers] of default “what ifs” abound here in the nation’s capital as lawmakers continue to play a high-stakes game of chicken through day after day of floor debates, committee hearings and negotiating sessions. With interest rates, Social Security payments and America’s credit score dangling in the balance, and the clock ticking towards the Aug. 2 deadline, the air is even thicker with panic than it is with humidity (though my frizzy hair would say otherwise). As with April’s narrowly-avoided government shutdown, pun... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028200 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:00:17 +0100 5028200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008193&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-blood-pressure-monitor-for-iphone-costs-4-times-more-than-off-the-shelf-version%2F2011.07.08 One of the most interesting things I saw at this year’s Doctors 2.0 and You event was Withins’ Blood pressure monitor. This iPhone-connected blood pressure monitor made its first appearance at CES, but you’ll finally be able to order one of your own today. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, the $129 accessory costs three to four times as much as off-the-shelf blood pressure monitors, but integrates well if you’re looking to pair it with your Withings scale for a complete vitals management solution. *This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008193 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:00:08 +0100 5008193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992681&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.changehealthcare.com%2Fdownloads%2Fhcti%2FHCTI_Q42010.pdf My mama told me you’d better shop around, as Smokey Robinson also told us. We now know it pays to shop the prices for digital imaging. The price of an MRI of the brain ranges from a low of $825 to a high of $3,600 within the Southeast region of the U.S. In the Northeast, the low is $1,540 and the high, $3,500. There are similar price “spreads” in other regions of the country for the same imaging study, and across other imaging modalities such as PET and CT. The greatest regional variances by service type are for MRI scans of the brain, varying 747% between a low price of $425 in the Southwest to a high of $3,600 in the Southeast, based on an analysis from change: healthcare‘s Q2 2011 Healthcare Transparency Index. USA Today reported on this study on June 30, 2011. Christopher Park... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992681 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:47:47 +0100 4992681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992666&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1403       So our SO’s are feeling a little neglected so they came up with a great way to bond and share beer. What could be better? Dad-to-be parties — also called “dadchelor,” or “forefather” parties — have become more popular in the past few years. For the most part, these aren’t sleazy retreads of “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” bachelor bashes. Instead, participants say, this new male-bonding ritual is all about welcoming a major milestone that, for today’s hands-on dads, is even more life-changing than marriage. Read the rest of the article here. These days men are just as excited to become Dads and they have just as many apprehensions as we do. Perhaps given a place to hang as an informal gathering, they can get informati... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992666 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:03:56 +0100 4992666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984441&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FYjC2kQK_oQo%2F By Val Jones. I’ve often heard physicians say that “the history is 90% of the diagnosis.” In other words, they can usually determine the underlying cause of a patient’s problem just by listening to their account of how it evolved. The physical exam is merely to confirm the diagnosis, and is often cursory, limited, or ignored. I believe that the physical exam is far more important than it seems – and I learned this during my recent oral medical specialty board examination. Although I have been sworn to secrecy regarding the content of the test questions, I will share an epiphany that I had during the exam. The examiners’ job is to describe a patient and then ask the examinee what else she’d like to know and what she’d do next. With each description, I found myself struggling... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984441 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:39:26 +0100 4984441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984452&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbending-the-cost-curve-in-cancer-care-reduce-excessive-testing-for-reassurance-purposes%2F2011.06.29 This is the second in a series of posts on Bending the Cost Curve in Cancer Care. We should consider the proposal, published in the NEJM, gradually over the course of this summer, starting with “suggested changes in oncologists’ behavior,” #1: 1. Target surveillance testing or imaging to situations in which a benefit has been shown. This point concerns the costs of doctors routinely ordering CTs, MRIs and other imaging exams, besides blood tests, for patients who’ve completed a course of cancer treatment and are thought to be in remission. The NEJM authors consider that after a cancer diagnosis many patients, understandably, seek reassurance that any recurrence will be detected early, if it happens. Doctors, for their part, may not fully appreciate the lack of benefit of detecting ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984452 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:00:37 +0100 4984452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984442&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2Fff8Oq-VAK_A%2F Health is where we live, play, work and pray — and also where we moisturize. Eucerin is working to create a Skin Savvy Nation. Welcome, health consumers, to the Eucerin Skin Health Cost Calculator, a tool that quantifies the financial impacts of skincare habits by estimating the life-cycle costs and benefits those skin health habits would have. The Calculator takes the consumer through a battery of questions together which yield a “skin score.” These include personal health habits such as not smoking, using skin-protecting moisturizer on a daily basis, and staying out of the sun. Eucerin gauges the cost of poor skincare at $400 billion a year in the U.S., about $400 per capita for each American. This is part of Eucerin’s PR campaign called the “Skin First Movement,” in wh... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984442 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:09:26 +0100 4984442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975858&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2Fjh8J4gTydSo%2F Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Related posts:Who will be most disruptive in 2009? Poll: The Next President’s Top Priority (Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care) Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975858 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:20:02 +0100 4975858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968471&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FttETJmLgxOo%2F By Ilya ShapiroLast year I blogged about a fascinating new approach to constitutional interpretation that Georgetown law professor Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz was developing, in a Stanford Law Review article called “The Subjects of the Constitution.”  Now Nick has a sequel, titled, naturally, “The Objects of the Constitution.”  Here’s an excerpt from the abstract:    In short, this Article and its predecessor, The Subjects of the Constitution, amount to a new model of constitutional review, a new lens through which to read the Constitution. This approach begins with a grammatical exercise: identifying the subjects and objects of the Constitution. But this is hardly linguistic casuistry or grammatical fetishism. The subjects and objects of the Constitution ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968471 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:47:30 +0100 4968471 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960066&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsuggestions-for-minimizing-spending-in-oncology%2F2011.06.22 Recently the NEJM ran a Sounding Board piece on Bending the Cost Curve in Cancer Care. The author’s take on this problem: Annual direct costs for cancer care are projected to rise — from $104 billion in 2006 to over $173 billion in 2020 and beyond.2…Medical oncologists directly or indirectly control or influence the majority of cancer care costs, including the use and choice of drugs, the types of supportive care, the frequency of imaging, and the number and extent of hospitalizations… The article responds, in part, to Dr. Howard Brody’s 2010 proposal that each medical specialty society find five ways to reduce waste in health care. The authors, from the Divisions of Hematology-Oncology and Palliative Care at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond VA, offer two lists: S... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960066 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:00:34 +0100 4960066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934150&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FplhBb8PyW0Y%2F By Val Jones.  You probably see your primary care physician once a year, and your dentist twice a year. But how often do you see your eye doctor? Vision is the most valued of the 5 senses, and yet Americans don’t seem to be making regular eye exams a priority. A recent CDC survey suggests that as many as 34.6% of adults over the age of 40 (with moderate to severe visual impairment) believe that they don’t need regular eye exams. About 39.8% of the respondents said that they didn’t get regular exams because they were too costly, or because their health insurance didn’t cover the expense. Although cost may play a role in peoples’ thinking, a comprehensive eye exam costs as little as $45-50 at retail outlets. I suspect that the real reason why people don’t get regular eye exams i... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934150 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:56:58 +0100 4934150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921420&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysicians-must-do-their-part-to-reduce-unnecessary-hospital-expenses%2F2011.06.10 Hospital costs are out of control. We have an aging population living longer with more complicated presentation of disease. We have an insurance driven platform instead of a health driven accountability. The long term sustainability of that architecture is one of guaranteed insolvency. One way or another hospitals are going to find their lifeline cut off. Medicaid is bankrupt. Hospital profit margins from Medicare have been negative for almost a decade. In addition, the rapid rise in private insurance premiums and industry’s gradual but accelerating exit from the health insurance benefit market all tell me that hospitals must find a way to reduce the cost of providing care. There are many ways hospital costs can be reduced. Administrators are paid handsomely to make it happen. Either... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921420 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:00:00 +0100 4921420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911823&cid=t_102714_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FDdUeRDT_Nxc%2F The Michigan attorney general has filed a lawsuit in a state court alleging that McKesson, one of the largest distributors, and the Hearst media conglomerate, which owns the First DataBank and its drug database, conspired to artificially inflate wholesales prices and, consequently, cost taxpayers millions of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements. The companies allegedly violated the Michigan Medicaid False Claims Act and common law by knowingly publishing false average wholesale prices for certain meds - including Lipitor, Zyprexa, Allegra, Celebrex and Advair - between 2001 and 2009, according to the lawsuit. During this time, Michigan Medicaid spent nearly $2 billion on 890 brand-name drugs, as well as approximately $80 million on approximately 1,900 generics. The lawsuit alleges the wholes... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911823 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:35:11 +0100 4911823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902679&cid=t_102714_147_f&fid=39273&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2F5a-g09FML7k%2Freal-costs-of-social-media.html We all know social media is not free. David Fleet recently posted a very informative infographic compiled from the expertise of multiple organizations to illuminate the true costs of social media. The graphic expounds on the hidden costs of social media campaigns including staff costs, advertising consultant fees, platform creation and apps. The costs on the low end total up to about 200,000 on average for a small operation and increase exponentially from there depending on staff size and involvement in the space. But not to worry, the article goes on to praise the impacts that social media can have on a campaign including engagement, brand awareness and overall reach. ePharma Summit West is your opportunity to hear from the guru’s of social media in the pharmaceutical industry and fi... ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902679 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:05:00 +0100 4902679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872065&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fb9IhkADCNqc%2F By Andrew J. CoulsonCiting new Census figures, the New York Times claims that “public school districts spent an average of $10,499 per student on elementary and secondary education in the 2009 fiscal year.” But according to the most recent issue of the Digest of Education Statistics, expenditures haven’t been that low for over a decade. In the last year reported, 2007-08, total expenditures per pupil in average daily attendance were already $12,922 (in 2008-09 dollars). Adjusting for inflation, that’s about $13,500 in today’s dollars. (Looking at spending per student enrolled, rather than per student actually taught, lowers the total figure, but not by that much). So what gives? How can the Times claim that public school “spending” is $3,000 lower ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872065 Thu, 26 May 2011 18:59:51 +0100 4872065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872084&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F-PNnvtaDT_A%2F By Mary Grealy. It wasn’t a head-to-head battle, as such, but Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) squared off against the USA Today editorial board yesterday on the subject of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), and I believe the lawmaker clearly made the better arguments. USA Today’s editorial made the point that the IPAB, created as part of the Affordable Care Act to curb Medicare costs, is essential to do the job that Congress won’t in cutting program spending.  The newspaper compared the new board to the base closing commission that successfully shuttered unneeded military installations. That’s a dubious argument, though, at best.  The base closing commission carefully studied the value and usefulness of military bases before choosing which ones could be closed w... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872084 Thu, 26 May 2011 13:00:30 +0100 4872084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862842&cid=t_102714_136_f&fid=38061&url=http%3A%2F%2Fprma-enhance.com%2Fdocuments%2FACS%2520Air%2520Miles%2520Program.pdf A growing number of breast cancer patients are now choosing to travel for their care, particularly for some of the more advanced breast reconstruction procedures. Insurance may cover the health care expenses but the cost of the hotel and air fare falls on the patient. Now, some patients may qualify for financial assistance to cover these extra expenses thanks to two special programs: Assistance with Air Travel Expenses The American Cancer Society (ACS) Air Miles program is a joint effort between Mercy Medical Airlift (MMA)/National Patient Travel Helpline (NPATH) and the American Cancer Society. The program is designed to help patients with the cost of air fare when traveling for cancer-related treatment. Please call the ACS at (800) 227-2345 to find out if you are eligible for help wit... Breast Cancer Reconstruction Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862842 Wed, 25 May 2011 01:41:14 +0100 4862842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847932&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F05%2F20%2Fimplementing-health-reform-the-preview-review-final-rule%2F Editor’s Note: This is the latest in a series of posts by Timothy Jost on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  Earlier posts have analyzed some important guidances, as well as provisions governing state waiver requests, student health plans, premium review, medical loss ratios, insurance exchanges, coverage for pre-existing conditions, appeals of coverage denials, coverage for [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847932 Fri, 20 May 2011 14:34:47 +0100 4847932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841481&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fconservative-viewpoint-the-ipab-is-the-frightening-lynchpin-of-obamacare%2F2011.05.18 In the speech President Obama gave responding to Congressman Ryan’s budget plan (the one in which he lured Ryan to sit in the front row in order to be publicly pilloried), the President did something DrRich did not think he would do before the next election. He openly invoked, and openly embraced, the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) as the chief mechanism by which Obamacare will control the cost of American healthcare. “IPAB” might be a new term to many Americans, but DrRich pointed his readers to this entity, within a few weeks of the passage of Obamacare, as the lynchpin (and a very scary lynchpin at that) of the whole enterprise. Until President Obama’s recent “outing” of IPAB, however, this new board has been almost entirely ignored by most commentators. Since the... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841481 Wed, 18 May 2011 19:00:30 +0100 4841481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4842026&cid=t_102714_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2Fs4OxGwrIO7g%2Freverse-tubal-ligation-is-it-possible.html Reversing a tubal ligation and natural pregnancy are very possible. The reversal specialists of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center specialize in an affordable outpatient tubal reversal surgery which will have most patients pregnant within a year of having reversal surgery. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4842026 Tue, 17 May 2011 13:34:23 +0100 4842026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828886&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcutting-healthcare-costs-in-spain-evidence-based-disinvestment%2F2011.05.16 In an economic downturn, two classic cost-reducing solutions come to mind in the healthcare services industry: reduce offerings (give fewer services)  or control demand (limit access to healthcare or increase copayments). There are many more but these two are the most frequently used. Actually, budget cuts in the Spanish region of Catalonia fit in the first type: they will need fewer resources (both human and material) because their services offered will shrink. It’s always controversial to cut healthcare services in Spain. Even talking about it leads to accusations of promoting total privatization, attacking the Welfare State and so on. But there is another way to cut services, drugs or technologies. It’s what Dr. Iñaki Gutierrez-Ibarluzea called ‘Evidenced-based disinvestment’ ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828886 Mon, 16 May 2011 11:00:10 +0100 4828886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813406&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2Fr3wFZXxDmWE%2F In conclusion, we know for a fact that the free EHR model works now and we believe it will grow and expand dramatically in the future. Related posts:When EMR Software Became Free…Or Does It Cost I’ve been meaning to write about a new Free EMR... Practice Fusion’s Free EMR Reaches Milestone I’ve recently been rather critical of Practice Fusion’s free EMR... Free HD TV Giveaway Winner at HIMSS Sponsored by Practice Fusion Many of you that I saw at HIMSS were aware... (Source: EMR and HIPAA) EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813406 Tue, 10 May 2011 19:34:13 +0100 4813406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803293&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D258 T-rays (Terahertz) are not something out of a movie; they are an emerging imaging technology with tissue analysis capabilities.  The technology has been studied for decades but high costs had limited its medical applications.  Commercial applications, such as airport security, have funded rapid advancements in technology and have helped drop the cost significantly.  Now, several companies and research centers are developing imaging systems for clinical trials. Terahertz radiation uses electromagnetic energy that falls between light and microwave radiation.  The technology is non-ionizing, which makes it safer than X-rays, and offers spectral analysis imaging.  It can also penetrate tissue to 3 to 4 cm.  Medical applications include wound care, cancer, and arthritis diagnosis. I asked... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803293 Mon, 09 May 2011 17:04:39 +0100 4803293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794832&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F05%2F06%2Fto-ipab-or-not-to-ipab-is-that-the-question%2F The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) has been touted as an important tool to control Medicare costs. The President supports it. But many members of Congress and provider groups do not. Can the IPAB survive in this political environment? Should the health policy community take a stand? (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794832 Fri, 06 May 2011 23:36:36 +0100 4794832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789218&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FmFbW55VdKsw%2F By Michael F. CannonOver at The Incidental Economist, Austin Frakt challenges a couple of claims I made on NPR about Medicare reform.  (Here’s how NPR reported my comments in print.) My claims are pretty simple. If Medicare subsidizes enrollees by giving them a fixed amount of money, much like Social Security does, they would be more cost-conscious than they are under the current open-ended subsidy, because enrollees who avoid wasteful spending would themselves get to keep the savings.  Put more plainly, people spend their own money more carefully than they spend other people’s money. Health insurers and health care providers would compete to serve these cost-conscious Medicare enrollees on the basis of both cost and quality.  Prices would fall while quality improves. I&... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789218 Wed, 04 May 2011 22:07:37 +0100 4789218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734347&cid=t_102714_123_f&fid=39036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpediatricinc.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F04%2F20%2F10-hidden-cost-when-implementing-an-emr%2F It seems the tides are turning. With all the government incentive talks, meaningful use guidelines and healthcare reform, doctors are starting to really look at implementing EMRs. Deciding on which EMR to choose is no easy task. How to implement it with the least amount of burden is also a challenge. Fortunately, there are countless articles online that will help with these tasks. And there are many consultants that can help you with this process as well. One area that I think hasn’t been explored enough though, is the hidden cost of implementing an EMR. The surprise expenses, the things nobody told you about, the stuff the vendor forgot to mention, the oh by the way, you’ll need to buy a few more xyz if you want to abc… I caught up with Chip Hart. Chip is a pediatric practice manage... Pediatric Inc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734347 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:00:15 +0100 4734347 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734704&cid=t_102714_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2Fa8_nrj_Dabs%2Fessure-side-effects-occasionally-pain-and-regret.html Essure coils can be removed and the Essure procedure can be reversed. Most women will not have any problem after Essure but a few will have either regret or side effects after Essure and will wonder if Essure is reversible. The personal stories of other Essure reversal couples are shared for the benefit of readers. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734704 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:56:36 +0100 4734704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714728&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1269 Choosing where and how to bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood often brings many questions to light. For instance, if a transplant is needed, and you’ve stored your baby’s cord blood in a public facility, finding a match can be difficult. Private banks may charge a yearly fee after an initial payment. You might want to find one that only charges a one time fee.  After all, there are private banks and public banks and each has its own list of positives and negatives. Listed here are answers to some basic questions to help you make an informed decision on cord blood banking. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714728 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:56:22 +0100 4714728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704760&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D234 It is a challenge for providers to decide which emerging technologies to adopt before they become mainstream.  CMS has focused on supporting new technologies that offer improved outcomes and lower long-term costs by offering providers the financial incentive to adopt these technologies when they first enter the market.  After a few years of aggressive reimbursement, the payment levels are readjusted to reflect the true cost of the technology.  One recent example in new technology incentives is electronic brachytherapy, a revolutionary new technology designed to eliminate the need to physically place a radioactive seed within the patient’s body.  I checked with several clinical trials and found that electronic brachytherapy has multiple advantages over external radiation and iridium s... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704760 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:29:04 +0100 4704760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605811&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCaR3KL4Cuhc%2F By Andrew J. CoulsonThe New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, which estimates the budgetary impact of proposed laws, has just released its analysis of a private school choice bill called the "Opportunity Scholarship Act." The most remarkable thing about its report is the amount of money it assumes that districts would save for each student they no longer have to teach: $0. On that assumption, if every student were to leave for the private sector tomorrow, districts would keep right on spending exactly the same amount they spend today. Inefficient though it is, not even state-run monopoly schooling is that bad. The OLS report does not explain why it assumes that the per pupil savings for students leaving public schools (the "marginal cost") would be $0. It states that this figure is "i... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605811 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:16:25 +0100 4605811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592374&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1189 The second trimester is great for traveling, as long as you take a few precautions. Planning a vacation or weekend getaway  is definitely a good way to relax and enjoy your time with your significant other. If you are planning to fly take a few precautions such as drinking a lot of water before during and after the flight and not sitting for too long in your seat. Walk up and down the aisles if necessary. ( You can be sure there will be at ONE trip to the lavatory!) Our friends over at thebump.com have answered some important questions regarding travel during the middle three months of your pregnancy. You can read here are a few tips to keep yourself (and baby!) safe and comfy on the road and in the skies. While you are away, it might be a good time to have ‘those discussions&#82... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592374 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:00:42 +0100 4592374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575055&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Funiversal-cardiac-screening-for-all-young-athletes%2F2011.03.11 It’s heart wrenching when young athletes die of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Last week the death of Wes Leonard, a Michigan high school star athlete, was especially poignant since he collapsed right after making the game-winning shot. This sort of tragedy occurs about one hundred times each year in America. That’s a lot of sadness. The obvious question is: Could these deaths be prevented? Let’s start with what actually happens. Most cases of sudden death in young people occur as a result of either hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), an abnormal thickening of heart muscle, or long QT syndrome (LQTS), a mostly inherited disease of the heart’s electrical system. Both HCM and LQTS predispose the heart to ventricular fibrillation — electrical chaos of the pumping chamber of the he... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575055 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:00:35 +0100 4575055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570534&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1172 We have all been told of the  negative effects of smoking during pregnancy, but here is yet another article stating devastating defects in children whose mothers smoked while pregnant. The new medical study found a connection between smoking during pregnancy and certain defects such as those that obstruct the flow of blood from the right side of the heart into the lungs and openings between the upper chambers of the heart. Therefore, according to a statement released by CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, women who are thinking about having a baby or they are already pregnant should quit smoking immediately as tobacco can affect children’s health.Read here for more information. In addition, consider banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood in the event that he/she will need it i... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570534 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:31:05 +0100 4570534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565891&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1181 Cheers to the women in your life, those who surround you when you need them most, the women who raised you, nursed you, yelled at you and comforted you in times of need.  Yesterday was the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. Not that we needed a day to recognize the power of women because we’ve all seen it firsthand , but just in case you’re having one of those days, the team over at Fitpregnancy.com has a  wonderful article expressing the power of women. Relax and enjoy! Also, remember  those who might benefit from cord blood transplantation. Those whose lives hang in the balance of the hope that cord blood cells collected at birth just might be their only answer. Baby JOhn is such patient. Here is a short video about his successful cord blood transplant. ... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565891 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:24:44 +0100 4565891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4566304&cid=t_102714_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F08%2Fohio-state-university-reports-that-ovarian-cancer-drug-bevacizumab-is-not-cost-effective%2F An analysis conducted by Ohio State University cancer researchers found that adding the targeted therapy bevacizumab to the first-line treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer is not cost effective. An analysis conducted by Ohio State University cancer researchers found that adding the targeted therapy bevacizumab [Avastin®] to the first-line treatment of patients with advanced [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4566304 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:51:51 +0100 4566304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560254&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1162 According to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the study indicated an association between use of the drugs and a modest risk of congenital heart defects, as well as a heightened risk for spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis and was reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis was based on the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997 to 2005) including data gathered from across 10 states. CDC researchers found that between 2 percent and 3 percent of mothers who took prescription painkillers such as codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone (Oxycontin) either just prior to becoming pregnant or early in their pregnancy,  the risk of their newborn having a serious heart defect known as hypoplastic l... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560254 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:26:50 +0100 4560254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512389&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FPrX1WfSHfm8%2F By Casey Quinlan. In my daily business life, I have lots of conversations about healthcare IT (HIT), electronic medical records (EMR), personal health records (PHR), and the rest of the alphabet soup of acronyms used in health care’s march into the 21st century. Each of those conversations always winds up leading to the same question, “what’s the ROI?” Meaning what’s the expected financial benefit to the provider deploying the technology. This is most definitely a valid question – any enterprise looking at a technology product or service needs to have a solid understanding of what the business results of that technology can be, and what the cost of those results will be. Also, the likelihood of those results actually showing up is important: what’s the track record of the sys... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512389 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:20:55 +0100 4512389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482759&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-cost-of-treating-kidney-disease%2F2011.02.15 Medical spending to treat kidney disease totaled on average $25.3 billion annually from 2003 to 2007 (in 2007 dollars). Almost half of the expenditures ($12.7 billion) were spent on ambulatory visits. On average, 3.7 million adults (1.7 percent of the population) annually reported getting treatment for kidney disease, reports a statistical brief from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. During 2003-2007, for those ages 18 to 64, more than half of the total kidney disease expenditures were from ambulatory visits (53.1 percent) compared with about one third (30.3 percent) from inpatient visits. Among those age 65 and older, ambulatory visits accounted for 46 percent of the total kidney disease expenditures and hospital stays were 43 percent. Similar amounts were spent on prescri... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482759 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4482759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4445797&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FeIsknPHxr8M%2F By Glenna Crooks. This is the week many of us will consider – or finally make – Valentine’s Day purchases. Some of us will consider chocolate. Maybe more of us should. I wondered about that as I saw some disparate bits of data over the weekend. An article on Valentine’s Day spending was informative: couples will spend just under $70 on each other and we’ll spend, on average, $5 on pets, $6 on friends, $5 on teachers and $3.50 on co-workers. What will we be buying? In all, about $12.B in treats for the day: $3.5B on jewelry, $1.6B on clothing, $3.4B on dinner, $1.7B on flowers, $1.5B on candy (of which $285M will be on chocolate) and $1.1B on greeting cards. I get interested in items like this when I hear that we ‘can’t afford health care.’ I’ve noticed over the years how ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4445797 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:48:38 +0100 4445797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429004&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1105 We all know just how important it is to have a birth plan ready for the day you go into labor.  Making decisions in advance alleviates any surprises. Of course, you must pre-plan banking your baby’s cord blood. Make sure you have packed the kits you’ve received and any instructions that are necessary. Sheknows.com has put together a comprehensive birth plan creator, so you won’t forget a thing!! Once you’ve completed the questionnaire all you have to do it print it out and put it in your hospital bag. Follow the link to a great birth plan!! (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429004 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:33:57 +0100 4429004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424231&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FnzIXmIj3DGM%2F The following post is written by guest blogger Joanna Fief. Joanna works at Regence BlueCross BlueShield and encourages you to visit the company’s blog and website about health care costs at www.WhatsTheRealCost.org to learn more. By Joanna Fief. About two years ago in the wee hours of the morning, I found myself in a local emergency room with severe stomach pain, incessant vomiting and dehydration.  It wasn’t pretty, and I was desperate for something – anything – to ease my pain and stop my vomiting.  Gratefully, within minutes of receiving an IV with medications for pain and nausea, my symptoms subsided.  After a couple of blood tests that all came back normal, I was discharged.  The ER doctor said I probably just had a virus.  I wish … Over the next six months, I lost 20... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424231 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:34:25 +0100 4424231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419136&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-hot-spotters-is-better-care-for-the-neediest-patients-the-answer-to-lower-healthcare-costs%2F2011.01.31 Author-physician Dr. Atul Gawande has done it again with a well-written article in The New Yorker magazine entitled, “The Hot Spotters.” It deals with the fact that 5 percent of people with chronic illness make up over 50 percent of all healthcare costs. If we can zero in on providing better preventive care for those people, we can finally get our arms around runaway healthcare costs. How great that you don’t even have to have a New Yorker subscription to read it. Here are a few cliff notes until you get to it: – In Camden, New Jersey, one percent of patients account for one-third of the city’s medical costs. By just focusing attention on the social and medical outpatient needs of those people, they not only got healthier but costs were cut in half. &#8... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419136 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4419136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399842&cid=t_102714_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2Fc9DanJQRAwA%2Ftubal-reversal-financing.html Financing tubal reversal surgery with a tubal reversal loan may appear to be a good idea until you read the fine print. The tubal reversal specialists of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center explain the real problems with tubal reversal financing and offer alternatives and more financially sound ways to pay for tubal ligation reversal surgery. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399842 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:55:03 +0100 4399842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399465&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F26%2Fnursing-times-2010-vol-107-no-1%2F Fade Fave: What is the effect of discharge planning? Fade Skinny: This Cochrane Review investigates whether discharge planning improved the use of acute care and patient outcomes. It also looked at whether discharge planning reduced overall costs of healthcare. Follow this link to access the full Cochrane Review report or contact the Library for a copy of the Nursing Times summary of the review. Filed under: Journals Tagged: Cost Effectiveness, Discharge Planning, Health Economics, Health Outcomes (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399465 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:35:38 +0100 4399465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399474&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fblogscan-electronic-health-records-and.html From the blog of Dr. Sanjay Gupta at CNN health:Electronic health records no cure-all Electronic medical records, also known as EHRs, often touted as a powerful antidote for uncoordinated and ineffective medical care, do little to help patients outside the hospital, according to a new study. Researchers from Stanford University analyzed federal data on more than 255,000 patients, about a third of whom had health information carried electronically. The researchers compared the care of those patients to the care of patients without EHRs, on 20 different measures of quality – for example, whether proper medication was prescribed for patients with asthma or simple infections, or whether smokers were counseled on ways to quit. On 19 of the 20 measures, there was no benefit from having an EHR... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399474 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:12:00 +0100 4399474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377561&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1069 So there you are. In your ob/gyn’s  office, getting ready to hear your baby’s heartbeat, get measured and weighed. You’ve been discussing your birth plan with your doctor, making decisions such as whether you will be banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood and whether or not you will  have pain medication.  Have you ever left the ob/gyn office really wanting to know the sex of your baby but they just couldn’t tell you. Or you didn’t ask, or you got cold feet… Here are some fun ways to predict whether you’re carrying a boy or a girl…if you’re carrying low, it may be a boy or if the heart rate is higher it may be a girl… either way you will have a good laugh trying to predict the sex of your baby!  At parenting.com you w... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377561 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:33:10 +0100 4377561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361328&cid=t_102714_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FhkuARpQHJDo%2Fbest-tubal-reversal-doctors.html This article will help readers answer the question on where is the best place to have a tubal ligation reversal. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361328 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:29:03 +0100 4361328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360984&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcancer-treatments-to-cost-158-billion-by-2020%2F2011.01.17 Medical expenditures for cancer are projected to reach at least $158 billion in today’s dollars by 2020. That’s a 27 percent increase, assuming that incidence and treatment costs remain at 2010 levels, according to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) analysis of growth and aging of the U.S. population. But new diagnostic tools and treatments could raise medical expenditures as high as $207 billion, assuming that the costs of new treatments increases 5 percent, said the researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the NIH. The analysis appears in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Recent trends reflect a 2 percent annual increase in medical costs in the initial and final phases of care, which would boost projected 2020 costs to $173 billion.Projec... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360984 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4360984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361115&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D148 Over five years ago, I noticed leading-edge hospitals promoting service lines on their websites.  Now, almost 50% of hospitals have adopted some form a service line/product line management.  So, what’s the benefit for the hospital or the patient in this new iteration of healthcare?  An excellent article I read, “The Hospital That Could Cure Healthcare,” discussed the Cleveland Clinics’ 2006 transition to “institutes” organized by disease or organ system.  The institutes focus on coordinating care for better outcomes and reducing costs; in fact, it reduced the cost of treatment by 40% in one year.  Improving outcomes and reducing costs just by reorganizing is something worth paying attention to. Recently, I spoke to Rodger Dix, vice president of finance at Hannibal Regional... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361115 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:43:31 +0100 4361115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331007&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FCpt5CQex6T0%2F By Jane Sarasohn-Kahn. For every $1 spent on health care in the U.S., 10 cents goes to prescription drugs, 31 cents goes to hospital care, and 27 cents goes to professionals (doctors, dentists, and other services), based on 2009 health spending reported to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). There’s evidence that by spending a bit more on medication and bolstering prescription drug adherence among patients, total health spending can be lowered for vascular medical conditions. The study and data which leads to this conclusion is published in Medication Adherence Leads to Lower Health Care Use And Costs Despite Increased Drug Spending appears in the January 2011 issue of Health Affairs. The study cites the World Health Organization’s report from 2003 that stated med... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331007 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:00:12 +0100 4331007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322496&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1033 The promising field of stem cell research is prompting more and more parents to store their newborn’s umbilical cord blood for possible use in treating future disease. Cord blood is rich in blood-forming stem cells and is currently used in transplants for some patients with leukemia, lymphoma, immune deficiencies and inherited metabolic disorders. Most infusions come from unrelated donors, partly because of concerns that receiving one’s own defective cells may cause the same diseases to return. Now, early research shows that cord blood may be able to safely regenerate other types of cells in the body, fueling optimism that doctors may one day routinely use a patient’s own stored cord blood to treat such conditions as cerebral palsy (CP), stroke, spinal cord injuries, diabetes and car... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322496 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:06:25 +0100 4322496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322509&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat%25e2%2580%2599s-wrong-it%25e2%2580%2599s-a-generic-drug-rip-off-thats-what%2F2011.01.07 Cute packaging and product placement in the checkout lane at Duane Reade will get you generic Tylenol for a price equivalent to $50 for 100 tabs, as opposed to $6 per 100 count in the usual package. *This blog post was originally published at tbtam* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322509 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:00:26 +0100 4322509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294629&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-business-of-anticoagulation%2F2010.12.28 This is a guest post by Dr. Juliet Mavromatis: ********** The emergence of a new generation of anticoagulants, including the direct thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran and the factor Xa inhibitor, rivaroxaban, has the potential to significantly change the business of thinning blood in the United States. For years warfarin has been the main therapeutic option for patients with health conditions such as atrial fibrillation, venous thrombosis, artificial heart valves and pulmonary embolus, which are associated with excess clotting risk that may cause adverse outcomes, including stroke and death. However, warfarin therapy is fraught with risk and liability. The drug interacts with food and many drugs and requires careful monitoring of the prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (IN... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294629 Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4294629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294603&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F12%2F27%2Ffree-access-to-health-affairs-papers-on-imaging-self-referral-boom%2F In the December issue, Health Affairs published a series of papers on the effects of self-referral by physicians for imaging services. Princeton economist Uwe Reinhardt spotlighted the set of papers in a Christmas Eve blog post in the New York Times’ Economix blog: A fascinating narrative on how private health insurers and Medicare have both [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294603 Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:39:20 +0100 4294603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294583&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fscience-in-medical-informatics-is-dead.html The science in Medical Informatics is dead.I'm not going to even use academic fabric softener in my assertion, e.g., "may be", "appears to be", or "is it?" (as a question) dead.It's dead.When HIT experts recommend changing the study goalposts when existing studies don't give results they'd like to see, rather than first and foremost critically and rigorously examining why we're seeing unexpected results, science is dead. http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/study-highlights-lurking-question-measuring-ehr-effectivenessStudy highlights 'lurking question' of measuring EHR effectivenessDecember 22, 2010 | Molly Merrill, Associate EditorWASHINGTON – Hospitals' use of electronic health records has had just a limited effect on improving the quality of medical care nationwide, according to ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294583 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:22:00 +0100 4294583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287596&cid=t_102714_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FDxztlmuupog%2Ftubal-anastomosis-and-tubal-reanastomosis-whats-it-mean.html Tubal anastomosis and other terms describing tubal ligation reversal can be confusing and hard to understand. The ligation reversal experts of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center explain these terms and how much more successful this procedure can be when compared to in vitro fertilization. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287596 Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:47:22 +0100 4287596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281293&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F12%2F22%2Fimplementing-health-reform-the-premium-review-regulation%2F Editor’s Note: This is the latest in a series of posts by Timothy Jost on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  Earlier posts analyze provisions governing the medical loss ratio, insurance exchanges, coverage for pre-existing conditions, appeals of coverage denials, coverage for preventive services, a patient bill of rights, grandfathered plans, tax-exempt hospitals, the small employer tax credit, the [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281293 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:16:06 +0100 4281293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4275327&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-holidays-and-the-obese%2F2010.12.20 ‘Tis once again that time of year when we Americans gather together with our extended families and friends to celebrate the season. It is a time for catching up — renewing acquaintances and making new ones, sharing in good news and commiserating in bad, welcoming our new arrivals and mourning our losses. It is a time for giving thanks, counting our blessings, and putting our sundry individual problems into perspective. Indeed, it is perhaps most importantly a time for each of us to remind ourselves that — despite the trials and tribulations that may cause us to become relatively self-absorbed in our daily lives — we are all part of something much greater than ourselves. So, in a way, it’s a shame we must now cull out our obese relatives and friends, and disinvite them... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4275327 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:00:29 +0100 4275327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265953&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D121 Why can’t we break-even on our spine cases?  It’s not the first time someone has asked me this and I am sure it won’t be the last.  However, it’s important to keep in mind is that spinal surgery is one of the more challenging procedures for a hospital to perform.  Patients can spend up to six hours in the OR and days in recovery and surgeons use a wide variety of mechanical implants and biological materials.  These alone can make up over 50% of the costs.  So, even in a best-case scenario, there is little room for extra costs. I spoke with Eugene S. Schneller, PhD, Dean’s Council of 100 Distinguished Scholars, professor of health care supply chain management at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, and an expert in hospital supplies, and he stated, “The supply chain has bec... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265953 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:11:39 +0100 4265953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258838&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FZYrGJ-pPqvM%2F By Daniel J. MitchellOkay, perhaps the title of this post is not quite as memorable as Charlton Heston’s famous line from Planet of the Apes, but it certainly captures my sentiments after reading an article in Slate that calls for the elimination of the $100 bill. The author, Timothy Noah, says that large bills are only for “criminals and sociopaths.” Here’s the crux of his argument. …why does the U.S. continue to print C-notes…? Technological change has reduced much further the plausible need of any law-abiding American to carry a C-note in his wallet or to stash a pile of C-notes in his mattress. Noah’s argument is unconvincing for several reasons. First, he is underestimating the degree to which “law-abiding” Americans use “Ben... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258838 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:44:18 +0100 4258838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249059&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-virtue-of-unnecessary-care%2F2010.12.10 I case you didn’t hear the news, the American healthcare system is in financial crisis. One of the biggest culprits indicted in this crises is “unnecessary care,” with estimates ranging from $500 to $650 billion (total spending estimate is $2.6 trillion) going toward things labeled “unnecessary.” Personally I think this is an underestimate, as it doesn’t take into account the some big-ticket items: Brand name drugs given when generics would do. Antibiotics given for viral infections (and the additional cost due to reactions and resistance). Unproven costly care considered “standard of care” (PSA testing, robotic surgery, coronary stents). The unnecessarily high price of drugs. One of the main reasons I am an advocate of EMR is to measure and analyze care, eliminating tha... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249059 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:00:19 +0100 4249059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4245304&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnot-just-any-joe-smith%2F2010.12.09 DrRich is delighted to note that a very good and longtime friend and former colleague has been named as one of the HealthLeaders 20 for 2010 — that is, as one of 20 people, chosen by HealthLeaders Media, who are changing healthcare for the better. DrRich has known this man for nearly two decades, and from the very beginning he has insisted his real name is Joe Smith. So let’s go with that. Joe’s recognition by HealthLeaders is very well deserved. Joe is chief medical and science officer of the West Wireless Health Institute in San Diego, a non-profit institution whose mission is to bring wireless technologies to the patient, technologies to diagnose, monitor and treat health conditions in the patient’s own home. Joe is uniquely qualified for this role, having earned a PhD in me... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4245304 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:00:32 +0100 4245304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4241681&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F08%2Fjournal-of-the-american-medical-association-2010-vol-304-no-21%2F Contents Page Fade Fave: Toward an Outcomes-Based Health Care System: A View From the United Kingdom Fade Skinny: In a comprehensive, publicly funded system like the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) there is an overriding imperative to deliver maximum health benefit per pound spent. Quality, effectiveness, and efficiency are the goals. Following a decade of above-inflation increases in NHS funding, the urgent need to reduce the United Kingdom’s national debt means the NHS is entering a sustained period of flat or declining funding, while demand for services continues to increase (from technological progress, an aging population, increasing expectations, and population growth). Striving for value therefore becomes an ethical imp... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4241681 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:14:42 +0100 4241681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233182&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-preauthorization-impacts-care%2F2010.12.06 The American Medical Association (AMA) had a press release [recently] announcing findings from their survey on the impact of insurance company preauthorization policies. Surprisingly, they discovered that these policies use physician time and delay treatment. It’s funny, because preauthorization policies were designed to save money. And I imagine they do, for the insurer, but they cost money for everyone else. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Shrink Rap* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233182 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4233182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233184&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-reform-law-state-courts-pose-a-threat%2F2010.12.06 Flush from their big win in the midterms, the Boehners are vowing to repeal and replace the Big O’s health reform law. They pose a legitimate threat, but an even larger one lies in the courts, where suits challenging the constitutionality of the law have been popping up like fireflies on a late August night. In Virginia for example, Republican-appointed Federal District Court Judge Henry Hudson has indicated that the Individual Mandate — a key provision of the law that has been challenged in a suit filed in his court by the state’s Republican Attorney General — might not pass his sniff test. Hudson said he’d rule on the matter this month. If he deems the provision to be unconstitutional, he might (it’s unlikely, but he might) enjoin the law altogether until higher courts rule o... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233184 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:00:41 +0100 4233184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233185&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhy-privatizing-medicare-is-highly-explosive%2F2010.12.06 In response to my recent post where I averred that the cigarette companies were treated as scapegoats, I have had several cyber and actual conversations about personal responsibility. I believe that folks should realize the consequences and the benefits of freely-made decisions. While we want American society to be compassionate, we do not want to punish success and reward failure. Our goal is to do all that we can to maximize everyone’s success. We should be ready to assist those who need and deserve our private and governmental assistance, but personal effort and responsibility are necessary elements of these interventions. In our gastrroenterology practice, when we see patients who are in financial difficulty, my physician partners and staff will do all that we can to help them. While... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233185 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:00:00 +0100 4233185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233186&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgetting-quality-and-profit-out-of-medicine%2F2010.12.06 Looking for a great story about the state of hospital care in America? Look no further. The Health Care Blog has a great article by hospitalist Dr. Robert Wachter that sums it up nicely. It’s about money. Thats how hospitals get paid. That’s how everyone gets paid. It will always be about money. We don’t pay doctors, nurses, or administrators with smiley faces and candy canes. We pay them with cold hard cash. For example: One of the physicians, an invasive cardiologist, stopped me in my tracks. “Actually, our hospital already provides a tremendous amount of support and feedback,” he said. “When I perform a catheterization or angioplasty, a hospital staff member watches the entire procedure, she sometimes suggests mid-course corrections, and as soon as I’m do... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233186 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4233186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225253&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysician-lifestyle-is-criteria-when-choosing-a-medical-specialty%2F2010.12.02 Medical students today consider lifestyle an essential criteria when choosing a specialty. It’s become a cliche that most are looking towards the ROAD (radiology, ophthalmology, anesthesiology and dermatology) to happiness. There’s been some recent media attention at how women are lured to specialties that offer a greater balance between their family lifestyle and professional demands. Claudia Golden, a Harvard economics professor, recently noted that, high-paying careers that offer more help in balancing work and family are the ones that end up luring the largest numbers of women. Surprisingly, colon and rectal surgery is one of these, because of rapid growth in routine colonoscopies that can be scheduled in advance, giving doctors control over their time. Goldin says 31% of colon and... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225253 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:00:38 +0100 4225253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225661&cid=t_102714_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FNannBzcrm6Q%2F Health care reform may eventually solve some problems, but the price of medications may not be on the list. Consequently, drug pricing is likely to remain a contentious topic for the forseeable future. Consider that prices may continue to rise, even though drugmakers are required to offer new discounts and pay a new tax, prices may well continue to rise. In the 12-month run-up to passage of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, there was a 9.7 percent average price hike on widely used meds. Then there’s the steep cost of so-called specialty drugs - those bank-account draining biologics. In 1995, just eight cost more than $10,000 annually; now, there are 48. And what is really known about behind-the-scenes rebates? And so the deep thinkers at Deloitte, the consulting firm, a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225661 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:49:32 +0100 4225661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214113&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbend-the-healthcare-cost-curve-by-preventing-diabetes%2F2010.11.29 By 2020, an estimated 15 percent of adults will have diabetes and 37 percent will have prediabetes, a total of 39 million people, compared with rates of 12 percent and 28 percent today, respectively. Today, more than 90 percent of people with prediabetes, and about a quarter of people with diabetes, are unaware of it, according to a report from UnitedHealth Group, the provider of insurance and other health care services. The health savings alone of preventing diabetes would bend the cost curve of health care spending in the country. Health spending associated with diabetes and prediabetes is about $194 billion this year, or 7 percent of U.S. health spending, the report said. That cost is projected to rise to $500 billion by 2020, or a total of almost $3.4 trillion on diabetes-related... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214113 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:00 +0100 4214113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197065&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-seduction-of-primary-care%2F2010.11.24 Hey there, big, smart, good-looking doctor… Are you tired of being snubbed at all the parties? Are you tired of those mean old specialists having all of the fun? I have something for you, something that will make you smile. Just come to me and see what I have for you. Embrace me and I will take away all of the bad things in your life. I am what you dream about. I am what you want.  I am yours if you want me… Seduce: verb [trans.] attract (someone) to a belief or into a course of action that is inadvisable or foolhardy : they should not be seduced into thinking that their success ruled out the possibility of a relapse. See note at “tempt.” (From the dictionary on my Mac, which I don’t know how to cite.) If you ever go to a professional meeting for doctors, make su... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197065 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:00:39 +0100 4197065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190149&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-federal-coordinating-council-for-comparative-effectiveness-research-what-is-it%2F2010.11.22 What is the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research?  The mission of the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research will be to decide on best practices and most cost effective practices. The council will recommend cost effective treatments for diseases to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (NCFHIT). The NCFHIT will determine treatment at the time and place of care. It is charged with deciding the course of treatment for the diagnosis given by the doctor.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the formation and membership of the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research that will be funded by President Obama’s stimulus program the American Recovery and Reinv... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190149 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 23:00:58 +0100 4190149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190150&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-rationing-of-healthcare%2F2010.11.22 Do you recall the severe rationing of food and water the Chilean miners had to endure to survive? The rationing was done to stretch their limited resources. I would argue the state of Arizona’s new policy to not cover organ transplants for patients on Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) or their version of Medicaid is a similar form of rationing. AHCCCS, as many Medicaid programs, is underfunded. They are trying to operate on a limited budget. Something has to give. Sadly in this case, many (NPR reports 98) had already been granted approval for organ transplants which they may not receive. Francisco Felix, 32, who due to hepatitis-C needs a liver transplant, is reported to have made it to the operating room, prepped and ready for his life-saving liver transplant when d... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190150 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4190150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4186881&cid=t_102714_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F11%2Farizona-begins-rationing-care-medicaid-patients-denying-coverage-transplants%2F Arizona’s Medicaid program has begun denying coverage for patients who need some types of heart and bone marrow transplants, lung transplants, pancreatic transplants, and liver transplants for patients with hepatitis C. Heart transplant waiting list patient Randy Shepherd tells his story when the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System told him he was being placed on the inactive list until he could raise the funds to pay for his own transplant. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4186881 Sat, 20 Nov 2010 01:33:48 +0100 4186881 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175693&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Funintended-consequences-of-cheaper-generic-drugs%2F2010.11.17 There’s an article in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled the “Unintended Consequences of Four-Dollar Generic Drugs.“ Ever one to hone in on unintended consequences of all stripes, I quickly clicked through. Oh, dear! What bad could possibly come of making drugs significantly more affordable? Were more people demanding prescriptions for drugs they didn’t really need now that they were so cheap? (Dream on. I’m still twisting arms to get my high-risk cardiac patients to take their generic statins.) Were pharmacies going out of business, no longer to make ends meet without massive markups on brand name drugs, contributing to skyrocketing unemployment and otherwise adding to the country’s general economic malaise? Were cardiologists’ incomes plummeting because of saggin... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175693 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:00:35 +0100 4175693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4203207&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F11%2F17%2Fnew-online-market-place-for-emr-transcription-services%2F Having this blog has given me the opportunity to talk with a number of different transcription companies over the years. I think one thing has become pretty clear. The face of transcription is certainly changing quickly, but the need for transcription is still going to be there for a long while to come. Although, it won’t be the same process of transcription as we know today. Transcription and EMR will start to come together more and more. Many of us (including myself) were quick to use transcription cost savings as a way to justify the purchase of an EMR. What I think we’ve seen over the 5 or so years I’ve been writing about EMR is that transcription can still be a fantastic compliment to an EMR system. EMR cost justification will often have to come from some of the othe... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4203207 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 19:15:35 +0100 4203207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168086&cid=t_102714_123_f&fid=39036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpediatricinc.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F15%2Fmedical-practices-don%25e2%2580%2599t-compete-on-price-compete-on-value%2F   Image Courtesy of: thisisindexed.com   When other establishments offer services that overlap a medical office’s services, like for example, CVS and Walgreens offering flu shots, or retail clinics offering inexpensive school physicals, I read and hear about medical offices rushing to match prices in an effort to stay competitive. BAD IDEA Competing on price is almost always a bad idea. Why? It is a bad idea because it diminishes the services private medical offices provide. By “matching” retail clinics, or other low end establishment, a medical practice is suggesting that there is a not a qualitative differentiation between their services, expertise, and knowledge when compared to these businesses. In other words, offering service for as cheap as a retail, drive-by clinic ... Pediatric Inc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168086 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:00:49 +0100 4168086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133715&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmisusing-medical-technology-and-escalating-the-cost-of-healthcare%2F2010.11.03 Guest post by Stephen C. Schimpff, M.D. We are often told that the reason for the high cost of medical care is all of our new technologies and drugs. There is an element of truth in that but when used correctly, new technologies save lives and improve the quality of patient care and often improve safety. But technologies used inappropriately increase costs while not improving quality and may adversely impact safety. A patient example An older woman had been coming to the same primary care physician (PCP) as her daughter for over twenty years. She lived in another city about 30 miles distant but she preferred to visit the doctor with her daughter. She also occasionally saw a doctor near her home if she had an immediate problem. On nearly every visit she said that she felt “tired.” Re... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133715 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:00:08 +0100 4133715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105666&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-looking-at-long-term-impossible-in-our-healthcare-system%2F2010.10.25 I spent last week in Gothenburg, Sweden covering the European Committee for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) meeting. Lots of good science, lots of excitement over the new oral and targeted therapies coming on the market to treat this awful disease. But what I want to write about isn’t the science, but about how it will play out in the brave new world of healthcare in which we all live in today. For instance, consider the first oral therapy to hit the market: Gilenya (fingolimod), which the FDA approved in September. Last month Novartis announced the price: $48,000 a year. This is not a rant against the high cost of drugs, however. It is a rant against the inability of our healthcare system to take the long view of the impact of such drugs, a view that is particularly im... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105666 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:00:00 +0100 4105666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086253&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FvbfEM-_juzE%2F By Michael F. CannonHere’s a poor, unsuccessful letter I sent to the editor of the Los Angeles Times: Three and a half million Californians may become eligible for subsidized private health insurance in 2014 under ObamaCare [“3.5 million Californians would be eligible for healthcare tax credits, study finds,” October 6], but those subsidies will not “slash the cost” of their health insurance.  As ObamaCare causes health insurance premiums to rise by as much as 30 percent, the private-insurance subsidies will shift those costs to taxpayers.  A bipartisan majority of Americans opposes ObamaCare in part because such shell games increase costs rather than reduce them. Cost-Slashing? No, Cost-Shifting. is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086253 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:52:22 +0100 4086253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086520&cid=t_102714_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2F2wrs2mFKp-c%2F Over 2 years 50% of 12-Step treated addicted people were clean and sober. In contrast only 37% of non-12-Step based addicts were clean and sober. Additionally, 12-Step treatment cost 30% less in healthcare fees. Accumulating evidence indicates that addiction and psychiatric treatment programs that actively promote self-help group involvement can reduce their patients’ health care costs in the first year after treatment. But such initially impressive effects may wane over time. The researchers examined whether the higher success and reduced health care costs obvious at 1 year after treatment were maintained at 2-year after treatment began. They were! The 12-step–based programs placed substantially more emphasis on; 12-step concepts, had more staff members "in recovery," h... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086520 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:09:26 +0100 4086520 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065349&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FbIcD9JzSKsI%2F By Michael F. CannonToday at the Cato Institute, Duke University Prof. Chris Conover presented his estimates of the economic losses that will be created by the taxes necessary to fund ObamaCare.  This chart is taken from his presentation: The Excess Burden of ObamaCare Here’s Conover’s full presentation (with comments by former Congressional Budget Office director Douglas Holtz-Eakin), as well as his Cato Policy Analysis, and his op-ed. A Hidden Cost of ObamaCare is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065349 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:02:28 +0100 4065349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065353&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FoTBKt6_Pu-Y%2F By Tad DeHavenA study from the American Institutes of Research finds that federal and state governments have wasted billions of dollars on subsidies for students who didn’t make it past their first year in college. The federal total for first-year college drop outs was $1.5 billion from 2003 to 2008. Due to data limitations, the figures are only for first year, full-time students at four-year colleges and universities. Community colleges have even higher drop-out rates, and part-time students or students returning to college are more likely to drop out. Therefore, the numbers in the report are “only a fraction of the total costs of first-year attrition the nation and the states face.” Moreover, it doesn’t include the cost for students who drop out some time after their sophomore ye... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065353 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:50:26 +0100 4065353 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040561&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftop-gripes-about-drugs-and-what-they-cost%2F2010.10.07 I used to defend pharmaceutical companies. ”What companies out there have contributed more good? Should care manufacturers make more when all they do is make transportation that breaks after a few years?” It made sense to me that you should put a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow so that companies are motivated to invent more drugs and innovate. We throw a lot of money to athletes and movie stars who simply entertain us, shouldn’t we do better to those who heal us? I used to say that. I don’t anymore. No, I don’t think the drug companies are “evil.” People who say that are thinking way to simplistic. These companies are doing exactly what their shareholders want them to do: make as much money as possible for as long as possible. That’s what all companies do, right? They... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040561 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:00:07 +0100 4040561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040559&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FnNYdAVoYOwc%2F Do you find yourself a little confused about what happens when with the health care reform law? To help clear up the confusion the Kaiser Family Foundation wrote and produced a short animated video that explains the problems with the current health care system, the changes that are happening now, and the big changes coming in 2014. The video is narrated by Cokie Roberts, a news commentator for ABC News and NPR and a member of Kaiser’s Board of Trustees. View the video. In addition to this video, the Kaiser Family Foundation has great resources/basic information to help you understand the new law. To access this information, click here. Related posts:Health Reform Resources The NHMA Forum on Health Care Reform offers an opportunity to impact health reform legislation Transition and ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040559 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:43:47 +0100 4040559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031345&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D51 Cardiology and orthopedic implants can make up 20 to 40% of the cost of a therapy, which makes a big impact on the procedures margins, especially in today’s capitated reimbursement environment.  As a result, hospitals are looking for tools to help control these costs.  I recently surveyed CFOs, physicians, and buyers on what a provider can do to bring these costs under control, and a wide range of ideas emerged, ranging from more information on comparative technology to specific detail on targeted pricing. As Bret Barr, CFO at Conway Medical Center, explained, “For me, the more detailed the pricing information, the better.  Discounts and pricing ranges for implants are good but all hospitals are different.  To provide something for us to work with, we would need price versus volume... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031345 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:23:24 +0100 4031345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031235&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F5NaPpheDPVw%2F By Glenna Crooks. Sorry, this blog is not about sexy new vaccines – you know, ones that will prevent smoking, cure all cancers, stop obesity or eliminate wrinkles. This is about more ‘here and now’ matters. It addresses vaccines, vaccinators and non-vaccinators, contains a proposal for moving forward on immunizations and some folks – including my friends – are not going to like it. But then, they don’t call this a ‘disruptive’ site for nothin’. It comes from my attendance at a CME course on vaccines held by Philly’s Children’s Hospital last weekend. I was privileged to hear great presentations and meet fantasic folks. Despite my work in vaccines over several decades in both government and industry, some information was ‘new’ for me, crystal... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031235 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:18:55 +0100 4031235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4023039&cid=t_102714_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fthe-high-price-of-the-new-ms-pill%2F I’ve read and quoted figures for annual economic impact of multiple sclerosis at around $50,000-$75,000 per patient. Those numbers are HUGE, and some may not understand the term “economic impact.” It’s not necessarily out-of-pocket expenses each of of us has to pay. It refers, rather, to the cumulative cost of missed work time, insurance rate hikes, travel expenses to and from doctors’ appointments, lost pay raises and unoffered job advancements and the like – plus the out-of-pocket stuff. That is why there is such a broad range in those figures – loads of variables. One variable is obviously how much a drug costs us. The price we each pay for our disease-modifying MS therapies is loaded with variables. Included in such variables would be the “quality” of insurance covera... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4023039 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:38:58 +0100 4023039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013143&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fb7UUEW1Qu7s%2F By Michael F. CannonFrom my oped in today’s Investors Business Daily: Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) “Roadmap for America’s Future” proposes even tighter limits on Medicare’s growth, leading columnist Bruce Bartlett to opine, “the Medicare actuaries have shown the absurdity of the Ryan plan by denying that Medicare cuts already enacted into law are even worthy of projecting into the future.” On the contrary, experience and public choice theory suggest that the Ryan plan has a better shot at reducing future Medicare outlays than past efforts, because the Roadmap would change the lobbying game that fuels Medicare’s growth. For more on Ryan’s Roadmap, click here.  For more on Medicare, read David Hyman’s Medicare Meets Mephistophel... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013143 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:52:16 +0100 4013143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994342&cid=t_102714_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FlEBBvNl8zQw%2F That’s the issued raised in an editorial in The New England Journal of Medicine, which praised a new study of a bloodthinner, but carped that there was a lack of information about the cost. In doing so, the editorial writers underscored the growing debate about the cost effectiveness of medicines and the extent to which this issue should play in treatment decisions. To wit, the study of 3,002 people found that Arixtra, which is sold by GlaxoSmithKline for dealing with deep vein thrombosis and embolism, helped people with superficial-vein thrombosis in the legs. The condition worsened in 1.3 percent of those on a placebo for 45 days but just 0.2 percent of those on the med. The upshot: Arixtra prevented one in 88 patient froms having a more dangerous, but rarely fatal clot (see the ab... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994342 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:43:51 +0100 3994342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993906&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flarge-healthcare-systems-are-they-gouging-patients%2F2010.09.22 With patients having to pay more of what’s charged for their healthcare, comparisons between medical systems like this one in Pennsylvania make us wonder if bigger necessarily means better. From the Times-Tribune: The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council study looked at four regional hospitals that offer cardiac surgery: Geisinger Wyoming Valley, Plains Twp.; Community Medical Center and Mercy Hospital, Scranton; and Pocono Medical Center, East Stroudsburg. Among the four, Geisinger Wyoming Valley carries the biggest price tag. In 2008, the average hospital charge for a coronary artery bypass graft surgery was $108,029 and the average hospital charge for valve surgery was $132,740, according to information in the report. (more…) *This blog post was original... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993906 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3993906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993986&cid=t_102714_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2F73nJiEZ2a1M%2Fcost-of-hand-transplantation.html Discussion: An Economic Analysis of Hand Transplantation in the United States; Concannon, Matthew J.; Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 125(2):599-600, February 2010.; doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181c831e5 Hand transplantation not cost-effective; AAOS Now, January 2010 Issue; Peter Pollack Hand Transplantation; Brown University Biomed Course Info (2001); accessed September 15, 2010 (Source: Suture for a Living) Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993986 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:14:00 +0100 3993986 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3982053&cid=t_102714_123_f&fid=39036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpediatricinc.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F18%2Fhow-much-does-it-really-cost-to-send-out-a-statement-part-deux%2F My online friend Mary Pat Whaley from managemypractice.com wrote a thoughtful comment on my “how much does it cost to send out a statement?” post. I value Mary Pat’s opinions very much, so I wanted to post her comments in an actual post, so the readers of this blog can get an additional perspective from an industry veteran. If you haven’t read the post Mary Pat is referencing, take a moment and read it (click here) so you will get a better idea of what we are talking about. If you’ve read my post, then read on. Here’s Mary Pat’s comment: I am one of those people who think statements cost a lot more than we think they do! I saw this on Linked in today: “According to Nicholas Fabrizio, principal with the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Health Care Consult... Pediatric Inc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3982053 Sat, 18 Sep 2010 13:00:45 +0100 3982053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013318&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D34 Wow, what a leap in technology.  When I have discussions with administrators on what’s up and coming in imaging technology, the first thing that comes to mind is big boxes that cost millions.  In the world of imaging, not a whole lot of discussions at this level are directed to contrast agents.  I have been following nano-based contrast agents since my first evolving technology conference years ago and am pretty excited about what’s in store. For example, a recent MIT technology review article has stated that researchers have developed nano-based agents that are 15 times more sensitive than existing compounds.  A nanoparticle is a molecule that ranges from 1 nm to 100 nm in length and, because of their size, can also reach multiple areas of the body.  This sounds exciting, but how... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013318 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:07:07 +0100 4013318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013319&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D29 One very exciting but rarely talked about technology is the identification of the P450 gene to predict drug compatibility and dosage.  Now being studied in a breath-based format, it will make testing cheaper and quicker.   But why should we care? I just read an article that discussed how over $3.5 billion of adverse drug events accrued in hospital alone can be avoided.  That’s almost $7 million for every hospital in the U.S!  According to the CFOs I speak with, that’s more than enough savings to become a focal point in any budget or safety meeting. A recent article stated, “Genetic testing of the P450 gene is a relatively simple test that will help doctors determine how a patient will react to dosage amounts.  This test may help determine how effective or dangerous a drug m... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013319 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 19:07:58 +0100 4013319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965408&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F_8iLuMv1C-o%2F This report did not make the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Lest you think I am making the case for government run health care, I would observe that the private sector could control all of health care. In particular, we might want to find ways to preserve our Catholic and church owned hospitals. Perhaps they have value positions that influence their choices…hmmmm. My argument is that health care should not be a for-profit enterprise. If you have read thus far, I congratulate you. In our current befuddled state as a nation, we are not even having this discussion. It is assumed that health care for profit is the wave of the future. Heaven help our grandchildren! Related posts:Solutions To Scale: Proven Health Care Models for Primetime Health Care as a Right Health Reform: Patient... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965408 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:15:32 +0100 3965408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3959928&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Femergency-rooms-overused-for-routine-care%2F2010.09.11 The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (our government’s name for healthcare reform) may make our already crowded emergency rooms swarm with more patients. A new study from Health Affairs shows that more than a quarter of patients who currently visit emergency departments in the U.S. are there for routine care and not an emergency. New complaints like stomach pain, skin rashes, fever, chest pain, cough or for a flare up of a chronic condition should not be treated in emergency rooms. They are best worked up and treated by an internist or family physician, preferably one who knows the patient. So why are these patients waiting for hours and spending up to 10 times as much money for emergency department care? (more…) *This blog post was originally published at E... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3959928 Sat, 11 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +0100 3959928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954452&cid=t_102714_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F09%2F09%2Fendangered-that-off-to-college-feeling%2F My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. Endangered: That Off-to-College Feeling. There’s a chill in the air, and I’m reminded of an experience I never really had. Like nearly every woman my age, I saw the 1970 film “Love Story,” set in a place that, compared to my blue-collar suburb in Dallas, looked magical. Houses had two stories, a street ends at an ocean, leaves turned crimson, and snow covered everything. Plus, you could fall in love with a handsome man with a Roman numeral name. Oliver Barrett IV was Old Money. In my neighborhood, there was no Old Money. Or New Money either, for that matter. The 1969 movie “The Sterile Cuckoo,” filmed at Hamilton College in New York, was all green meadows and red bricks, old villages and leafy bus stops. For so... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954452 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:17:39 +0100 3954452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946416&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F09%2F08%2Fnew-health-affairs-acute-but-nonemergency-patients-going-to-ers%2F The busy daytime schedules of office-based primary care doctors, coupled with limited access to primary care services, have led a large number of Americans to seek care in hospital emergency departments, even when the problem may not be an emergency.  According to a new study in the September issue of Health Affairs, more than a quarter [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946416 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:07:20 +0100 3946416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942789&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fabout-concierge-or-boutique-medicine%2F2010.09.07 A recent piece in The New York Times wondered if the few patients who can afford to pay for additional attention and access to their primary care doctors in a concierge medicine or boutique medicine practice might be ethical since the extra dollars are used to support the traditional primary care practice that the vast majority of patients currently receive.  Questions you might ask are: - What is a concierge medicine or boutique medicine practice? - Is it worth the money? - Is the care better quality? - Is it possible to get similar access and care by doctors not in a concierge or boutique medicine practice? When you think of a concierge, you think about a fancy hotel staff person who answers questions and speaks various languages, books reservations to restaurants, events, and tours (ev... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942789 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3942789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3938323&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FF88z0wtMIlI%2F By Stephanie Cohen. This month’s health insurance issue: Linda is having surgery in the morning, but at 4 p.m. the afternoon before, she gets a call from her HMO requiring her to post a $400 advance deposit — or the surgery is off. What should she do? The situation: Our client Linda was scheduled to have surgery using a surgical group that had negotiated fees with her HMO carrier. Besides being told to post $400 in advance, she was told she needed to sign a form stating she would pay whatever fees the carrier would not pay to the doctor. This came despite the fact that the surgeon was in her HMO network and Linda had gotten the proper referral and authorization from the carrier. In fact, her policy dictates that when a provider has signed a contract with an insurance carrier, the patie... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3938323 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:00:03 +0100 3938323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3935799&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgeneric-drugs-not-so-cheap%2F2010.09.05 I received the following e-mail from a patient (paraphrased): Dear Dr. Fisher, Thank you for trying to switch me from lisinopril to generic losartan (Cozaar) to help me with the irritating cough that has been nagging me since I was placed on lisinopril. I did not pick up my prescription, though. At nearly $200 for a three-month supply, I’ve decided to live with the cough, since the same amount of lisinopril costs me about $12. -Ms. Patient Interesting how the generic drug market for some drugs only marginally discounts prices. Since the companies that make generics did not have to absorb research and development costs, how do they justify the exorbitant prices? Simple: The middlemen still have to get theirs. -WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist. *This... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3935799 Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3935799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3925113&cid=t_102714_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FvhLE96gkwaA%2Ftubal-ligation-reversal-dr-berger-leads-the-field.html Dr. Berger has been a innovator in creating sterilization reversal surgery as a safe, effective and affordable alternative to the more costly treatment of in-vitro fertilization. His success and the contributions of his staff at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center are the focus of a recent featured article in The Triangle Physician magazine. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3925113 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:23:30 +0100 3925113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911698&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnations-largest-tele-health-network-launched%2F2010.08.27 California launched the nation’s largest tele-health network, a $30 million public/private project to bring broadband access designed to reduce the cost of followup care by 40 percent and overall costs by 6 percent. The network seeks to connect more than 800 California healthcare facilities, including rural, underserved, and Indian health facilities, to a statewide network of healthcare and emergency services. (Healthcare IT News) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911698 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:00:00 +0100 3911698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907694&cid=t_102714_123_f&fid=39036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpediatricinc.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F26%2Fhow-much-does-it-really-cost-to-send-out-a-statement%2F Two or three times a year, I hear people say that it cost anywhere from $5 to $8 (I’ve even heard as high as $15) to send a patient statement in the mail. “When one considers the employee’s time, the envelope, the piece a paper and the postage” experts say, “it can cost upwards of $5 to send a statement.” I wonder, where did these statement cost figures come from? I’ve never seen anything ever publish regarding this “cost” and why it is so high. Only rhetoric. Have you? I also wonder if it is only the medical field that has these high cost or it is the same regardless of industry. I get a Comcast bill every month… are they spending 5 or 6 bucks for each one of my statements too? Let’s say a practice sends out 450 statements a month at a cost of $5 dollars a piece. 450... Pediatric Inc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907694 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:00:39 +0100 3907694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907596&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsilver.neep.wisc.edu%2F%7Elakes%2Fiatrogenic.pdf Disruptive Women Archelle Georgiou was interviewed for the blog below, originally posted on August 21st on Big Think.  In order to be a patient advocate you need to be well informed of the issues, this post reminds us of that: You may want to think twice before your next visit to the doctor’s office. According to Dr. Barbara Starfield’s now-famous study, iatrogenic deaths (those resulting from treatment by physicians or surgeons) are the third leading cause of mortality in the United States, resulting in the loss of 225,000 lives per year. Of that total, nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections kill 80,000, physician errors claim 27,000, and unnecessary surgery results in 12,000 deaths.   But iatrogenic errors aren’t the only reason people should avoid hospitals, says ph... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907596 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:48:39 +0100 3907596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899386&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FUVQc0xWYg74%2F By Trisha Torrey. Once upon a time when we experienced strange symptoms, we went to the doctor, the doctor listened and asked questions, we got the medical tests we needed, were correctly diagnosed and successfully treated, and we could afford all that great care. I say “once upon a time” because today, that scenario is mostly a fantasy.  And sadly, today’s story doesn’t always end with happily-ever-after – for anyone. Providers went to medical school to learn to heal and help. Instead they carry excessive patient loads amidst decreasing reimbursements, spend a small fortune on malpractice insurance, and reject some patients who don’t have the right kinds of payers, or who take up too much time with difficult diseases or comorbidities. They are frustrated with their inability ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899386 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:40:49 +0100 3899386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3895890&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovertrationingblog.com%2Fpodpress_trac%2Ffeed%2F876%2F0%2Fobesitydividend.mp3 DrRich has pointed out several times that it is very important to our new healthcare system, as a matter of principle, to be able to discriminate against the obese. The obese are being carefully groomed as a prototype, as a group whose characteristics (ostensibly, their lack of self-discipline, or their sloth, or their selfishness, or whatever other characteristics we can attribute to them to explain how their unsightly enormity differentiates them from us), will justify “special treatment” in order to serve the overriding good of the whole. The obese are a useful target for two reasons. First, their sins against humanity are painfully obvious just by looking at them, so it is impossible for them to escape public scorn by blending in to the population, unlike some less obvious sinners ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3895890 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:00:16 +0100 3895890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3895891&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-global-cost-of-fighting-cancer%2F2010.08.23 Cancer is the world’s costliest disease, sapping the equivalent of 1.5 percent of the global gross domestic product through disability and loss of life, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Cancer cost $895 billion in 2008, and that’s before factoring in the cost of treating cancer. Cancer and other chronic diseases cost more than infectious diseases and even AIDS, according to a report the ACS [presented last] week. While chronic diseases are 60 percent of all deaths globally, they receive only 3 percent of private and public research funding. The organization is calling for a new look at priorities by the United Nations and the World Health Organization. (Associated Press) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3895891 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3895891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3891729&cid=t_102714_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FSYuhtFQJNRg%2F I know that sometimes people don’t like the analogy’s I make on this site. However, I just can’t help but make them. I find them instructive and there’s nothing wrong with people disagreeing with me. In fact, that’s often where I learn the most. In the comments of a previous post, I was discussing some of the common issues with large EMR vendors (I like to call them Jabba the Hutt EMR vendors). Namely: backlog of training and setup, slow EMR support response times, HUGE up front costs for the EMR, etc etc etc. I’m sure that many of you are familiar with these subjects. For example, you pay a HUGE up front fee, get to wait 6 months to get trained on the EMR (EMR backlog?) and then once you implement your support calls take forever to get responses from th... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3891729 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:36:51 +0100 3891729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876650&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoctors-in-cubicles-a-barrier-to-patient-care%2F2010.08.17 I present interesting cases to colleagues often because it’s educational and good for patient care and because I like to. But it has been many years since I was mandated to present a case. It seems that I’m not the only doctor exasperated by a pesky new barrier to patient care: Doctors in cubicles. An old friend and mentor, Dr. Richard Kovacs, now chair of the American College of Cardiology’s Board of Governors (and IU guy), has written about these same pre-certification barriers. Dr. Kovacs, being a professor and distinguished ACC official, kindly terms these obstructionists “radiology benefit managers” (RBMs). (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Dr John M* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876650 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:00:00 +0100 3876650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3862007&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FwD4pRnM7c8Q%2F By Archelle Georgiou. Celebrity chef, Andrew Zimmern, said it well in a recent article, “Headlines be damned. Greece is still open for business.” Well, sort of. . . My family and I recently returned from a month long trip to Greece. Indeed, it was glorious, and it would be fun to write about the exquisite meals, the inspiring history, and the experience of “moving in” to Lahania, the small village (population: 50) where my father was born. But, that’s not what I’m writing about because, frankly,  I expected that we would have a wonderful vacation. What I wasn’t expecting is that I would get an insider’s view of the Greek economic crisis. It started the moment we arrived. The plan for our first full day in Athens was to visit the New Acropo... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3862007 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:41:21 +0100 3862007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3845097&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F4T8wLlTFaKs%2F By Robin Strongin. Over the next several weeks Disruptive Women will be blogging about the various aspects of patient advocacy.  To get ready for these posts think about what patient advocacy means to you. Comment on this post to let us know what it means to you, its level of importance in health care and any questions you may have about it. Communication and asking questions are crtical aspects of patient advocacy, so we hope you will join us in this very important dialogue over the coming weeks. Related posts:Calling Patient Advocates–Share Your Story Health Reform: Patient Rights, Patient Reponsibilities Patient Outreach: The (Oft-Neglected) Critical Component of Health Reform (Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care) Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3845097 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:45:21 +0100 3845097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3845102&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Famerica-has-a-heart%2F2010.08.08 As an American, I was proud when I heard the news. I grinned to myself. It was on my way to work, through a beautiful city park, with the sun rising over the hillside. The morning radio program reported the news that a California judge overturned their state’s ban on gay marriage. I know what you’re thinking: A medical blog is running amuck right into a political hornet’s nest. But isn’t it true that a nation’s kindness is a defining characteristic? America and Americans do much that is good and right. Examples of such goodness are too numerous to list. If you are a victim of a calamity, you can be sure that America will help. Ask Haiti. And it’s not just foreign countries, we help each other. There’s a flood and then there are volunteers. A powe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3845102 Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3845102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3812974&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-doctors-guilt-about-healthcare-costs%2F2010.08.02 Times are tight and we’re all looking to save money, be it our own or someone else’s. Many will say that when it comes to the skyrocketing costs of healthcare, doctors are responsible for part of the problem. Doctors order too many tests, either to cover ourselves in the event of a malpractice suit, or because patients pressure us, or because we genuinely believe that the tests are necessary for patient care, but in many circumstances, a cheaper option is available. We order medications that are expensive when cheaper medications are available. And psychiatrists offer care — like psychotherapy — that could be done by clinicians who are cheaper to educate and willing to work for less money. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Shrink Rap*... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3812974 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:00:00 +0100 3812974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3786988&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fus-healthcare-when-is-enough-enough%2F2010.07.25 A new survey in the journal Health Affairs synthesizes nearly everything I believe is wrong with the U.S. healthcare system. The survey found that patients believe that more care is better, that the latest and most expensive treatments are the best, that none of their doctors provide substandard care, and that evidence-based guidelines are a pretext for denying them the care they need and deserve. Sigh. Until we can retrain consumers (that would be all of us) to understand that in medicine more is NOT better, that evidence-based guidelines may translate in some instances into less but better care, that doctors are falliable and should be questioned, and that the cost of a treatment has nothing to do with the quality, we will never get out of the healthcare quagmire in which we find ourselv... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3786988 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3786988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3780342&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVQjbjeleWX8%2F By Michael F. CannonThat didn’t take long at all.  Left-wing congresscritters have (re-)introduced legislation to create a “public option” in ObamaCare’s health insurance exchanges. The Congressional Budget Office scores the bill as reducing federal deficits by $53 billion by 2019.  How?  Paying doctors and hospitals less!  Put that on a bumper sticker! The public option would use Medicare’s price and exchange controls to pay doctors and other health care providers 5 percent more than Medicare does.  Except for prescription drugs: the public option would, ahem, “negotiate” those prices, meaning it would use a separate price-control scheme and pay less than Medicare does.  (Which means PhRMA probably won’t be bankrolling the public-optio... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3780342 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:47:04 +0100 3780342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3776381&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-%25e2%2580%259ci-get-it%25e2%2580%259d-moment-in-direct-pay-primary-care%2F2010.07.21 After seven years, my wife has finally stopped asking me for “The Power of DocTalker” story of the day. Now when I start with the details of the latest case report justifying the model, she stops me with “I get it, I get it! Go write the case report up and post it on your website for others to ‘get it,’ too.” Case reports center on the mission of our medical practice, with points regarding care that include quality, accessibility, convenience, affordability, empowerment, trust, and price transparency. Because our patients pay us directly for the service and don’t necessarily expect any insurance “reimbursement,” we are a very unique practice. We adhere to the points in our mission and also outperform all our local competition — i.e. medical ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3776381 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:00:32 +0100 3776381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767344&cid=t_102714_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FvpBMqlLU4XE%2Fhow-to-become-pregnant-after-tubal-ligation.html How to become pregnant after tubal ligation? Tubal ligation reversal offers an easy and affordable option to in vitro fertilization and also allows many chances over time to have a natural pregnancy without the need for expensive medical treatments and services. Many couples will have greater chances of becoming pregnant with tubal reversal than will those who have IVF treatment. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767344 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:26:39 +0100 3767344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757847&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEg8ON4hme60%2F By Michael F. CannonThe Obama administration announced yesterday its plans for implementing ObamaCare’s mandate that consumers purchase first-dollar coverage for preventive services.  The press release reads (emphasis added): Administration Announces Regulations Requiring New Health Insurance Plans to Provide Free Preventive Care Of course the administration would emphasize that consumers will pay nothing for these services at the moment of service, and elide the fact that this mandate will increase their health insurance premiums. The administration’s use of the word “free” is what we call spin. What’s surprising–and more than a little disappointing–is that journalists and headline writers at major media organizations would repeat the administrat... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757847 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:41:30 +0100 3757847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753759&cid=t_102714_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F14%2Finvolving-users-in-commissioning-local-services%2F Title: Involving users in commissioning local services Skinny: Study by Age Concern London brought commissioners and diverse service users together to discuss how service users can be involved in shaping local services. The project reflected on what is actually happening and provided pointers to how user involvement in commissioning could work in practice. Publisher: Joseph Rowntree Foundation Size of Publication: 58p Published: 18/05/2010 Filed under: Community Services, Grey Literature, Practice Based Commissioning Tagged: Best Practice, Commisioning, Cost Effectiveness, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Service Users, Social Care, World Class Commissioning (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753759 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:41:52 +0100 3753759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726597&cid=t_102714_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-new-us-healthcare-bill-whos-paying-for-it%2F2010.07.05 Ever wondered who’s paying for the U.S. healthcare bill? My new favorite blog just published an infographic describing this issue in detail (click on the image for the original larger version): *This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726597 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:00:36 +0100 3726597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710681&cid=t_102714_123_f&fid=39036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpediatricinc.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F29%2Fhow-do-you-allocate-your-vaccine-cost%2F Recently, I was asked what was the best method for allocating the cost of vaccines in a practice. As with most things in the private practice world, vaccine cost allocation is difficult to asses because there is not a clear way of doing it. Every practice has their own way mainly because each practice has different dynamics. Net revenue distribution For example, in our practice, we do the vaccine cost allocation by net revenue distribution. In other words, if one physician brings in 40% of the revenue, then the physician is allocated 40% of the cost of the vaccine. To me, this method is the least cumbersome of all. However, I am aware this method isn’t the best because it doesn’t account for how many vaccines a physician actually used. If there were a physician that does more hospital ... Pediatric Inc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710681 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:00:34 +0100 3710681