Malpractice Reforms That Enable Malpractice [ez_date] It appears that many malpractice-prone doctors flee to nearby states that enact laws that purport to “reform” medical malpractice by capping non-economic damages patients may receive. That, at least, is the conclusion of a recent malpractice report in the Journal of Law and Economics. This means doctors guilty of […]
Medicare Physician Payments and Medical Errors
Medicare Over-Payments & Medical Errors [ez_date] Much is being made this week of the public release of physician-specific Medicare payments. Given that this has been legally prohibited for many decades by legal proceedings initiated by physicians, the backlash from physicians is predictably vociferous (see “None of Your Business: Docs React to Medicare Data Release“). One […]
Can You Say No to Your Doctor?
“Thanks, Doc, But No Thanks” I’ve recently had opportunity to decline medications recommended to me by two different doctors. Doing so once didn’t set off any triggers, but after the second time it occurred to me that maybe I ought to write something about it. How often do we get to practice what we preach, […]
Doctor-Centered Healthcare
Healthcare’s Archaic Delivery Model Much of the failure of our healthcare system lies in the office-based “medical model” itself – doctor-centered, transaction-driven, intervention-oriented, and largely unaccountable.[1] The shortcomings of this archaic model have become more evident with its failure to stem the growth in chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. Even reductions in heart disease […]
A New Year’s Resolution for Smart Patients
Resolve to Be a Smarter Patient With the first deadline for complying with Obamacare’s insurance requirements looming large, it may be hard for many Americans – especially patients in our broken healthcare system – to think about anything else. But the start of this new year may be a better opportunity than most to refocus […]
America’s Doctors Need to Look in the Mirror
Doctor, Doctor, Mr. M.D. – What’s Ailing Thee? Doctors in America generally perceive themselves as victims. They’re victims of overly-aggressive lawyers and a litigious culture, of insurance company rules and restraints on their practice of medicine, of government intrusion and non-compliant patients. “Woe is me” is their implicit mantra. This is borne out by a […]
Hospital Feeding Frenzy To Hire Docs
What Hospital-Physician Realignment Means For You If you’ve been hit with a hospital “facility fee” for a doctor’s office visit (see “Hospital Scams About To Explode“), you may not be happy to learn that similar medical bill padding lay in store for most Americans. That’s because the hottest thing in healthcare these days is hospitals […]
Patient, Heal Thyself – Because “Patient Engagement” is Unlikely
Patient Engagement Will Follow The Money “Patient activation” is the new buzzword threatening to replace “patient engagement” – long before many patients have actually been, you know, engaged. Apparently, we no longer bother to to wait for our terminology to take on meaning before we feel compelled to replace it. As it stands, neither term […]
Are America’s Healthcare Patients Too Trusting?
MedSmart Patients Are Skeptics [ez_date] One of the “take-home” lessons of MedSmart Patients is that much of healthcare practice – experts estimate as much as 80%[1] – has no evidence to support it. This helps explain why almost half of U.S. medical care is considered unnecessary, sub-standard and inappropriate.[2] It may also explain why medical […]
Your Doctors’ Dirty Little Secret
What’s Up, Doc? It’s difficult for many of us to accept that our doctors often put their own financial interests ahead of our safety and financial security. Some readers may even get defensive about it – especially, of course, doctors themselves. Not all of them, of course. The good ones know this doesn’t apply to […]
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