Posts Tagged “Medical Care”
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Health Affairs: A Survey of Primary Care Physicians in 11 Countries, 2009: Perspectives on Care, Costs, and Experiences
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The New England Journal of Medicine publishes dueling commentaries on geographic and provider spending variations. Having a clear understanding of whether there are providers who render more care with no better outcomes would help formulate reforms to change their behavior.
by Kevin Roche on Friday, February 12, 2010
Two articles describe some of the challenges for nurses in the telemedicine environment. One describes the role nurses play when they are onsite with a patient and the physician is remote and the other discusses how nurses can convey a caring attitude when they are interacting remotely with the patient.
Tags: Medical Care, Telemedicine
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, January 23, 2010
Healthy health care snacks–concierge medicine, personalized medicine, health care hiring, electronic medical records, Medicaid, disease management–all for your reading pleasure on the weekend.
Tags: Care Management, Chronic Disease, Disease Management, HIT, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine, Physician Practice Models, Physicians
by Kevin Roche on Friday, December 25, 2009
Happy Holidays, here are a few health care presents for your tree, including defensive medicine, FDA regulation of drug/diagnostic combinations, virtual doctor visits, generic drugs and wireless health. Have a great Christmas.
Tags: Drugs, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine, Wireless
by Kevin Roche on Friday, December 18, 2009
The Supreme Court is likely to review and rewrite the criteria for “process” patents in the next few months. The outcome could affect both service and product companies in the health care industry, encouraging or discouraging innovation, depending on your perspective.
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, December 17, 2009
A new study suggests that physicians who are paid by capitation for some patients spend less time with those patients. Is that appropriate or inappropriate?
Tags: Medical Care, Physicians
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, December 12, 2009
Mercer surveyed employers to ascertain their reaction to the proposed tax on high value insurance coverage. The majority said they would reduce benefits to avoid the tax. Seven percent said they would outright terminate insurance coverage. Of those saying they would reduce benefits, most would do so by raising deductibles and copays. Employers also narrowly [...]
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Pay For Performance, Telemedicine
by Kevin Roche on Friday, November 27, 2009
A Pittsburgh study indicates that a telephone-based depression intervention following CABG surgery improves quality outcomes. Another example of relatively inexpensive method to improve care quality.
Tags: Medical Care, Telemedicine
by Kevin Roche on Friday, November 20, 2009
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has released a policy brief examining the potential of accountable care organizations to remedy the health system’s ills. The brief concludes that ACOs will not provide short-term improvement, but are worth exploring for their longer-term potential.
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Deloitte issues one of its periodic reports on retail clinics, finding that growth has slowed, if not stopped, but payer and consumer acceptance has increased. Deloitte anticipates renewed growth in the near future.
Tags: Medical Care, Retail Clinics
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, November 14, 2009
Another dose of weekend tidbits, covering PAP screenings, health insurer consolidation, Part D plan satisfaction, Rand’s look at the best methods to reduce health care costs, geographic variations in health spending and coughing into cell phones–yes you heard me right.
Tags: Drugs, Guidelines, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Medicare, Pay For Performance
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, November 12, 2009
A study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine tried to find medical innovations that significantly lowered costs, with only minor reduction in quality or outcome. Very few were found, which is consistent with innovation, especially technologic innovation, being found to be a major health cost driver in other studies.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, November 7, 2009
Yet another installment of the weekend health care miscellany that you are undoubtedly growing fond of.
Tags: Comparative Effectiveness, Health Care Reform, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Lewin Group has issued a report on comparative effectiveness research and personalized medicine, indicating the need for integration of the latter into the former.
Tags: Comparative Effectiveness, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, October 31, 2009
Another edition of our thrilling, perhaps even chilling collection of health care tidbits for your Halloween edification.
Tags: Care Management, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, October 29, 2009
Deloitte Touche releases another report on medical tourism, anticipating continued strong growth for the sector as patients become more comfortable with its safety and continue to seek lower-cost health care.
Tags: Medical Care, Medical Tourism
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Center for Health Care Strategies release an updated report on Medicaid enrollees with chronic disease, reaffirming how a relatively few patients account for well over half the total program spending.
Tags: Chronic Disease, Government, Medicaid, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, October 27, 2009
A Harris poll looks at Americans’ attitudes toward mobile healthcare and finds that those who use health care the most are also the most disengaged from these new technologies.
Tags: Consumers, HIT, Medical Care, Telemedicine
by Kevin Roche on Friday, October 23, 2009
A study finds a modest link between fully functional EHRs and performance on HEDIS quality measures by Massachusetts physicians.
Tags: Health Care Quality, HIT, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, October 22, 2009
JAMA publishes an article on some common screenings, suggesting a new strategy that would attempt to identify and screen only high risk individuals and would limit treatment to tumors demonstrated to be likely to cause significant disease.
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, October 22, 2009
We have released a research report on The Value of Prevention & Wellness. The report describes various preventive interventions and examines methods of valuing these programs and specific research on the value of prevention and wellness activities.
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The California HealthCare Foundation releases a report on Participatory Health, which provides an introduction to the potential of online and mobile technologies in management of chronic illness.
Tags: Care Management, Chronic Disease, Devices, Medical Care, Telemedicine
by Kevin Roche on Monday, October 19, 2009
A study reported in Circulation indicates that California teaching hospitals that utilize more resources in treating heart failure had lower rates of mortality. The study results call into question the methods and findings of some Dartmouth Atlas research. Another report looks at supply and variation in MRI usage.
Tags: Care Management, Health Care Costs, Hospital, Medical Care, Providers
by Kevin Roche on Friday, October 16, 2009
The American Heart Association issues a comprehensive set of recommendations for improving cardiovascular health through workplace wellness programs, continuing its efforts to prevent acute coronary disease.
Tags: Medical Care, Wellness and Prevention, Workplace, Worksite Health
by Kevin Roche on Friday, October 16, 2009
Brookings forsees a health system which is organized around consumers’ management of their own care, with extensive use of mobile and telehealth technologies, and reimbursement and incentives to encourage widespread adoption of this consumer-centered approach.
Tags: Consumer Directed Health, Consumers, Medical Care, Telemedicine
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, October 13, 2009
One way to address our health system challenges may be to change who delivers much of our medical care, creating less reliance on physicians, and to redesign how providers interact with patients and are paid for care.
by Kevin Roche on Friday, October 9, 2009
Several geneticists examine DTC genotyping and recommend some improvements.
Tags: Consumers, Genomics, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, October 7, 2009
A Nature article explains how Britain’s NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) works.
by Kevin Roche on Monday, October 5, 2009
New research confirms that second-hand smoke can cause serious health issues for non-smokers.
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, October 1, 2009
Telemedicine has enormous potential to positively affect quality, access and cost issues, but there are barriers that should be addressed as part of health system reform.
Tags: Medical Care, Telemedicine
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has published a review of the cost effects of clinical preventive care measures.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medical Care, Wellness and Prevention
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, September 29, 2009
In another personalized medicine development, researchers at UCLA have identified a way to improve depression treatment.
Tags: Drugs, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine, Pharmaceutical
by Kevin Roche on Monday, September 28, 2009
A recent drug trial illustrates how comparative effectiveness research may actually facilitate more health care spending.
Tags: Comparative Effectiveness, Drugs, Medical Care, Pharmaceutical
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, September 24, 2009
Researchers associated with the Dartmouth Atlas project reinforce their viewsg on high health costs in a NEJM Perspective.
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Inverness Medical has agreed to acquire Free & Clear, a provider of smoking cessation and other wellness services.
Tags: Disease Management, M&A, Medical Care, Services, Wellness and Prevention
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, September 22, 2009
There are times when a medical innovation occurs that looks like a winner from a quality and a cost perspective. Johns Hopkins researchers appear to have found one for the rapid identification of stroke.
Tags: Medical Care, Medical Research
by Kevin Roche on Monday, September 21, 2009
New research reveals complex aspects of patients’ decision-making, depending on how information is presented.
Tags: Consumer Directed Health, Consumers, Medical Care, Patients
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, September 17, 2009
Rand Corporation has published a study comparing use of retail clinics with emergency room and primary care physician visits.
Tags: Medical Care, Providers, Retail Clinics
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Rand Corporation has produced a useful summary of information regarding comparative effectiveness research’s potential.
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Los Angeles Times reports on a possible return of house calls.
Tags: Care Management, Medical Care, Physicians, Providers
by Kevin Roche on Monday, September 14, 2009
Geographic variation in health spending is hot, but the reasons for it are still murky.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Medical Care, Providers
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, September 12, 2009
A JAMA article suggests that published trial results may not be giving us the full picture.
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, September 8, 2009
A new Health Affairs article suggests a different method to measure cost savings from disease prevention and management efforts.
Tags: Care Management, Chronic Disease, Medical Care, Wellness and Prevention
by Kevin Roche on Friday, September 4, 2009
Research indicates that laparoscopic nerve ablation for chronic pelvic pain is ineffective.
by Kevin Roche on Friday, September 4, 2009
Coronary calcium screening provides an interesting example of the potential benefits, costs and uncertainties surrounding various disease screening opportunities.
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Patients are increasingly involved in the management of their own health.
Tags: Care Management, Consumers, Medical Care, Patients
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, September 1, 2009
There are excellent hypertension treatments available but many Americans don’t know they have the condition and aren’t being treated.
by Kevin Roche on Monday, August 31, 2009
A new study describes the relatively high doses of ionizing radiation being received by many Americans as a result of imaging procedures.
Tags: Imaging, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Friday, August 28, 2009
Pharmacogenomics is at the forefront of personalized medicine development. Recent research indicates promise in anti-platelet therapy guidance.
Tags: Drugs, Genomics, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine, Pharmaceutical
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, August 27, 2009
A commentary on Medicare’s experience in attempting to improve the quality of heart failure care demonstrates just how hard it may be to get better outcomes and lower cost.
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, August 22, 2009
An Op-ed suggests we spend too little on healthcare. That may depend on who is paying.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Monday, August 17, 2009
An article examines barriers to physician participation in medical research.
Tags: Medical Care, Medical Research, Pharmaceutical, Physicians, Providers
by Kevin Roche on Friday, August 14, 2009
Because chronic disease accounts for a large percentage of total health spending, approaches to managing those diseases are constantly being developed and modified.
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A recent article questions the validity and utility of much health services research.
by Kevin Roche on Monday, August 10, 2009
In a letter to a Congressman, the CBO gives its rationale for how it attributes costs and savings to prevention and wellness programs.
Tags: CBO, Government, Medical Care, Wellness and Prevention
by Vita Advisors on Friday, August 7, 2009
Healthways’ Center for Health Research put our a report estimating that Medicare could save over $100 billion a year if beneficiaries entered the program in better health and maintained good health status.
Tags: Government, Medical Care, Medicare, Wellness and Prevention
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, August 6, 2009
Two studies question the value of a vertebral fracture treatment, but more importantly show the utility of comparative effectiveness research.
Tags: Care Management, Comparative Effectiveness, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Research and experience continues to confirm the value, in both cost savings and patient satisfaction, of extensive patient involvement in important health decisions.
Tags: Care Management, Consumer Directed Health, Consumers, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Monday, July 27, 2009
The two largest clinical laboratory companies seem to be weathering the recession in good fashion.
Tags: Laboratory, Medical Care, Public Companies
by Kevin Roche on Friday, July 24, 2009
An analysis of England’s pay-for-performance system finds improvement but some interesting trends and concerns as well.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Medical Care, Pay For Performance, Physicians
by Kevin Roche on Friday, July 24, 2009
HFMA has released its latest Financila Pulse, describing hospitals’ expectations regarding revenue and other financial results.
Tags: Hospital, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Often lauded for its health information systems, the VA apparently has significant problems getting projects done on time and on budget.
Tags: HIT, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, July 16, 2009
Health information technology is being pushed as one of the key methods to improve health care and reduce costs, but government itself has created barriers to its adoption and utility.
Tags: HIT, Medical Care, Regulation
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A physician website challenges the AMA’s representation of physicians.
Tags: AMA, Medical Care, Physicians
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, July 9, 2009
A Seattle-based medical practice has opted out of the insurance payment model for health care.
Tags: Medical Care, Medical Homes, Physician Practice Models
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, July 7, 2009
A Health Affairs article reports a survey on the time and expense involved in physician interaction with health plans.
Tags: Administrative Costs, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Payor
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, July 2, 2009
Experts are recommending greater use of telemedicine in stroke assessment and treatment. There are significant barriers, however, many imposed by government.
Tags: Care Management, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Telemedicine
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A recent JAMA commentary gives a concise summary of the cost control problems.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Republican Senators have now introduced a bill to essentially gut federal funding or use of comparative effectiveness research, continuing an attack on the proposed expansion of such research for the purpose of controlling costs
Tags: Comparative Effectiveness, Government, Health Care Reform, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Wall Street Journal article summarized some research results regarding the potential cost savings of prevention and wellness efforts, particularly for persons with chronic diseases. The overall conclusion is that not much money is likely to be saved by such methods, primarily because the cost of these programs when applied to a large population tends to outweigh the health care cost savings which eventually accrue.
Tags: Chronic Disease, Consumers, Disease Management, Medical Care, Wellness and Prevention
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, June 11, 2009
A pair of recent announcements by the American Medical Association pique one’s curiousity.
Tags: Medical Care, PHRs
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, June 11, 2009
Illumina has announced that for $48,000 a consumer can have their entire DNA sequenced
Tags: Consumers, Genomics, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Several prominent health industry segments have issued a follow-up statement identifying more specifically where they believe health care cost savings can be achieved.
Tags: AdvaMed, AHA, AMA, Government, Health Insurance, Medical Care, PhRMA
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The work of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is always worth reading carefully. (Medpac website) It is one of the government groups that seems to do its job with a high degree of professionalism. MEDPAC’s reports contain useful data and it often provide unvarnished analysis and insight into America’s health care cost issues.
Tags: CMS, Medical Care, Medicare
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association, in conjunction with a number of physician specialty organizations, have each released statements regarding proposals to help control health care costs by changing, even reducing payments to providers.
Tags: AHA, AMA, Government, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, June 2, 2009
An interesting news report on Kaiser Health News gives an indication of why health reform that affects costs will be very difficult. The story details the fight in one New Jersey town over building a new hospital.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Friday, May 29, 2009
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (“AHRQ”) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project released a report in April 2009 outlining hospitalizations that might have been preventable had the patients been receiving appropriate ambulatory care.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Hospital, Medical Care
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A study reported in Health Affairs, vol. 28, page 897 (May/June 2009), provides a further input to the question of the relationship, if any, between costs and quality in health care.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Hospital, Medical Care, Medicare
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The American Academy of Family Physicians has been at the forefront of efforts to re-emphasize the role of primary care physicians in the health system; and has participated in development of the patient-centered medical home as a method for revitalizing primary care.
Tags: Medical Care, Medical Homes
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, May 21, 2009
A recent article in The American Journal of Managed Care (volume 15, page 295, May 2009), described findings from a comparison within the Kaiser Permanente system of patients with diabetes who were subject to a care management program and those who were not.
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, May 21, 2009
A recent story in the Boston Globe raises intriguing questions about the effect of health coverage expansions on physician visits and other services and consequently, costs.
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