May 10th, 2010 by Richard Cooper, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, Research
Tags: AJ Managed Care, American Journal of Managed Care, Commonwealth Fund, Conventional Care, Diagnostic Cost Groups, DvCGs, Group Health, Health Affairs, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Economics, Healthcare spending, JAMA, Journal of the American Medical Association, Lancet, Low-Income Patients, medicaid, Medical Home, Medicare, NEJM, New England Journal of Medicine, Patient-Centered, Primary Care Economics, Primary Care Medicine, The Poor
1 Comment »
Group Health has published two papers recently, one in Health Affairs and the other in JAMA, both extolling the virtues of its Medical Home. These follow their brief report last fall in the NEJM and the lengthy description of their model in the American Journal of Managed Care. Their model has been promoted by the Commonwealth Fund, and it is cited in the currrent issue of Lancet.
The big news is that costs were a full 2% lower than conventional care, hardly a great success –- it wasn’t even statistically significant. But was even this small difference due to the Medical Home, or was it because the Medical Home patients were less likely to consume care? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at PHYSICIANS and HEALTH CARE REFORM Commentaries and Controversies*
May 9th, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: Everyone, Family Medicine, Mother's Day, Post Secret, Tribute, Women's Health
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Happy Mother’s Day to all of us who are mothers or who have a mother — that’s everyone!
For some touching thoughts, check out today’s Post Secret. It’s a Mom’s Day tribute.
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
May 8th, 2010 by Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, News, Opinion
Tags: Boston, Child Safety, Children's Medication Recall, Correct Dose, Dosage, Drug Recall, Family Medicine, General Medicine, Generic, McNeil Pharmaceuticals, Medicine Cabinet, Medicines for Kids, New England Cable News, Pediatricians, Pediatrics, Pharmaceutical Companies, Preventive Medicine, Primary Care, Product Safety, Proper Medication, Trust
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The [recent] massive recall of some of the most popular [children’s] medications is unsettling, disturbing and concerning. Thankfully it was done as a precautionary move before any child was harmed and that there’s a sufficient supply of generic alternatives of the medications recalled.
Still, having 40 popular medications recalled by one of today’s most trusted pharmaceutical manufacturers rocks our confidence in the safeguards in place at the core. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Gwenn Is In*
May 8th, 2010 by KevinMD in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Health Tips, Humor, News, Opinion
Tags: Boston Nit-Picker, Children, Communicable Disease, Get Rid of Lice, Hair, Head Lice, Head Lice Nits, Head-To-Head Contact, Healthcare Field, Infestation, Itchy, kids, Killing Lice, Lice-Killing Industry, Licebeaters, Medical Profession, Parasites, Parasitic Insects, Parents, Pediatricians, Pediatrics, Pediculosis Capitis, Scalp, Texas Lice Squad
1 Comment »
What’s one of the fastest growing healthcare fields? A professional nitpicker — as in the profession of picking lice out of hair.
In a recent New York Times story, it’s becoming apparent that parents will do anything to get rid of lice. Part of it is the stigma associated with it, part of it is the “ickiness” factor. As a parent myself, I certainly understand the sentiment. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
May 8th, 2010 by Edwin Leap, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion, True Stories
Tags: Adult Children, Anger Management, Cardiac Arrest, Deceased Family Member, Decency, Dishonor, Dying, Grief, Harm, Hospice, Manners, Physical Threats, Rage, Self-Control, Time of Death, Upon Death, Violent Behavior
2 Comments »
Twice in the last few months I have encountered grief as rage. Both were in the setting of the cardiac arrest of individuals who were already very ill. One was aged, with severe, end-stage heart disease. One was of middle age, but with metastatic cancer and on hospice.
In one instance, family members became angry because we did not leave the body in the ER for eight hours so that everyone could come and pay their respects. (Which I always thought was the purpose of a funeral home.)
In another, a family was angry because we did not allow everyone back into the room during the resuscitation of their cancer-stricken loved one — a resuscitation the family insisted upon, and which required rescinding hospice status. From observing their demeanor, their presence would have caused total chaos. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at edwinleap.com*
