December 16th, 2009 by AlanDappenMD in Primary Care Wednesdays
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Over the past few weeks, I’ve presented a parody of family medicine, whereby each character (Mrs. Doctor, Mr. Insurance, Patients) represent the current triad of the most dysfunctional of all American families: that of primary care practice. This week, Mrs. Doctor airs her grievances to her counselor about her evermore demanding and unreasonable spouse, Mr. Insurance).
A week after Mrs. Doctor’s visit to her PCP’s office, she sits in a waiting room, awaiting her first visit with the therapist.
Unlike the chaotic, tense reception at her primary care physician’s office, the therapist’s waiting room is everything but: it boasts relaxing designs and colors, is not crowded, and no noise save the soft bubbling from a Zen water fountain can be heard. A feeling of calm invites Mrs. Doctor to sit and reflect.
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December 15th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in Health Tips, Video
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Some researchers say that America has “sitting disease” because (on average) we spend 56 hours a week in a seated position. I had the chance to talk to the ABC news team in Washington, DC, about the importance of daily activity to keep our bodies from losing muscle mass. I encouraged us to think of activity not just as going to the gym, but as the daily commitment to NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis, described by Dr. James Levine at the Mayo Clinic). And yes, I confessed to having sitting disease myself… and have made a clear New Year’s resolution to address this problem!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8CWiZYQucA
December 14th, 2009 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion
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Most doctors have a closet in their office filled with various pharmaceutical samples. The pharmaceutical industry has had “drug reps” or account reps or pharmaceutical sales staff making the rounds on doctors offices in every city and town across the United States for decades. The industry spent $33.5 billion promoting drugs and sending reps to doctors offices with samples in 2004. That is a lot of samples!
Most of us thought we were doing the right thing for our patients when we accepted drug samples. I was able to give patients a month (or more) free to make sure it worked and that they tolerated it. Other patients had no insurance and I supplied them with all of their medication for free from my sample closet. I had a good relationship with the rep and they kept my office stocked with the medication my patients needed. It seemed like a win-win for everyone. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
December 12th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in Health Policy, Opinion
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My Practice Partners On A House Call
My friend and Better Health contributor, Toni Brayer, recently polled her blog audience about their opinion of concierge medicine. She describes concierge medicine this way:
Also known as “retainer” practice, concierge is a growing type of medical practice where the patient pays the physician an up front fee (retainer) for services. The fee can range from $100/month to $20,000/year, depending upon the practice and the services offered. The fee usually covers all visits to the doctor, phone calls, more prompt service and email access. Labs, tests, Xrays, referrals to specialists, and hospitalization are not included.
Her readers responded: Read more »
December 9th, 2009 by KevinMD in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion
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Have electronic medical records made a difference in patient care?
According to a study looking at digital medical record adoption of 3,000 hospitals, electronic records have made little difference in cost or quality of care.
That’s discouraging, considering that the government is investing billions of dollars into the technology.
Very few physicians use electronic record systems effectively. For instance, many are simply scanning paper records into a computer, which provides minimal benefit. It’s difficult to track quality improvement data doing that. The problem is further compounded by the archaic interfaces that the current generation of EMRs have, which is akin to a user interface circa Windows 95.
It’s no wonder that most doctors find electronic medical systems actually slows them down. The next generation of systems needs to focus on facilitating the doctor-patient encounter, rather than being an impediment. Taking a few lessons from Google, and improving the user interface would be a good start.
Only then can EMRs realize the potential relied upon by the government and health reformers.
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
