What Are Consumers Looking For In At-Home Medical Products

What Are Consumers Looking For In At-Home Medical Products

We’re fans of at-home medical care in conjunction with direct care. And that’s not just lip service. We’ve designed our own personal EMR software to communicate with self-monitoring healthcare apps like FitBit. MedGadget‘s recent post spells out the factors of a good at-home medical device, and the benefits of getting these well-made devices in consumer’s hands. It’s worth  a look.

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Dr. Josh Breaks Down Every Facet Of Direct Care In His Latest Interview

The Objective Standard spoke with Dr. Josh and captured a comprehensive, and digestible, overview of direct care. The conversation was conducted and transcribed by journalist Ari Armstrong and is currently available as a PDF file for private use and distribution. We’re excited to share it personally through this week’s Atlas MD newsletter (will be included as an attachment). If you haven’t signed up for our weekly direct care updates, you can do so here (make sure to check the newsletter box). Or, if you like, email hello[at]atlas.md to request your copy of the interview.

The Objective Standard is a quarterly periodical written from an Objectivist perspective (Objectivism being Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, egoism, and laissez-faire capitalism). Josh’s interview is slated for Fall publication.

Disappointing Doctor Survey Serves Up EMR Optimism

We mentioned the MGMA-ACMPE survey that disclosed doctors’ struggles to adapt to rapid changes, legislative pressures and fiscal uncertainty. However, something else caught our eye.

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Rising Operating Costs Top List of Medical Practice Concerns

Rising Operating Costs Top List of Medical Practice Concerns

According to 1,067 medical practice executives, the most difficult daily challenge of running a medical office is dealing with rising operating costs. So says finding from a survey conducted by the MGMA-ACMPE (formerly the Medical Group Management Association-American College of Medical Practice Executives).

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Inaugural Direct Primary Care (DPC) Conference To Be Held In St. Louis: October 11-12, 2013

The Direct Primary Care Journal (DPCJ) released a statement confirming the first Direct Primary Care Conference hosted by the Family Medicine Education Consortium (FMEC). On October 11th – 12th, 2013, the FMEC is hosting an inaugural gathering of physicians, investors, policymakers and anyone else involved in this game-changing healthcare model. The inaugural event will take place in St. Louis, MO at the St. Louis Airport Marriott and Meeting Center. Physicians, purchasers, payers, researchers, investors, suppliers, policymakers, the media and interested parties are invited to attend.

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Atlas Blog Q&A: ICD codes, HL7 Feeds, and New Patient Forms

I wanted to share our follow-up with a doctor who recently wrote into us asking about direct care. Here’s her query:

Dr Josh,

Thanks again for speaking to me a couple of weeks ago about DPC. It was very helpful. I will be using your EMR program in my practice. Was wondering if the ICD codes are generated /accessible by/from your EMR?? Also, I was advised by the local lab I will be using to ask you if your EMR has a “HL7 feed” for importing lab results. One last thing, could we see what forms you are using in your new patient information packet? I have created my own from basic forms I have used in the past but was interested in seeing what you use. Thanks again for all your help and being a champion for the DPC movement. Wish you much continued success!

[name omitted]

These are fantastic questions. I’ll address them one at a time.

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LISTEN: Atlas MD Podcast, Ep. 4

LISTEN: Atlas MD Podcast, Ep. 4

The next installment of the Atlas MD podcast is now available on iTunes. You can stream it here. Drs. Josh and Doug drove out to Kansas City last week where they spoke both at a private clinic, as well as on the campus of a local medical school. Some of the students had visited Atlas MD recently, so it was a chance for them to follow-up with new questions. Doug and Josh were impressed how these MBA and D.O. students were already so attuned to the business aspects of medicine.

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UPDATE: Are Doctors Responsible For Cutting Healthcare Costs?

UPDATE: Are Doctors Responsible For Cutting Healthcare Costs?

We had a quick update on the survey asking doctors to gauge their responsibility in keeping healthcare costs down. Fox News followed up with a write-up regarding the study. They reference additional research relating to the findings and one quote caught our attention:

“Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a professor of bioethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said the survey’s findings are somewhat discouraging, and suggested that doctors must lead health care transformations.” He went on to argue in an editorial accompanying the study that physicians do not have the ‘all-hands-on-deck’ mentality that true reform would demand.

We think his statement could use a modifier. Most, even many, physicians might not have the all-hands on deck mentality. At least not yet. But direct primary care physicians do. Seriously, when Jeannie is sick we run our practice with just three doctors. That’s because we’re not above answering a phone, scheduling an appointment, or cleaning out the fridge if that’s what needs to happen.

LISTEN: Atlas MD Podcast, Ep. 3

LISTEN: Atlas MD Podcast, Ep. 3

The third taping of the Atlas MD podcast is live. You can stream it on iTunes. Drs. Josh and Doug focused this week on dispensing prescriptions from your own office. The team goes over everything you need to know — state legislation, permits, etc. They also offer some tips about what’s realistic to prescribe and what prescriptions you’ll want to coordinate with local pharmacies.

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