Posted by: AtlasMD

June 13, 2013

Fox News Says Concierge Medicine Is Now For The “Not-so-Rich”

We came across an article from Fox Business and thought we’d share a laugh. From a leading news source, you’d think they’d have found a more comely way of saying middleclass, working Americans. Something else stood out to us also. They asked, “Even at the lower prices, is it worth it?” Then continued to say:

“[Some] in the industry say the moniker ‘concierge medicine’ no longer fits, as the concept becomes more accessible and mainstream.” What do you think? Should we try to rebrand our sane version of healthcare to something else? Or do we ride the wave that brought us to this point today, from a service that was geared solely for the wealthy? It’s TBD whether or not the effort is worth it. Although there are a lot of versions of concierge medicine. A simple differentiator would be nice.

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Concierge Medicine, Now for the Not-so-Rich | Fox Business

How many staff do I need for a concierge medical practice?

How many staff do I need for a concierge medical practice?

Congratulations if you’ve popped the cork on your “cash-only” concierge medicine practice! From the outset, YOU are the captain of your practice, and the sole reason that it even exists. But we’ve got another question to ask before we get to staff…

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More News Outlets Reporting About Backlash of Hospital Charges

Liz Kowalczyk of The Boston Globe is adding more tinder to the price transparency fire. Her recent article follows patients who are angered by surprise surcharges tacked on to their hospital bills for doctor visits and who are starting to challenging these fees — at times refusing to pay outright!

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Are There Too Many Flavors Of Concierge Medicine?

We found another article relaying the exodus of doctors to our side of the healthcare system. Here’s a passage worth checking out. It lays out valid insurance concerns in context with concierge medicine. (We inserted notes in parentheses.)

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Patient complains about being overcharged thousands of dollars by a Napa hospital for medical laboratory tests

Dark Daily published an article saying a community hospital charged Kathy Meinhardt inpatient prices for clinical laboratory testing when she was a walk-up customer. As a result, Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa Valley has found itself centered within a media flare-up.

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We’re Listening To Both Sides Of The EHR Story

Glen_TullmanGlenn Tullman was the CEO of AllScripts, an EHR company, until his departure last year. We believe his latest op/ed piece illuminates the peril of government inserting itself into business. Sure, they come in with good intentions, but they end up stifling the quality of products on the free market.

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It’s Business Time (Interview)

Critical Financial recently talked to Dr. Josh about the simple math behind his concierge medicine practice.

He pulled back the curtains on Oz so to speak. But instead of a frail old man, there’s some great insight into why government policy won’t fix anything (because the doctors have to provide the care) and why the current system looks about as silly as buying auto insurance that covers gas, flat tires and oil changes.

Check out the full interview here. Josh was delighted to air a few of his frustrations. We hope you’re as relieved to know you’re not the only one who’s feeling like primary care is looking a bit ridiculous these days.

Skeletons in the EMR Closet (Links)

Here’s a weekly round-up of articles pertaining the headache that is the state of EMR.

Most pain apps lack physician input
This quick read brings up a scary fact: over 30% of medical apps aren’t made with any input from doctors. While altruistic in nature, this just proves that not everything on the market is created equal.

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