May 14, 2013
Sad news in the EHR field. A recent report from American Medical News covers a class action lawsuit filed against AllScripts Healthcare Solutions (AHS).
AHS’ product, MyWay, an EHR software program, was discontinued in late 2012. As a result, another company who provides medical supplies is also suing the company, because the licenses they acquired for $5 million are now defunct.
May 14, 2013
That’s the conclusion that Gienna Shaw (@Gienna on Twitter) makes in her article on FierceHealthcare.com. She cites an interesting catch-22: Healthcare providers need to market their business to succeed but people don’t want to be marketed to by healthcare providers.
It’s a funny society we live in—people accept Fanta girls behaving in ludicrously sexual ways (seriously, how often do women in colorful outfits just start dancing, wait… This happens at sports games, which primarily sell food nutritionists cringe at)—or they’d rather see ginormous beer bottles and fast food hamburgers.
May 10, 2013
If you’re a patient, or a friend, welcome. If you’re a fellow doctor, or a participant in a related medical field, welcome too. We’ve made all kinds of friends in our short time since launching Atlas.
First, to our valued patients, and friends: You’ve supported us since we launched. You’ve been one of what are now 1,000+ patients who call Atlas home. You’re not the only reason Atlas exists, you are every reason Atlas exists. We are grateful that you’ve allowed us to provide unencumbered, honest-to-goodness healthcare. Thank you.
Atlas in Wichita is always going to be the birthplace of what we’re trying to do. Our first patients are the cornerstones of our goals. You proved that concierge medicine can work. But we want to make a bigger dent in the universe.
May 1, 2013
Here are five thought-provoking posts on concierge medicine circulating the Web this week. Follow the links to read the complete articles.
Concierge Medicine Can Ease Escalating EHR Requirements
Wayne Lipton addresses growing concerns over new EMR guidelines and highlights some advantages of the concierge business model.
New Doctor in Town Offers Alternative to Traditional Fee Model: Concierge Medicine for the Masses
Dr. Samir Qamar see Las Vegas as the perfect market for concierge medicine. His model is slightly different than AtlasMD’s, with a subscription and a $10 fee per visit. However, he’s made it very attractive for employers who typically don’t offer insurance, like the billion-dollar service industry.
April 25, 2013
I feel like you might be tired of hearing another concierge medical success story. But then again, there’s still plenty of opposition to the model. Which brings up a post about how a concierge doctor saved a woman’s life. (Original link no longer available.)
The post from The DO, a blog for osteopathic physicians, features two doctors who successfully transitioned to the model.
One of the men, Dr. Schneiderman, a Monterey, California-based concierge medical doctor, was ready to leave his home state to practice medicine elsewhere. He was frustrated that he didn’t have actual time to spend with his patients. He tried everything. Working for the prison system, working for the Veterans Affairs system, and none of it made a difference.
April 23, 2013
Doctors considering transitioning to a concierge business model, take note: deductibles are on the rise. Here are the grim findings from a study conducted by Athenehealth between 2009 and 2011:
Deductibles as a percentage of contracted rate have risen by 47% in the Northeast and by 20% in the rest of the country.
April 22, 2013
In case you missed it, Harvard Business Review (HBR) published a new article about “Patient-Centered Care.”
It’s concerning to concierge medicine, though, mostly since the three writers NEVER MENTION OUR FIELD AT ALL. Brian Powers, Amol S. Navathe and Sachin H. Jain do encourage the medical field at large to take note of the service industry, though. Their points are valid, and worth a read. Although they sound faintly reminiscent of a “rally-the-troops” speech that a CEO gives his employees at the beginning of the fiscal year. It’s impassioned, and sounds well-versed, but it’s not always clear what will ACTUALLY CHANGE.
April 22, 2013
Angela Dunn of HL7 (Health) Standards concluded her piece about technology and concierge medicine today.
She relied on Dr. Josh’s expertise and enthusiasm to prove her point. Concierge doctors are “using technology and social media as ‘tools’ to forge more human, more connected relationships with patients.”
April 19, 2013
Life Hacker offers help for abbreviating those long emails that no one’s reading. You might be a master of the inbox, but if you’re finding yourself writing novels, take a look at the pointers below.
April 19, 2013
Angela Dunn cited Dr. Josh and AtlasMD’s affordability in yesterday’s post on HL7 (Health) Standards’ blog. It’s the first in a two-part piece called “Technology Driving New Models for Concierge Medicine and Direct Primary Care.”
Check out her summary of concierge medicine’s key benefits. It’s an effective case for doctors who want to practice grassroots primary care. She sums up the movement saying that it aims to “minimize the need for insurance, except for emergency and catastrophic care, and… eliminate or minimize the high administrative costs for a practice.”