The byline of last year’s LA Times article reads as follows: “Some physicians in solo practice, frustrated by long hours and less time with patients, opt for so-called concierge medicine. Critics say it could reduce access to care.” We’ve heard this argument before, and although it’s not entirely invalid, it does require a sweeping generalization, something theorists in academia do, or a teacher does when illuminating students to a mathematical law. And in doing so, it positions our field as more of a problem than a solution. They summarize direct primary care as follows: “The model is simple: Doctors charge their patients an annual fee and in turn, give them more time and attention.” While true, this overview is suspect, making us sound like we’re advocating a two-tiered system.
Tag Archives: Direct Care
June 21, 2013
June 20, 2013
AP Reports The Slowdown in Health Care Costs to Continue
RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR of the Associated Press says in a recent article that there’s good news for most companies that provide health benefits for their employees: Reports indicate that America’s slowdown in medical costs may be turning into a trend, rather than a mere pause.
Four Reasons For The Overall Price Drop In health Care
1. “Patients seeking more affordable routine services in settings like clinics springing up in retail stores, as opposed to a doctor’s office or the emergency room.”
2. “Major employers contracting directly with hospital systems that have a proven record for complicated procedures such as heart surgery and certain back operations.”
3. “The government ramping up penalties on hospitals that have too many patients coming back with problems soon after being discharged.”
4. “Employers’ ongoing effort to shift more costs to workers through higher annual deductibles, the amount people must pay each year before insurance picks up.”
May 29, 2013
Let’s Adopt EHR For Better Patient Care, Not Federal Benefits
Xavier E. Martinez wrote about Why EHR Adoption Rates Vary Across Certain Specialties. A recent joint study from CareCloud and QuantiaMD shows that 82% of cardiologists have adopted EHR software, the most of any specialty. Overall, the article isn’t fully fleshed out. However, it raises an interesting question: Do heart doctors use EHR more widely because of their immersion in technology?
Martinez thinks so.