Health Affairs publishes a study suggesting that the systems which have been used to identify patient safety issues in hospitals miss most problems. A new tool does a better job but also indicates that safety is still a serious problem.
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Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine examines the relationship between nursing home quality metrics and the number of malpractice claims they have, finding a weak relationship at best.
An article in JAMA discusses the use of gaming technology to aid in health goals, reviewing the research and discussing potential benefits and risks.
Our Masters week Potpourri masterfully covers such items as EHR satisfaction, ICU telemedicine, effects of concierge care on Medicare, failure to fill prescriptions, percent of household spending on health care by seniors, and drug rep visits to physicians.
A NEJM article notes the increasing employment of doctors by hospitals, even though the hospitals usually lose money on the practice in the short-term. The effects of this trend on the costs and quality of care are explored.
A Perspective in the NEJM calls into question whether most accountable care organizations would be able to achieve a return on investment under the planned CMS demonstration beginning in 2012.
While health care is agog with the possibility of new care and payment methods like medical homes or ACOs and global or episode-based reimbursement, according to a Health Affairs article, neither physicians nor consumers are that eager to embrace them.
The overall workers’ compensation market has been soft during the recession and even before that. A new report from NCCI projects continued softness, although health care as a component of claims will continue to increase.
Every few years April 1st falls on a Friday, allowing us to put out our Potpourri on that day. As you might anticipate, one of our items this week is bogus, and it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out which one.
The FDA issues a draft guidance on the use of clinical pharmacogenomics, in particular the gathering of relevant pharmacogenomic data in early drug development studies.
The General Accounting Office looks into the controversial topic of Medicare Advantage plan reimbursement compared to Medicare FFS spending and finds that there is probably room to pressure rates downward.
A review article of high quality studies on the VHA’s telemedicine initiatives suggests that those interventions had positive health outcomes and may also lower overall health care utilization and cost.
The Institute of Medicine puts out two reports related to guidelines and the evidence supporting them which, if followed, should help ensure credible advances in scientific guidance for medical care.
Another edition of the Potpourri, featuring results on the Guided Care program, bundled payment experience, academic physician compensation, end-of-life care, hospital prices and costs, and geographic variation in Medicare spending.
A Deloitte report focuses on health spending which may not be captured in official accounts, finding over $360 billion of it, all borne by consumers, but it is not clear that the fact that consumers are responsible for this spending is a bad thing.
About this Blog
The Healthy Skeptic is a website about the health care system, and is written by Kevin Roche, who has many years of experience working in the health industry. Mr. Roche is available to assist health care companies through consulting arrangements through Roche Consulting, LLC and may be reached at [email protected].
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