New research examines the need to use care guidelines carefully, showing the danger of using generalized rules for all patients, and the benefit of tailoring those rules for individual circumstances.
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A Kaiser Family Foundation report analyzes health care spending across a number of nations, confirming that we spend a lot more than most developed countries and that our growth rate…
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Research published in JAMA examines the extent to which patients' health literacy is associated with heart failure outcomes, finding a connection in the case of all-cause mortality, but not with…
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A WSJ article examines the likelihood that the myriad of health care cost control measures embedded in the reform law will actually reduce costs, concluding that it is unlikely they…
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This week's Potpourri features highlights from some of the health companies' which have reported earnings, focusing on earnings call revelations, which are few and far between!
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Hip replacement is one of the most pervasive orthopedic procedures, particularly among older Americans. Research among Medicare beneficiaries reveals trends over 18 years, finding lower mortality, but potential issues on…
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The Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality released a Statistical Brief looking at physician visits, finding variance in cost and out-of-pocket expense, depending on the setting.
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The latest Dartmouth Atlas report focuses on trends and variation in end-of-life care, finding fewer people are dying in the hospital, more hospice use is occurring, but intensity of care…
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Two pieces of research discuss an example of extensive off-label use of a drug, finding that costs are being raised with little likelihood of an increase in quality of care.
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Happy Easter and welcome to our latest Potpourri, which will raise you up with information on workplace wellness, hospital pricing, clinical decision support systems, using HIT to save on drug…
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A study of the VHA's care for chronic disease patients finds generally good compliance with treatment recommendations, but not necessarily the best patient outcomes, reflecting the complexity of improving quality.
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The IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics issued a report on drug spending and use in 2010 in the United States. Highlights include a very slow overall rate of growth and…
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Researchers examine what can be done to improve the science of performance measurement in a new Health Affairs article, making valuable suggestions to increase the credibility of an increasingly important…
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New research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine finds that doctors prescribe different treatments for patients than they would choose for themselves when one choice involves potentially harmful adverse…
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Happy Easter and welcome to our spring kickoff potpourri, complete with a survey on technology use by consumers; brand drug pricing; how to get individuals to purchase health coverage; views…
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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 khroche@healthy-skeptic.com.
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