Researchers and policymakers keep searching for solutions to the problem of inappropriate utilization of services. Fee-for-service payment is often targeted as a key cause, but a recent survey suggests that…
Read More
A very happy and relaxing Christmas Eve and Day to all our readers. To aid in the pursuit of that happiness and relaxation we offer up our scraps of enlightenment,…
Read More
Attention to management of chronic diseases is a common feature of health systems around the world. Germany has implemented an approach which is focused through primary care physicians and has…
Read More
A new study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at common methods of calculating hospital mortality rates and found significant variation in the results, which has significant…
Read More
Health Affairs carries several articles analyzing imaging use, particularly in regard to physician interests in imaging equipment. The findings support the idea that physicians are often driven by their own…
Read More
The Medical Group Management Association does an annual survey of how its members view various payers. In general, Medicare is viewed most favorably but its payment system is viewed as…
Read More
Another week, another Potpourri, this one detailing items including high deductible insurance and delay of care; another study looking at HDHP and well-child care; a quality comparison of Medicare Advantage…
Read More
EHRs are coming and great benefits are promised in the quality of patient care. A new brief looks at the possible costs and cost benefits of EHRs, particularly for smaller…
Read More
MetLife's Mature Market Institute does some excellent research in regard to aging the medical care and other needs of the elderly. Two new reports extend that tradition, describing long-term care…
Read More
Research continues to accumulate suggesting that the patient-centered medical home can save money while improving care and patient satisfaction. A new report summarizes this evidence, but the applicability of the…
Read More
A new report sponsored by a unit of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation describes the state of workplace clinics and interviews a number of participants to identify trends, challenges and…
Read More
Government spending to support and encourage greater use of information technology in health care has accelerated dramatically in the last two years. An AHRQ report describes several success stories relating…
Read More
The snow is raging here in Minneapolis, but nothing stops the delivery of our Potpourri, which includes discussion of paybacks on EHRs, the fate of dialysis patients, use of telecommunciations…
Read More
Personalized medicine sometimes gets lost in the debate over other major health care issues, but it is probably the single most significant development in the actual delivery of medical care…
Read More
One of the premises of the movement to constrain health spending is that there is a lot of wasteful care in some geographic areas. A notable New Yorker article last…
Read More
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.