For some years researchers have examined the link, if any, between the volume of a certain type of procedure or service at a hospital and outcomes. A new study published…
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This week's collection includes obesity, clinical trials results, how hospitals make money from physicians, strategic implications of reform, what reform is likely to do to young people's insurance premiums and…
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A variety of benefits from expanded use of electronic medical or health records have been advanced by advocates. An article in the New England Journal of Medicine explores whether such…
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What is the link, if any, between socio-economic status, health behaviors and health status? Researchers have theorized and pondered whether there is correlation or causation and in which direction. A…
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As people live longer, and as there are more families with both spouses working, more employees are having concerns about managing the care of an ill parent. A MetLife study…
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The Massachusetts Attorney General's final report on what is driving health care cost increases in Massachusetts confirms the preliminary version's finding that most of the spending rise is due to…
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Health Affairs publishes a study with a creative approach to understanding hospital costs, hospital pricing, Medicare payments and market power. The authors' conclusion is that profitable hospitals have higher expenses…
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To the delight of some and the dismay of many, the health "reform" bill has passed and been signed. Very few Americans, or Congresspeople, understand what is in the bill…
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MedPAC had outside researchers look at the effects of paying all physician services in the United States under the Medicare fee schedule. Changes in that schedule were supposed to be…
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Hospitals have increasingly become the hub for medical services in many communities. Trends relating to hospitals are therefore of significant interest. A recent article gives a perspective on some of…
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Because physicians ultimately control so much of health care spending, understanding variations in their patterns of practice is important. A NEJM article examines the reliability and accuracy of physician profiling…
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Many telehealth, ehealth, mhealth, etc. product companies have assumed that their products and services will move easily through the FDA or that they don't even need to interact with the…
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Towers Watson is a large employee benefits consulting firm which regularly surveys companies regarding their health plan and related offerings. The latest survey offers insights on trends in plan design…
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More weekend reading, in case spring hasn't arrived where you are, covering personalized medicine, the OIG's unheeded recommendations, robot surgery, hospital costs, venture funding and telemedicine.
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With the stimulus money and Medicare incentives, electronic health record vendors are riding high. But many, many questions remain regarding the implementation, use and value of these systems in reducing…
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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.