Two papers discuss some of the costs and issues surrounding the impending implementation of the ICD-10 classification and coding system. When there are so many other health information system projects…
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The leaves disappear from the trees but our Potpourri is eternal, this week entertaining you on projected drug spending next year, prescription abandonment rates, avoiding hospitalizations for home care patients,…
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Research reported in the NEJM looked at differences in quality of care for patients who either tested themselves at home or were tested in a clinic to guide the administration…
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Venture capital has been critical to the creation of innovative health care products and services, as well as to the good jobs the companies offering those products and services provide.…
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As the use of pay-for-reporting and pay-for-performance grows, there is more research into whether care processes being measured are really related to ultimate health outcomes. A new article says not…
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The reform debate and its aftermath focused a lot of attention on health plans' administrative expenses, particularly whether they were devoting too much of total premium to profits. A new…
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The Institute of Medicine's report on The Future of Nursing discusses many issues, but one that catches the eye relates to the role of restrictions on nurse scope of practice…
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More health care tidbits in this week's potpourri, including medication adherence; the benefits of workplace wellness programs; the costs to employers of obesity; hospital prices in Oregon; reimbursement methods for…
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A recent survey and study examine physicians' use of email to interact with their patients, finding very low rates of use, due to reimbursement and other concerns, as well as…
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A medical device manufacturers' trade association publishes sponsored research on the effect of GPOs on costs, concluding that hospitals would be better off to buy directly from the manufacturers or…
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Health spending is high in the United States compared to other industrial countries. Quality, based on health outcomes such as survival or mortality, appears to be worse. A new article…
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Because of political considerations, medical malpractice and its health spending effects is a controversial topic. A recent issue of Health Affairs carried several articles on this topic.
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There appears to be significant variation in per capita health spending around the United States. The low-cost areas could provide valuable lessons to the rest of the country and a…
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The regular weekend lineup of health care news, including doctors trying to limit nurse anesthetists' practices; text messaging for teenager dermatitis patients; Hewitt's cost projections for 2011; physicians and the…
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Spurred by government funds and regulations, the medical world is rushing to implement electronic records and other functionality. The consequences may not always be great, as a recent study suggests.
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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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