Our latest Potpourri, a week late and we apologize, covers virtual coaching, the integration of drug and medical benefit management, how doctors chose to handle their own end-of-life care, Medicaid and ER visits, and malpractice and orthopedics.
End-of-life care discussions got some unwarranted and unwanted attention during the reform law debates, being characterized as “death panels”. The discussions are important, however, to ensure consistency with patient preferences and a new study finds they don’t always happen in the best manner.
A draft evidence report from AHRQ looks at end-of-life and hospice care. End-of-life care is often fingered as one of the causes of increasing health spending. The report finds moderate evidence supporting beneficial effects from many of the studied interventions.
End-of-life care is a significant contributor to overall health expenditures. New research in the Journal of the American Medical Association probes the effect of advance directives on end-of-life spending, with a particular focus on geographic variations both in the use of directives and care.
October already!! Our 39th Potpourri of the year has many autumnal pleasures including selections on CMS’ Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, a proposed guidance for FDA to use for mHealth regulation, end-of-life care discussions, CMS’ multi-payer database award, expected 2012 medical trend, and delivery of unnecessary care by doctors.
The week’s Potpourri continues the tradition of presenting excellent nuggets of health information, including EHR use in the VA system, the effect of making surrogate care decisions, screening for ovarian cancer, gaps in health among socioeconomic groups, cancer care guideline compliance, and ER visits in Massachusetts.
Another scintillating menu of health care tidbits, including provider reaction to the proposed Accountable Care Organization rule; end-of-life care in the US and Canada; hospital volume and outcomes for difficult surgeries; hospital marketing of robotic surgery; and cutting lab test costs.
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].
© 2023 Healthy Skeptic.
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