Showing how difficult it is to get consumers to think objectively about their doctors, research published in Health Services Research finds that patients whose doctors rank low on quality measures are no more likely than patients with highly-rated physicians to switch doctors. In fact, they may be more likely to switch health plans if the fact that their doctor is low-rated causes a higher copay.
In the wall of shame category, the list of the top ten compensated "non-profit" health system CEOs is topped by one earning over $6 million. There is no justification for non-profit, usually tax-exempt systems paying this kind of compensation and it has flow down effects on compensation of others that raises hospital costs significantly.
Research published in JAMA Surgery finds that most outcome quality measures used to differentiate hospital performance, such as risk-adjusted mortality, are not very reliable or accurate.
A survey from FICO suggests that consumers are not using their mobile phones much in connection with managing their health insurance, despite health plans creation and promotion of apps.
Medical Cost Management Solutions, a provider of population health services, primarily to collectively bargained plans, has acquired Med-care Management, a Florida care management company.
If you are wondering about the sanity of the market, wonder no more. Castlight came public at $16 a share and popped to over $40 a share. This for a company with $13 million in revenue and tens of millions of dollars in accumulated losses. And in a market with no barriers to entry and no proprietary value. Transparency and decision support will be, no, are, delivered free by a number of organizations. What are supposedly smart investors thinking? I suspect we will see a number of acquisitions made by Castlight to prop up a very bad business model. And we will see every other "transparency" or similar health care company try to go public.
A study in JAMA is the latest to recognize the health burdens that caregiving by family or friends may place on the caregiver and to suggest things that can be done to alleviate those burdens.
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.
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.