As the healthcare ecosystem continues to change for the better, patient satisfaction has become more important than ever. Not only are patients now more involved in their healthcare decisions, but they also find themselves at greater financial risks associated with care. They are more likely to compare practices in terms of healthcare services, which means Read more…
Voice
Tips for Planning Holiday Schedules to Reduce Stress
This inconveniences the patient and frustrates the physician for having not met expectations. This is a common occurrence among physicians worldwide, unavoidable at times due to emergencies or family commitments, but usually stems from a lack of planning for the holidays. Unstructured scheduling can lead to misunderstandings among the staff, which ends up adversely affecting Read more…
How To Get Ready For MACRA
There are some terms that conjure dread in certain groups: LDL for middle-aged people, Brexit for London bankers, Presidential elections 2016 for Americans and MACRA for clinicians. Most clinicians don’t know much about it. Those that do, find little to appreciate. Everyone agrees that the intention behind the law is noble, but it is steeped Read more…
5 Things to Know from Clinton’s NEJM Article on Healthcare Policy Reform
Recently the New England Journal of Medicine posed one specific question to both major presidential candidates regarding their healthcare policies. That question was: “What specific changes in policy do you support to improve access to care, improve quality of care and control health care costs for our nation?” Secretary Clinton responded while Mr. Trump declined a response. Mrs. Clinton’s Read more…
MACRA Proposed Rule: Not What the Doctor Ordered?
Many healthcare providers have been waiting for the end of meaningful use with baited breath. After all, the end of MU promised to lessen the burden of compliance requirements, and usher in more realistic reporting guidelines. But the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) thousand-page proposed rule for the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of Read more…
Will Doctors Vote in Favor of orAgainst PPaACA in the 2016 Elections?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPaACA/ACA also known as Obamacare) has been a hotbed topic since it was signed into law in 2010. Six years later the ACA still manages to divide the American public. In a Gallup poll taken last April, 50% of respondents said they disapprove of the ACA while 44% said Read more…
Why Urgent Care is becoming a Key Piece of Value-Based Care
Though they’ve been around for decades and have catered to numerous patient needs, until recently, many Americans have not given urgent care the time of day, opting instead for traditional ER visits. But, thanks to a rise in healthcare consumerism and a shift toward value-based care, the urgent care industry is finally “having its day.” Read more…
How are Retail Medical Clinics affecting your Private Practice?
You feel that telltale constriction in your throat again, you wonder if it’s just the weather’s doing. You call up your doctor’s office only to find that the next appointment is in a week. You do not have a primary care physician to consult. You have a tight budget, or worse, you do not have Read more…
Staff cutbacks linked to death rates, study finds
A recent study conducted across nine European countries, has found that nursing cutbacks are directly linked to higher death rates among patients in hospitals. The study, which combined data from 300 European hospitals, says that for each additional patient assigned to a nurse, the risk of death within a month of surgery, increases by 7%. Read more…
Survey finds seniors relying on technology to manage healthcare
As technology continues to assist patients in improving their health care experience, it is finding acceptance among senior citizens as well. According to a recent survey, by the research firm Accenture, 57% of patients aged 65 years and older are seeking digital tools to manage health. As seniors become more tech savvy, they are seeking virtual Read more…