Managed healthcare in today’s world seems to be leaning in favor of the insurance carriers, not the provider or patient. Patients are not allowed to see the doctor of their choice unless the doctor is in their network. Providers are not allowed to join those networks because the insurance carriers state their “panels” are full [...]
A doctor usually has many patients; however, each of his or her patients has only one life. And then there?s that other familiar way of putting it: ?Your doctor won?t be buried in your casket.? According to recent statistics, 500,000 Americans suffer from preventable medical errors each year. Of these, close to [...]
Physicians, healthcare executives, pharmaceutical companies and others have been slow to jump on the blogging bandwagon. The primary reason is because they have a negative opinion of blogs. Some believe that blogs are filled with inaccurate information and cannot drive sales of healthcare products and services.
In some respects, this negative perception of blogs [...]
A business partner of mine had a conversation with a healthcare client which pointed out an intellectual conflict that I imagine is fairly common among medical practices and healthcare providers; The Business of Medicine Conflict.
Healthcare providers rightly feel that their primary purpose is the provision of medical services. Conflict however seems to arise from the [...]
Consumer-driven healthcare. Sounds great doesn?t it? Knowing what it really is and how it will affect you personally, and if you run a business, professionally is important.
What IS Consumer-Driven Healthcare? It is the label being used by benefit consultants and insurers to mean the laws, products and services designed decrease health care [...]
With Avian Flu in the news, parents, seniors, healthcare providers are exploring the question of whether flu shots are appropriate, and if they should be mandated to protect us all from the risk. The fact that many doctors can not get the shots should not be a deterrent for those who are convinced of [...]
Almost twenty percent of all Americans lack any form of healthcare insurance. Many
more are underinsured. Consequently, a great number of Americans receive little or
no healthcare at all. Many, but not all, of these people are women and children.
Some are destitute, but most are not. Quite a few of these uninsured are actually
[...]
You may have heard about MRSA recently in the news, in passing, or maybe you heard that someone may have even died from “…some type of staph infection.” MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is a lethal form of bacteria which is resistant to many antibiotics. Most often, staph infections - including MRSA pose a [...]
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, each year 10 to 50 million Americans develop an allergic rash after contact with Poison Oak, Poison Ivy and Poison Sumac Plants. The invisible oily resin called urushiol causes the ill effects of these poisonous plants.
Poison ivy, oak, or sumac is found in every state except Alaska and [...]
Nearly one year after congress passed the Medicare and prescription drug plan, both sides are still debating its supposed benefits, or detriments. Unfortunately, many of the people who will be affected by the Medicare changes still don’t know where to turn.
What follows is an initial analysis of what will happen January 1, 2006.
Our conclusion:
Regardless of [...]
