Jeffrey Simpson on why Canadians take so much pride in health care
The Globe #39;s National Affairs Columnist on what #39;s wrong with our healthcare system, how to fix it and what healthcare means to our national identity.
By: TheGlobeandMail
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Jeffrey Simpson on why Canadians take so much pride in health care - Video
By Dave King, Senior Vice President, Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.
In a game of word association, your response to health care might well be reform given recent health policy headlines. Increasingly, were living in a time when health care and self-service are two concepts that also belong together.
Self-service kiosks have been used in traditional health care settings for wayfinding, patient check-in, health education and visitor access. Now consumer-directed health care and user-friendly self-service technology have converged to make retailers a natural setting for health kiosks designed for education and wellness screening. Retailers efforts are effectively putting health care in the path of our everyday lives.
Retail and brand executives or average consumers who havent checked their blood pressure in a store lately will be pleasantly surprised by the transformation of the blood pressure kiosk. It is being replaced by multi-dimensional digital technology like the SoloHealth Station.
SoloHealth is on a short list of FDA-approved providers of self-service consumer health care that retailers are turning to. There are currently over 1,000 SoloHealth Stations in select retailers across the U.S., including Walmart, Sams Club, Safeway, Publix, CVS and Schnucks Markets.
The SoloHealth Station enables self-service health screenings for vision, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index, a symptom checker, and an overall health assessment free of charge. The kiosk also helps connect consumers to local professionals through their databases, helping people enter the most appropriate and accurate point in the health care system.
An obvious benefit to retailers is that health care kiosks drive traffic, as do the walk-in health care clinics that have sprung up in big box, drug and grocery stores in the last few years. There is also a benefit to brands that can target messages on-screen to health-conscious consumers while theyre just yards away from their products.
Beyond these strategic aims lies a societal benefit to health and wellness screening that Bart Foster, founder and CEO of SoloHealth voiced saying, Awareness and prevention are probably the best frontline defense against poor health and cutting unnecessary costs across the board. Notably, the kiosks engagement statistics show that 71% of users are at medium to high risk for hypertension, while 51% are overweight to obese.
A key to the success of any kiosk is whether people will want to use it. Todays self-service healthcare has cross-generational appeal. Members of Generation X are accustomed to doing their own healthcare research. Yet, the incorporation of intuitive touchscreen features that people have become familiar with on their smartphones and tablets makes the kiosk experience accessible to a wider age range.
Self-service health care kiosks in retail settings bring some of the same positive customer experiences that are made possible by kiosks in other settings like airports, grocery stores and department stores: immediate access, efficient communication, and the portability of cloud-based access to information.
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IRVINE, Calif. & NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
St. Joseph Health and Hoag announced formal completion of an unprecedented affiliation, laying the foundation for sweeping changes in the delivery and accessibility of high-quality health care. Known as Covenant Health Network (CHN), the affiliation will be a regional leader and national model, reaching from Orange County to the High Desert.
The California Office of the Attorney General consented to the affiliation on February 8, 2013, capping comprehensive evaluation and planning that began after both organizations announced their intention to affiliate in August 2012.
Hoag and St. Joseph Health have agreed that Richard Afable, M.D., will serve as president and chief executive officer for CHN. Additionally, Deborah Proctor, president and chief executive officer of St. Joseph Health has announced that Dr. Afable will also serve as executive vice president of the Southern California region of St. Joseph Health. Dr. Afable has served as Hoags president and CEO since 2005. Hoags board of directors appointed Robert Braithwaite, Hoags chief operating officer, to succeed Dr. Afable as Hoags new president and CEO.
Says Dr. Afable, Drawing upon the strengths of this unprecedented affiliation, we will improve coordination of the delivery of health care to all members of the communities we serve. The nations current model of health care delivery is broken, leaving far too many families and individuals including tens of thousands right here in Orange County without regular and reliable access to affordable, quality care. Our number one focus will be solving the systemic health care access and affordability issues currently facing patients, employers and health care providers and that effort begins today.
This affiliation is a catalyst to extend our mission and make a real difference in health care delivery by assuring a system of highly-connected, quality services, Proctor says. New access points will be developed to enhance community wellness and allow more people to benefit from the research and advanced care of seven exceptional hospitals, a vast network of doctors, clinics, and other partners who share our vision. We believe St. Joseph Health and Hoag have the foresight and expertise to address some of the greatest needs and accomplish the greatest good for Orange County and the High Desert. This is a critical step for the future of our communities that can only be accomplished by the brightest minds and the biggest hearts in health care.
The new network will include the flagship hospitals of St. Joseph Health (5) and Hoag (2), in addition to an expansive physician network and numerous outpatient and urgent care facilities in Orange County and the High Desert. Physicians and staff members will develop solutions and innovative services that neither Hoag nor St. Joseph Health could achieve alone, including:
Hoag and St. Joseph Health are retaining their individual identities and faith affiliations Presbyterian and Catholic, respectively.
In discussions leading up to the affiliation, the two organizations recognized many important similarities. They are both non-profit, faith-based health care organizations, committed to providing the highest quality, affordable, and accessible health care services in the community. Both have also achieved widespread recognition through thoughtful planning of their networks of services, fostering an environment of best practice health care, and reaching out to vulnerable populations with extensive community benefit programs.
About Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
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Hoag and St. Joseph Health Complete Historic Health Care Affiliation
February 28, 2013
FORT HARRISON The Veterans Affairs recently announced that Christine Gregory has been appointed as director of the VA Montana Health Care System. The Miles City native and graduate of Custer County High School will begin work Monday, March 4.
Gregory is a health care executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience. She has extensive background executing a variety of progressively responsible administrative and clinical assignments. She has lead and participated in a variety of national, network and facility governing councils, committees and task forces.
Gregory is board certified in health care management and is a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives, a professional society dedicated to promoting the highest standards of professional, educational and leadership performance. She is also a certified mentor coaching and enabling opportunities for staff and leaders to optimize their career growth.
She has been a member of the executive team at VA Central Iowa Heath Care System in Des Moines where she served as the associate director of Patient Care Services. Gregory has completed assignments as the acting director of VAMC in Fargo, North Dakota, associate director foo Patient Care Services in San Francisco, and nurse executive of the Network Mental Health Services Line.
Gregory began her professional education at St. Vincents School of Nursing in Billings. Since then she has received her undergraduate degree in nursing from Montana State University, and subsequently completed a graduate degree in nursing from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She also has a graduate degree in business administration from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Gregory is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute, Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives and the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Fellow Program in Management for Nurse Executives.
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WATERTOWN, Mass. & NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
athenahealth, Inc. (ATHN), a leading provider of cloud-based electronic health record (EHR), practice management, and care coordination services to medical groups and health systems, next week heads to HIMSS13, the largest annual health care IT and management conference, being held in New Orleans, March 3-7.
Owning space at booth #7229, athenahealth, ranked this month by Fast Company as #8 on the Worlds Most Innovative Health Care Companies list, will insert itself on topics associated with Meaningful Use, interoperability, analytics, population health management, ICD-10, and more. Committed to helping providers thrive in the face of industry change and pressure, athenahealth will issue news leading up to and from HIMSS13, including unveiling a new cloud-based service and rallying other HIT vendors and the industry for ongoing disruption and improvement.
Were looking forward to another turn at HIMSS, because we love technology, but only if its moving quickly past staid, broken processes in health care. Our mission at athenahealth is to be caregivers most trusted service, helping them do well by doing the right thing, and we dont get paid unless our clients doperiod, said Jonathan Bush, Chairman and CEO of athenahealth. Because we have skin in the game, we aim to deliver services that are future-proof. In other words, our services scale based on need, can be managed without heavy IT support and cost, and most importantly, are flexible to adjust to new challenges ensuring they improve with time and will not become obsolete.
Below is an itinerary of athenahealth speaking engagements at HIMSS13. All times are in Central Time.
KEY PRESENTATIONS:
PRODUCT INFORMATION: Visit booth #7229 for demos by experienced athenistas on athenahealths full suite of cloud-based services.
Also from HIMSS, athenahealth is extending its Meaningful Use guarantee to include Stage 1 and Stage 2 attestation. In brief, providers looking to partner with athenahealth and attest to Meaningful Use Stage 1 or 2 in 2014 are eligible for the guarantee as long as they go-live by June 30, 2014. Under the guarantee, providers who do not receive the Federal Stimulus reimbursement dollars for the first year they qualify will be credited 100 percent of EHR services for up to six months until they do.
Not able to make every event? Follow all the #HIMSS13 action online:
For additional information on athenahealths cloud-based services, please visit the athenahealth website: http://www.athenahealth.com. For media or analyst requests at HIMSS13, please contact Holly Spring at hspring@athenahealth.com or 617-402-1631.
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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The delays continue in a records dispute between Birmingham Health Care and the Tuskegee health center suing it, prompting strong words from the judge.
A deposition of former Birmingham Health Care CEO Jonathan Dunning was supposed to have been completed by this morning's hearing but it was disclosed that Dunning left the deposition before lawyers were able to ask questions of substance.
"It's been going on too long," Jefferson County Circuit Judge Tom King said. "It's not all good. ... I am highly suspect of a deposition that involves only background then it's 'Oh I have to go.' And you tell him [Dunning] that."
Birmingham Health Care lawyer Ken Dowdy said Dunning had to leave his deposition last week to be at an Alabama Beverage Control Board meeting that was scheduled the same day.
Central Alabama Comprehensive Care's lawyer John Johnson said they only had time to cover background information before Dunning left.
Dunning said at the onset of the deposition that he had another appointment and he answered questions for about two hours, the lawyers said.
"I wish you all had gotten me on the phone," the judge said.
King said the deposition in this case takes precedence over an ABC Board meeting.
"They can be called," King said. "And this hearing and deposition comes ahead of everything else. And he needs to understand that."
The judge said the deposition needs to be completed by the next hearing which he set for March 13.
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Birmingham Health Care lawsuit delay brings stern words from judge
SOUTH BEND, Ind., Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Press Ganey Associates, Inc. today announced the addition of renowned health care visionary Ralph Snyderman, MD, to its Board of Directors. Dr. Snyderman, Chancellor Emeritus and James B. Duke Professor of Medicine at Duke University, brings a unique perspective to the Board having led one of the most successful integrated academic health systems in the country and having envisioned the personalized health care delivery model. Dr. Snyderman, recipient of many awards and honors throughout his career, was named the "Father of Personalized Medicine" by the Association of American Medical Colleges during a 2012 award presentation.
"Ralph is someone we have long admired and respected for his work as a pioneer, always fighting for what is best for the patient," said Patrick T. Ryan, CEO of Press Ganey. "Ralph's impact on health care has been profound and it is a privilege to welcome him to our team. Throughout his career, he has shown an unwavering commitment to listening to the patient's voice and taking direct action to improve the care experience. He is the true embodiment of who Press Ganey is and what we aim to accomplish, listening to the voice of every patient in order to improve the quality and safety of patient care."
Dr. Snyderman has an accomplished career in health care. He served as Chancellor for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine at Duke University from 1989 to 2004. During that time, he led the transition of the medical center into an internationally recognized leader of academic medicine. In addition, he oversaw the development of the Duke University Health System and served as its first president and chief executive officer. Dr. Snyderman was among the first to envision and articulate the need to move the current focus of health care from the treatment of disease events to care that is personalized, predictive, preventive and actively engages patients.
Dr. Snyderman has played a prominent role in the leadership of such important national organizations as the Association of American Physicians, the Institute of Medicine and the Association of American Medical Colleges. Additionally, Dr. Snyderman has been the recipient of numerous awards recognizing his contributions to research and to developing more rational models of health care.
"Throughout my career, I have increasingly valued the voice of our patients in informing how we can improve care. Press Ganey provided us with essential tools to capture our patients' experiences and views," said Dr. Ralph Snyderman. "As we continue to witness the transformation of health care, Press Ganey's unique position will be essential to changing the approach from one that is focused on disease events to care that is centered on the health needs of the individual. It is an honor to join a team that will play a critical role in helping health care providers truly become more patient-centric."
Dr. Snyderman received his bachelor's degree from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland and his M.D., from the Downstate Medical Center of the State University of New York.
Press Ganey Associates, Inc. Recognized as a leader in performance improvement for nearly 30 years, Press Ganey partners with more than 10,000 health care organizations worldwide to create and sustain high-performing organizations, and, ultimately, improve the overall health care experience. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions to help clients operate efficiently, improve quality, increase market share and optimize reimbursement. Press Ganey works with clients from across the continuum of care hospitals, medical practices, home care agencies and other providers including 50 percent of all U.S. hospitals. For more information, visit http://www.pressganey.com.
Media Contact: Alicia Bandy 617-933-5274 abandy@solomonmccown.com
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Press Ganey Appoints Health Care Visionary, Dr. Ralph Snyderman, To Board Of Directors
MUMBAI, India, February 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Bharat Book Bureau has recently added the market intelligence report titled '2013 Iraq Health Care Sector Outlook' (http://www.bharatbook.com/market-research-reports/healthcare-market-research-report/2013-iraq-health-care-sector-outlook.html) to its offerings.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130128/590935 )
2013 Iraq Health Care Sector Outlook is the single, most comprehensive, insightful and accurate source of reference on the health care industry in Iraq.
The report provides unparalleled insight into one of the lesser known emerging markets for Health Care in the Middle East. It shows that total health care spending in Iraq will increase to between US$10-12 billion a year by 2014, and that privatization of the health care system will begin to emerge as restructuring of state owned enterprises gathers steam.
The report outlines the key market, political, economic, institutional and regulatory trends affecting the health care and pharmaceuticals industry in Iraq, providing core data and investment trend analysis in relation to existing and medium-term investment dynamics.
The report accounts for the entire health and pharmaceutical industry in Iraq, assesses the current commercial and competitive environment, forecasts health care market prospects, and projects key macroeconomic, demographics and health indicators. It reviews major regulatory trends and the operational environment, accounting for political, security and commercial conditions, business registration, licensing, acquisitions and expansion laws, government procurement procedures, foreign investment and trade controls, taxation and financing issues, and labour market and infrastructure regulations. It offers detailed analysis and a medium-term health-financing outlook, and digests the government's long-term vision in reforming the sector. The report has been designed to inform strategic investment decisions, and allows clients to:
Request for Sample pages - http://www.bharatbook.com/RequestSample.asp?pid=376793
Company Mentioned in the Report
State Company For Drugs And Medical Appliances (KIMADIA)
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BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) and UMass Memorial Health Care, the largest health care system in Central New England and the clinical partner of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, announced today that UMass Memorial will participate in Blue Cross Alternative Quality Contract (AQC), a global payment system designed to encourage cost-effective, patient-centered care. Under the four-year agreement, physicians will be paid for the quality, rather than the quantity of care they provide. They can also earn significant performance incentives for adhering to nationally endorsed quality, health outcome, and patient experience measures.
More than 1,400 UMass Memorial doctors will care for approximately 45,000 of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts in-state HMO members under this agreement. With the addition of UMass Memorial, Blue Cross now has 82% of its in-state HMO primary care physicians, and 86% of specialists, participating in the AQC. These doctors care for approximately 85% of BCBSMAs in-state HMO membership.
The AQC is a national model for payment reform thats improving the quality of patient care while simultaneously slowing medical spending growth, said Andrew Dreyfus, President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Were pleased that UMass Memorial, with their strong track record of innovation and shared commitment to improving the quality and affordability of care, has joined our program.
UMass Memorial Health Care is the largest health care system in Central New England, and its five hospitals UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Clinton Hospital in Clinton, HealthAlliance Hospital in Fitchburg and Leominster, Marlborough Hospital in Marlborough, and Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer along with its physician group practice, comprise more than 1,400 physicians.
Signing this contract with our partners at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is a demonstration of our commitment at UMass Memorial Health Care, to provide the highest quality care in the most efficient and fiscally responsible way, said Eric Dickson, MD, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care. The Alternative Quality Contract is important to our patients, our physicians, and the overall health care of the region.
Researchers at the Harvard Medical School (HMS) are conducting a multi-year study of the effects of the AQC on the cost and quality of patient care. The latest findings, which involve a review of the first two years of the AQC (2009 & 2010), found that the model has succeeded in lowering total medical spending while simultaneously improving the quality of care. In fact:
This independent study was funded by The Commonwealth Fund, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine and Health Affairs.
About UMass Memorial Health Care
UMass Memorial Health Care is Central Massachusetts' largest not-for-profit health care delivery system, covering the complete health care continuum with UMass Memorial Medical Center, its academic medical center, member and affiliated community hospitals, freestanding primary care practices, ambulatory outpatient clinics, a rehabilitation group and mental health services. UMass Memorial is the clinical partner of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. To learn more about UMass Memorial, please visit http://www.umassmemorial.org, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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DSC Logistics has announced the creation of a Health Care Strategy Board (HCSB) to support DSCs increasing involvement as supply chain partner to manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and health care supplies. DSC already has more than 20 years of experience with health care and life sciences companies and has identified the sector as an area of special expertise. DSC also works with leading companies, including several Fortune 500 firms, in a number of other fields, such as grocery, consumer goods, electronics, paper products, and musical instruments.
The first members of the HCSB all have an extensive background in the health care industry. They are: Nicholas LaHowchic, Dwight Mater, Ellen Rudnick, and Donna Williamson. The HCSB will meet quarterly to consult on topics that include industry trends and challenges, capabilities development and improvement, and regulatory compliance and management.
DSC CEO Ann Drake said, Our experience tells us that health care and life sciences companies face an environment of almost unprecedented change. We understand that the supply chain will play an increasing role in strategies used to address complex challenges and leverage competitive advantages.
DSCs culture and capabilities are especially well suited to provide companies with the flexibility, quality and leadership they need from a supply chain partner. We are looking to the board to bring state-of-the-art thinking to our growth and development in this area. Each of these individuals brings a strong background and unique type of knowledge to the HCSB, she continued.
Nick Lahowchics extensive background as a health care supply chain leader includes experience as president, Supply Chain Services, for Becton Dickinson, , the $4 billion medical technology company with products manufactured in 85 facilities globally and distributed in more than 70 countries. He also served as president & CEO of Limited Logistics Services for Limited Brands. He is a past trustee of the Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA). He is the co-author of Start Pulling Your Supply Chain: Leading Responsive Supply Chain Transformation (with Dr. Donald Bowersox). Widely recognized as one of the supply chains most innovative leaders Nick was the recipient of DSC Logistics 2011 Thinkers & Movers Award. He is the founder and president of Diannic LLC. a management consulting firm. Nick received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Farleigh Dickinson University and an MBA from Pace University.
Dwight Mater has more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry, including executive positions with Cardinal Health, Ross Health Services, and Baxter International. For these companies, he has carried out diverse responsibilities in areas such as finance, strategy, corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, business development, process improvement, competitive and market analysis, and marketing and corporate communications. While at Cardinal Health, Dwight developed and implemented strategy, including pursuing acquisitions for the $79 billion pharmaceutical and medical supply chain business. He also led process improvements via Lean Six Sigma for the $8.5 billion medical business. He received a BBA in Business from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and earned his MBA from the University of Michigan.
Ellen Rudnick is the executive director and clinical professor of the Michael P. Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. She co-founded and served as chairman of Pacific Biometrics, a medical diagnostics company; was president of HCIA and CEO of its predecessor company, Healthcare Knowledge Resources, both health care information service companies; and held the positions of corporate vice president of Baxter Healthcare, president and founder of Baxter Management Services Division, and director of strategic planning for Baxter. In addition to other business ventures, Ellen serves on the boards of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Patterson Companies, and Health Management Systems. She was named one of the top 50 women in U.S. business by Business Week in 1987. She earned a bachelors degree from Vassar College and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Donna Williamson brings more than two decades of experience in the health care industry. A sixteen-year veteran of Baxter International, she was chairman, CEO and president of its surgical products subsidiary, OmniSurgical, Inc. For eight of those 16 years, Donna was responsible for the strategy and P&L of the Health Cost Management group of six divisions, including mail-order drugs, physical therapy clinics, physician office management software, health care data and analysis, and managed care businesses. Subsequent to her career at Baxter, she served as a founding officer and senior vice president for Caremark International a multi-billion dollar health care services business. She most recently served as managing director in ABN Amros Private Equity Group, where she led equity investments in health care growth companies. She has an SC.B degree in Applied Mathematics from Brown University and a graduate degree from MIT.
SOURCE: DSC Logistics
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BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
According to a new employer survey conducted by Fidelity Investments and the National Business Group on Health (NBGH), corporate employers plan to spend an average of $521 per employee on wellness-based incentives within corporate health care programs. This marks an increase of 13 percent from the average of $460 reported for 2011, and is double the per employee average of $260 reported in 2009.
The survey is the latest in a series of studies Fidelity and the NBGH have conducted since 2009 to analyze the growth of health-improvement programs, or wellness programs, in the workplace. These programs typically consist of condition-management services (e.g., managing insulin treatments), lifestyle-management services (e.g., weight loss advice), health-risk management services (e.g., on-site flu shots), and environmental enhancements (e.g., bike racks, walking paths).
In addition to an increase in the average amount employers plan to spend on wellness incentives, the survey found that the overall use of wellness-based incentives among corporate employers continues to increase. The study found that nearly nine-out-of ten employers surveyed indicated that they currently offer wellness-based incentives (86%), an increase from 73 percent from 2011 and 57 percent from 2009.
And while the percent of corporate employers offering wellness-based incentives has increased across all markets, the survey results illustrated significant growth in the mid-market, where 77 percent of employers plan to offer wellness-based incentives in 2013, and more than double the 38 percent of mid-market employers that offered wellness-based incentives in 2010. In addition, almost half of employers in the mid-market (45%) plan to offer average incentives of more than $500 per employee.
As the cost of providing health care continues to increase, employers recognize one of the key ways to manage their companys costs is to incent their workforce to lead a healthier lifestyle, said Adam Stavisky, senior vice president of Fidelitys Benefits Consulting business, which commissioned the study with NBGH. Employers of all sizes have embraced wellness-based incentives to help control costs, and companies are now looking at ways to design and optimize their programs to maximize their positive impact on health for both the organization and employees.
Employers Tying Employee Eligibilityto Completion of Risk Assessment or Biometric Testing
The study also showed that 15% of employers surveyed are requiring employees to complete some sort of health activity such as an employer-sponsored biometric screening or health risk assessment (HRA) in order to determine their eligibility for one or all of the company's health plans in 2013. The survey results showed that 10 percent of employers will be requiring employees to complete an HRA or risk being defaulted into a less attractive subset of the company's health plan, while 7 percent of employers indicatedfailure to complete a biometric screening would result in being defaulted into a less attractive subset of their company's health plan. In addition, 3 percent of employers indicated that failure to complete anHRA or biometric screening wouldresult in loss of benefits for 2013.
Companies Continue to Tailor Programs to Increase Participation, Reward Behavior
This years survey found that an increasing number of employers are actively managing and expanding their wellness programs and offering incentives designed to increase participation and encourage positive behavior. The most popular wellness-based incentives continue to be a decrease in premiums (61%), cash or gift cards (55%) or an employer-sponsored contribution to a Health Savings Account or similar heath care-based savings vehicle (27%).
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New Health Care Survey Finds Spending on Wellness Incentives Has Doubled in the Last Four Years
Accustomed as we are to thinking of hospitals as beneficent providers of lifesaving and often charitable care, it comes as a shock to learn how many are engaging in, not to put too fine a point on it, price gouging.
As Steven Brill shows in his cover story in this weeks Time magazine, nonprofit hospitals, even more than for-profit ones, chase 12 percent profit margins with eye-popping markups on everything from cardio stress tests to gauze pads.
The United States spends more per capita on health care, almost $9,000 a year, than any other country, yet it stands in the lowest quartile for life expectancy of developed countries. There is no doubt the U.S. health care system is plagued by warped incentives, overtreatment, poor quality of care and administrative waste. Part of the value of Brills report is that it exposes a problem easier to understand, if not easier to solve: plain old overcharging.
The good news is that health care economists know many ways to bring prices down. To begin, make them transparent. Providers of medical care charge widely varying amounts for the same services, even within a single geographic area. Brills reporting on hospital price lists called chargemasters explains why this happens.
Chargemasters contain laughably high prices that hospital administrators dont even try to justify. (They dont seem to know how they were set to begin with and argue that theyre misleading because insurance companies always negotiate lower ones). Yet people without insurance, or with too little insurance, often end up paying chargemaster prices. One woman described in the Time article was billed more than $6,500 for CT scans for which Medicare would have paid less than $1,000. Another patient was billed $24 apiece for five-cent niacin pills.
If health care payers Medicare, Medicaid, insurance companies, public-employee health care plans were to make public the prices that they pay, then maybe fees for services, equipment, facilities and medicines would fall. They could also reveal how much their beneficiaries pay out of pocket. Aetna and the state of New Hampshire have started doing this.
It is exactly this kind of transparency that will improve the health care system. Unfortunately, many contracts between hospitals and insurers contain gag clauses prohibiting the public release of pricing information. These gag clauses should be prohibited.
Another good idea is to use competitive bidding for all medical equipment, lab tests, imaging services and other products. A requirement for Medicare to do so for some equipment reduced spending on wheelchairs alone by more than 42 percent in 2011.
The state health insurance exchanges that are to be set up this fall will provide still another mechanism for attacking prices. Insurance companies selling their products through these online marketplaces should be required to offer at least one tiered plan that would give people lower copayments in return for using providers with a record of charging reasonable prices for high-quality health care.
Another strategy against overcharging is for all insurers, not just Medicare and Medicaid, to bar doctors from referring patients for medical tests at facilities in which they have some financial involvement.
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Telus Corp. is ramping up its presence in health care with a deal to acquire Ontarios largest provider of electronic medical records.
The Vancouver-based telecom company is expected to announce Tuesday an offer to buy PS Suite EMR, the electronic medical record business run by MD Practice Software LP a subsidiary of the Canadian Medical Association.
Although financial terms were being kept private, this transaction will position Telus as Canadas largest EMR player once it closes next month. The telco has spent more than a decade creating a footprint in health care. Over the past five years alone, it has spent in excess of $1-billion in the sector, including its previous acquisitions of Wolf Medical Systems in western Canada and KinLogix in Quebec.
Electronic medical records are fast becoming the preferred method to store and share patient information among health-care providers, including doctors, pharmacists and lab technicians. Moreover, ballooning health-care costs (already more than $200-billion across Canada) coupled with an aging population have governments increasingly focused on rooting out inefficiencies.
For Telus, electronic medical records represent an opportunity to optimize the system, improve patient care and drive increased data traffic over both its wireline and wireless broadband networks as medical records are shared and patients interact with doctors over Internet portals.
Were hitting a bit of a perfect storm when you look at it from a health-care perspective, said Paul Lepage, president of Telus EMR. The cost of health care in all provinces, including Ontario, is getting to be about 50 per cent of any of the provincial budgets. It is a huge, huge cost.
Teluss strategy is to provide health-care applications and the corresponding communications infrastructure, including secure data centres. Beyond transitioning from paper-based files to EMRs, doctors are adopting a growing range of e-health technologies including the use of smartphones and tablets to monitor patients.
EMRs can boost efficiencies for physicians, typically allowing them to see an additional three to five patients per day, which can translate into added revenue of as much as $30,000 to $40,000 per year, acccording to Telus.
There is ample room for growth given that Canadian doctors lag their international peers in the use of electronic medical records.
Roughly 56 per cent of Canadian doctors used EMRs in 2012, compared to an adoption rate of 98 per cent in both the Netherlands and Norway and 97 per cent in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, according to 2012 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey.
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ATWATER -- Some health care providers in the area say they have more questions than answers about the federal health care reform.
They also say they haven't heard many concerns expressed by patients -- yet.
"There's a lot of questions that we have," said Peter Mojarras, director of operations at Castle Family Health Centers. "How is it going to impact us? There's a lot expected."
Some estimated 20,000 people in Merced County who currently have no medical coverage will become insured when the law is fully implemented in January 2014, Merced medical officials said. It's unknown how many of them will get coverage under the Medi-Cal expansion.
Mojarras said care providers want to know exactly how everything will work at the local level. For example, they don't know if patients will be able to keep their same providers, he said.
"We have not received enough information," he said.
Regardless, area medical officials are doing their best to be prepared for the big change and help educate the community as the date gets closer.
The Golden Valley Health Centers has organized several forums and more planned to help educate the community about what the law will mean for people, said Christine Noguera, interim chief executive officer.
Golden Valley is already also looking at expanding the hours of operation Monday through Saturday, and possibly also being open on Sundays. "We do foresee increased demand," she said.
Still she said, one of the biggest challenges along with that, is the shortage of physicians in the area. "We can only expand as much as our provider is available to help us with those expansions," she said.
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Public release date: 25-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Susi Hamilton susi.hamilton@unsw.edu.au 61-422-934-024 University of New South Wales
Health care workers who consistently wear special fitted face masks while on duty are much less likely to get clinical respiratory and bacterial infections, according to new research led by University of New South Wales (UNSW) academics.
The results, published in The American Journal of Critical Care Medicine, are particularly significant with the threat of possible pandemics and severe flu seasons, such as the current outbreak in the United States.
"When there are no drugs and vaccines available, sometimes for months at a time, then all you have is masks," says the paper's first author, Professor Raina MacIntyre, an infectious diseases expert at UNSW Medicine.
"Our health care workers, particularly those who work in emergency and respiratory departments, are at the front line of risk, and these specials masks, or respirators, can protect them," she says. "They need to be wearing these regularly when they work in high risk settings or during a pandemic, not just when they think they are at risk."
The high filtration fitted face masks (known as N95 in the US, or P2 in Australia) are more expensive, and not as readily available as regular surgical face masks. Health care workers in Western countries do not regularly use any face masks, except when in theatre.
The study was conducted in China where face masks are commonplace in all health settings. Close to 1700 doctors and nurses in 19 Beijing hospitals were recruited for the study. Staff in respiratory and emergency departments, who are more likely to come across these sorts of infections, took part.
In a surprise finding, those who continuously used the N95 face masks had a protective effect not only against clinical respiratory infections, but bacterial ones too.
"Outbreaks in hospitals tend to be viral. No-one has thought of bacterial diseases as being responsible for outbreaks," Professor MacIntyre says. "In addition, bacterial co-infections commonly occur during influenza outbreaks. We suspect that if you have one infection it predisposes you to the other. There is a complex synergy between bacteria and viruses in the respiratory tract."
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OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Kaiser Permanente announced today the launch of Thriving Schools: A Partnership for Healthy Students, Staff and Teachers, to create a culture of health and wellness in schools. As a health care organization, Kaiser Permanente delivers care to an estimated 2 million students, parents, staff and teachers across nine states and the District of Columbia.
"Schools are an important environment for supporting the health improvement of our members and communities. Thriving Schools will have a significant, lasting and positive impact," said Raymond J. Baxter, PhD, senior vice president, Community Benefit, Research and Health Policy. "With epidemic levels of obesity in America leading to chronic conditions, it is clear that we must act now to improve the environments in which we live, work, learn and play."
Kaiser Permanente already has a long-standing commitment to support health in schools and communities across the country. Thriving Schools will deepen and expand those partnerships and programs, aiming to make good health a part of everyday life for the estimated 50 million school-age children and more than 6 million school workers and teachers who spend their days at schools.
"For the past 25 years, Kaiser Permanente has worked to advance health in school communities through a wide variety of efforts. Thriving Schools will be a fantastic asset to these programs," said Arthur M. Southam, MD, executive vice president, Health Plan Operations. "Kaiser Permanente has been at the vanguard of creating wellness programs. We want to help create, nurture and sustain any efforts to address and improve health, and Thriving Schools is a great place to start for schools that are looking for help on how to get started and sustain work through tools and best practices."
All over the country, schools are under pressure to achieve. Research indicates healthier schools perform better. The Institute of Medicine recently identified the need to strengthen schools as the "heart of health." Better health, through changes such as increased physical activity and a decreased presence of unhealthy foods and beverages, can help students and employees perform better. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, students who are physically active and eat healthily receive higher grades. Regular physical activity also can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes as an adult, which is why it is so crucial to encourage healthy behaviors at an early age.
Thriving Schools engages the whole school community-- staff, teachers, students and families-- to champion change. Incorporating evidence-based, community health improvement practices from Kaiser Permanente and elsewhere, Thriving Schools will provide communities with tools and motivation to become champions for health. By helping students and their families, as well as staff and teachers increase their physical activity and eat better, schools can create a healthier culture for teachers and staff by making the healthy choices the easy choices.
The Thriving Schools website (kp.org/thrivingschools) serves as a starting point, offering free, ready-to-use tools and resources. It provides a place to share ideas and success stories, as well as spark creative innovation and change that can strengthen the health and well-being of schools.
Through partnerships with Safe Routes to School National Partnership, National PTA and others, Thriving Schools will support the efforts of parents, families, schools and community leaders across the country to encourage walking, bicycling and other physical activities to, from and at schools, and to advance the total health of school communities.
Visit kp.org/thrivingschools or follow @thrivingschools on Twitter to stay informed on new developments and activities in your area.
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KANSAS CITY, MO--(Marketwire - Feb 25, 2013) - It's the biggest change to the federal tax code in the past 20 years. But, taxpayers are alarmingly unfamiliar with its impact. The Affordable Care Act -- aka health care reform -- carries changes that impact just about every taxpayer. A survey conducted by The Tax Institute at H&R Block ( NYSE : HRB ) found that 3 out of 4 taxpayers do not know what it takes to become eligible for health insurance under the new law.
H&R Block is the only tax preparation company providing clients with a free personalized review of how the health care law would impact them and has launched http://www.hrblock.com/healthcare for all taxpayers to "test drive" the new law.
The law, passed two years ago and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last summer, mandates that most individuals have health insurance by 2014 or pay a penalty via their tax return. Those who qualify could be eligible for government assistance to help pay their insurance premium.
"There certainly is an intersection of health care and taxes," said Roland Sabates, tax research manager with The Tax Institute at H&R Block. "This tax season will be one of historical significance -- both in terms of understanding what credits and deductions remain in the new tax laws, as well as how health care reform will impact taxes. This is not the year to go it alone."
Taxpayers to receive personalized health care and tax review
The survey conducted by The Tax Institute showed that 77 percent of consumers were unaware the 2012 tax return can be used to determine eligibility for health care benefits. The survey also found that 45 percent of Hispanic respondents were not aware of a possible tax penalty if they do not have health insurance.
Based on 2012 tax returns, H&R Block will provide taxpayers with information showing if they qualify for a subsidy and how much they can expect to pay out of pocket for the monthly premium. In addition, it will detail the possible penalty they would pay if they do not obtain health insurance.
Just who may qualify for a subsidy could surprise some taxpayers. For example:
"This personalized tax and health care review will be an initial education for the taxpayer as to their options and provide them a solid foundation as they prepare to comply with the health care law later in 2013," said Sabates.
Take a test drive through health care reform
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What Does a Tax Return Have to Do With Health Care? H&R Block Knows...
LONDON, February 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
With the U.S. economy showing significant signs of improving and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to be implemented, the Health Care REIT sector is expected to remain stable. Implementation of ACA would have a profound impact on the health care industry in United States. ACA would enable increased demand since a significant uninsured population and the baby boomers would be eligible for medical care services. This will benefit the industry players including Health Care REIT Inc. (HCN) and HCP Inc. (HCP). StockCall has issued technical analysis and charting reports on Health Care REIT and HCP Inc. Download these free reports now at
http://www.stockcall.com/todaysopinions
Health Care REIT Inc. announces fourth quarter dividend, completion of acquisition
Health Care REIT Inc. is a real estate investment trust that invests across the full spectrum of seniors housing and health care real estate and provides an extensive array of property management and development services. The companydeclared a cash dividend for the quarter endedDecember 31, 2012of$0.765per share, making it the company's 167thconsecutive quarterly dividend payment. The fourth quarter results are to be announced later this week. Download the free research on Health Care REIT today by registering at
http://www.StockCall.com/HCN022513.pdf
Earlier, Health Care REIT Inc. announced that it had closed a$2.75 billionunsecured credit facility consisting of a$2.25 billionrevolver and a$500 millionterm loan to be funded today. The facility replaces the company's existing$2.0 billionunsecured revolving credit facility.
The company also announced the completion of the acquisition of theSunrise Senior Living Inc.property portfolio, the sale of the Sunrise management company, and the acceleration of all planned joint venture partner buy-outs.
"Rapid and efficient execution of a complex acquisition, accelerated joint venture buy-outs at accretive prices, and the favorable sale of the management company has positioned us with the premier seniors housing portfolio in the market place at a price that generates very attractive risk adjusted returns for our shareholders," commented SGeorge L. Chapman, Chairman and CEO ofHealth Care REIT Inc.
HCP Inc. announced fourth quarter and full year 2012 results
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StockCall Insight Into Health Care REIT and HCP Inc.: Health Care REIT Sector to be Remain Stable
2017 - Health Care Initiative Program
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Published: Sun, February 24, 2013 @ 12:05 a.m.
By William K. Alcorn
YOUNGSTOWN
More-efficient and potentially better health care for adults and children is at the heart of a plan to integrate current, stand-alone physical and mental-health care facilities in Mahoning County.
One Health Ohio, based at the Youngstown Community Health Clinic on Wick Avenue, and Turning Point Counseling Services and D&E Counseling Services, two core agencies funded by the Mahoning County Board of Health, say they are deep into making the integration a reality.
The concept of integrating medical and mental health in one facility is not new.
Weve had a satellite clinic in Valley Counseling in Trumbull County; we have a long- standing relationship with the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board, and Turning Point has a physician we placed at its facility, noted Dr. Ronald Dwinnells, One Health Ohio chief executive officer.
But the step we havent taken, and what is being planned, is to build a new one-stop medical facility in close proximity to existing mental-health facilities, said Dr. Dwinnells, architect of the medical- integration plan.
Turning Point Counseling, which provides behavioral-health care and substance-abuse services for adults, is at 611 Belmont Ave. Immediately north across a parking lot is D&E Counseling Center, a mental-health center that provides behavioral-health services to children, adolescents and their families.
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The goal is to facilitate integrated medical and mental health care.