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The Evidence Is Slim that Electronic Patient Records Will Save Money or Improve Qaulity

June 8, 2009

Analysis of:Electronic Patient Records will Force Consolidation in Health Care | bits.blogs.nytimes.com

Electronic medical records have been a large aspect of what the Obama administration says will save money in health care and drive quality.  In fact, so much so they are counting on this aspect of their plan to help fund other parts of a more universal approach to healthcare delivery.  The big players in this industry such as GE, IBM, Microsoft and Google to name a few will be looking consolidate the industry by buying smaller companies such as Eclipsys, Allscripts and NextGen.  Physicians will be forced to buy into this technology which is currently very cost prohibitive and will make it difficult for smaller practices to adopt it.  The incentive monies promised providers will at first be enticing but will quickly turn to penalties if the technology is not used the way the government mandates.

Qforma: Finding a Scud Missle is Easier than Finding a Good Doctor

June 8, 2009

Analysis of:In patients' hunt for care, doctor database 'a place to start' | www.usatoday.com

The public is hungry for any kind of medical information.  All manner of websites have been developed to bring medical information to the masses.  It is not surprising the public also want a way to know if the physician they are seeing is a good one.  To address this information gap, companies such as Qforma have come in to fill the void.   The irony here is their actual customer base is not the public but the pharmaceutical and device industry and investment houses.  They also picked four diseases that the word "thought leader" seems silly.  This article is an example of the problem we have in medicine of providing useful information the general public understands and is actionable.

Where Did My Health Care Go?

June 8, 2009

Analysis of:Achieving Health Care Reform--How Physicians Can Help | content.nejm.org

Health care  has taken front row status with the Obama administration's  push for immediate reform. The rhetoric has been cranked up to whip the public into a frenzy so they too will echo the same desires.  Big numbers have been delivered in a dizzying array of unnecessary complexity to seem like the problem is running away from us and change is needed before the train derails.  The players in medicine are a multitude but ultimately, consumers, providers, the insurance industry and coporate America are in a need of some alliance.  Physicians must be at the forefront of this change-although they have been fairly absent.  The degree of cost savings is hard to predict in such a complex system.  President Obama apparently received a commitment to a 1.5% reduction from the major players all of which denied making the commitment immediately after it was announced.  A sign that reducing expenditure is easier said than done

Non-Medical Opinion About Medical Issues

August 27, 2007

Analysis of:New Medicare Regulations Adopted To Reduce Certain Hospital Infections And Medical Errors | www.medicalnewstoday.com

1.  Lowering payments to hospitals will only decrease access for Medicare recipients. 2.  This effort is not about improving the quality of care its more about paying less for the services medicine provides.

A Monitoring Revolution

April 30, 2007

Analysis of:New Research Shows Masimo Acoustic Respiratory Monitoring Technology Provides 'Significantly More Reliable Monitoring Of Respiration Rate' | www.medicalnewstoday.com

1. Monitoring patients on opioids will be a critical area for hospitals and physicians to address.

2. A monitor that is both sensitive and specific will be an incredible asset.

3.  This technology could capture a large market share from the other companies such as Nellcor, Datex-Ohmeda, Hewlett Packard, and GE.

Lack of Knowlegge of Drug Pharmacology Is A Recipe for Disaster

March 2, 2007

Analysis of:Excessive Use of Topical Anesthetics Can Be Fatal | www.medscape.com

1. Local anesthetics regardless of route have the potential for major confusion.

2.  Production pressure in the world of cash paying patients when mixed with lack of knowledge can spell trouble.

 

Less Money, Less Access

March 1, 2007

Analysis of:Medicare Cuts to Be Painful | online.wsj.com

A decrease in Medicare dollars to health providers will lead to a decrease in the access Medicare recipients have to health care.

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