|
April 21, 2008 |
|
IN THIS ISSUE
Editor's Column: Ask Not For Whom The Budget Tolls, It Tolls For
Thee
WSUSOM
Lays Off Docs, Calls In Expert In DMC Dispute
Children's
Hospital Awarded 'Magnet Status'
Mercury Spills Pose Danger
In Physician Offices
Henry Ford Hospital Doc To Head National Group
Comedy Castle
Night To Benefit Infant Mortality Program |
|
Click Here To Contact Us
|
Editor's Column: Ask Not For Whom The Budget
Tolls, It Tolls For Thee
By JOSEPH
WEISS, MD
Physicians are likely to agree as to why the cost of medical
care continues to rise. Technology compounded by longevity makes
spiraling expense inevitable.
Now comes the New England Journal of Medicine to the rescue.
In its April 3, 2008 issue the editors present: Options for Slowing
the Growth of Health Care Costs (pp. 1509-1514). The article
presents 12 ways to control health expenses, but the list really
provides the medical community with 12 cliches that are best ignored
if the country is to achieve rational health care financing.
The authors give the highest priority to capitation and
pay-for-performance. Physicians know that capitation restricts
patients to an extent unacceptable to Americans. Pay-for-performance
is not intended to save dollars, as the concept is based on benefits
not cost control.
The other cost savers include strategies such as electronic
medical records, case management of patients with chronic disease,
health savings accounts, and enhanced preventive medicine
counseling. All these measures combined are unlikely to counter the
effect that technology and aging exert on driving up the cost of
care.
The designs for savings the NEJM presents come from
business models or the discussions among think tank leaders in Aspen
and Palo Alto. We need a different approach. We should look to what
MSMS is doing now: convening doctors to design basic insurance
coverage, that is, to answer what should health care cover for the
individual? When we have defined appropriate coverage, then we can
determine the funds needed to provide that coverage. Until we know
what expenditures are in order, we have only the weak efforts to
brake expense that the NEJM offers.
The reasons for the cost of care comes from us, the answers
to controlling these expenses will also come from us.
Share Your
Thoughts on this Article
Back
to top
|
WSUSOM Lays Off Docs, Calls In Expert
In DMC Dispute
The Wayne State
University School of Medicine is continuing with plans to lay off an
as yet undisclosed number of physicians, reported the Detroit News
Friday.
The layoffs come
as part of a dispute regarding $10 million to $12 million in
payments to WSU doctors from the DMC for services provided to
Medicaid patients. The DMC says WSU physicians are receiving other
state money that makes the DMC payments redundant and resulting in
physicians receiving double payment. WSU argues that the state
budget money is similar to that received by other organizations and
even when it is combined with the DMC payments it comes up short of
market value for physician reimbursement.
The parties met
Friday, reported the News, and have agreed to bring in an
independent expert. There is an apparent delay in the selection
process for the expert, but WSU officials are reportedly bringing in
an independent expert termed a ‘valuator’ despite the lack of an
agreement on the matter with the DMC.
Share Your
Thoughts on this Article
Back
to top
|
Children's Hospital Awarded 'Magnet Status'
The American
Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has awarded DMC Children’s
Hospital of Michigan Magnet designation for excellence in nursing.
Recognized as one of the highest distinctions a hospital can
receive, only 288 or less than 5 percent of all US hospitals have
achieved this status. The designation is valid for four years.
“This is an
outstanding achievement for Children’s Hospital of Michigan,” says
Herman Gray, MD, president, Children’s Hospital of Michigan. “Magnet
status is awarded only to hospitals that exceed professional
standards in nursing practice, leadership, education and research,
and are able to document them. So this is truly a momentous
achievement in the long and storied history of Children’s Hospital.”
“The
designation is public recognition that Children’s provides quality
patient care, promotes nursing excellence, and encourages
innovations in professional nursing practice. It is considered the
gold standard in nursing and is the highest level of recognition
possible from the ANCC,” said Rhonda Foster, EdD, MPH, MS, RN, vice
president of patient care services at Children’s Hospital. “We’ve
always known that our nurses are among the best in the country, this
designation simply affirms their work and dedication to patient
care.”
Share Your Thoughts on this
Article
Back to top
|
Mercury Spills Pose Danger In Physician Offices
Editor’s note:
The following is an alert from the Michigan Department of Community
Health. It was forwarded to WCMSSM by James Blessman, MD, MPH,
medical director, Detroit Department of Public Health and Wellness
Promotion, with the suggestion that medical societies work to get
mercury out of physician offices.
The Michigan
Department of Community Health Division of Environmental Health has
responded to two large mercury spills (more than one pound, which is
about two tablespoons) in medical clinics within the last month.
The spills were caused by broken mercury sphygmomanometers (blood
pressure devices), causing evacuation of the buildings, employee
medical testing, closure of the clinics until cleanup was complete,
and thousand of dollars in cleanup costs. Mercury is a neurotoxin.
Short-term (several hours) exposure to high levels of mercury vapor
can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea and skin rashes. Mercury spilled on a hot
surface, such as a stove or heater, can quickly produce high
concentrations of mercury vapor that can lead to death. Extended
exposure to lower levels of mercury vapor can cause brain damage,
memory loss, tremors, numbness in the fingers and toes, mood changes
and kidney damage. Poison Control Centers have reported treating
people, most often children, who showed symptoms after being exposed
to mercury from broken fever thermometers or other sources. MDCH
urges medical providers and the general public to replace mercury
containing devices with those that do not contain mercury. For more
information, contact MDCH at 1-800-648-6942.
Share Your
Thoughts on this Article
Back
to top |
Henry Ford Hospital Doc To Head National Group
The incoming
president of the prestigious American College of Cardiology says the
current state of health care costs are unsustainable, despite
medicine’s technological innovations and treatment advancements.
“We have been
working harder, seeing more patients, providing newer and more
testing and treatment options. This just simply cannot continue. We
now have to focus on value,” said W. Douglas Weaver, MD, division
head of Cardiovascular Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital, who was
installed as president of the American College of Cardiology on
March 31. The presidency is a one-year term.
In the coming
year, Dr. Weaver expects to continue the ACC’s push for national
health care reform. By 2010, health care is projected to cost $2.7
trillion – a 30 percent increase since 2004, he says.
“The increased
cost of health care will soon result in health care becoming
unaffordable for the lower middle class. It could reduce the
standard of living for retirees and reduce state spending for
education in order for states to keep up with the rising costs of
state health and pension benefits,” Dr. Weaver said.
Dr. Weaver says
improving patient quality and safety and increasing the value of
medical care is crucial to reforming health care in the United
States, which spends an estimated $500 billion more annually than
other industrialized countries.
“To lower costs
and provide more value, we must make health care more convenient,
rely on much more self care and use only effective technology.
Ironically, putting patients first is the only effective way to
increase our respect and practice viability,” Dr. Weaver said.
The American
College of Cardiology, a 34,000-member nonprofit medical society, is
a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and
guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research.
It also provides professional education and operates national
registries for the measuring and improving quality patient care.
Dr. Weaver
received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine
and residency training at the University of Washington. He has been
at Henry Ford for the past 10 years, and he has clinical interests
in cardiac resuscitation, heart failure and acute coronary
syndromes. He has also published more than 250 articles.
Share
Your Thoughts on this Article
Back to top
|
Comedy Castle Night To Benefit Infant Mortality
Program
13th
Annual Infant Mortality Program
“Night at Comedy
Castle”
Thursday, May 8,
2008 8 p.m.
Mark Ridley’s
Comedy Castle
269 Fourth Street
Downtown Royal
Oak
Featuring
“Last Comic
Standing Winner”
Alonzo Bodden
VIP “Gold Circle”
Seating $45
General Seating
$25
Payments can be
made in cash, by check, Visa and Mastercard
All proceeds go
directly to the IMP programs Parent-Infant Partner, Jubilee
Parenting Support Group and Read Write Now.
Share
Your Thoughts on this Article
Back
to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This publication brought to you by
Natinsky Publishing Network.
Problems seeing this email? You may view it online at
http://www.wcmssm.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter contact
info@wcmssm.org |
|
