Hospitals and health systems are always looking to boost brand awareness and attract new patients, so it’s not surprising that some sponsor high-profile medical screening buses to get the word out and bring patients in. I’ve always been dubious of this approach, which reminds me of garages that offer free 150 point inspections as a benefit to customers.  Obviously the garage expects to make back any cost of the diagnostic by uncovering new problems to treat. Hospitals aren’t that different.

There are downsides other than cost to unnecessary screening tests. Positive results can lead to invasive, dangerous and expensive follow-up tests along with anxiety.

One organization, Health Fair runs buses in the Washington, DC region that offers a package of five tests for $139. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends against all five of these tests. Abnormal results of one kind or another are found in almost half of all patients screened. You can bet a whole lot of those are false positives or minor issues that are best ignored.

I’m gals to see Kaiser Health News go after this kind of story so people are aware that what looks like a friendly, innocuous service may be something less positive.

–

By David E. Williams of the Health Business Group.

Share

from Health Business Blog http://www.healthbusinessblog.com/2013/05/skeptical-about-health-screenings-me-too/

An Institute of Health Technology Transformation report finds that data analytics is critical to the success of population health management and accountable care organizations. The report lists several steps that are key to the effective use of health data analytics, such as building partnerships with health plans to obtain claims data. HIT Consultant, Clinical Innovation & Technology.

from iHealthBeat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ihealthbeat/~3/tSkmJbXCJx8/report-data-analytics-crucial-for-population-health-acos.aspx

A report from HIMSS Analytics finds that bed management technologies represent one of the most promising market opportunities for vendors because of their low rate of market penetration. The report ranked 24 types of health care software applications. FierceHealthIT.

from iHealthBeat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ihealthbeat/~3/P90BmGkgdU4/bed-management-tools-are-market-opportunity-for-vendors-report-says.aspx

Concerns are being raised about the trend of pharmaceutical companies using databases of doctor and patient information to improve drug marketing strategies. Drug companies say they use the data to provide doctors with information tailored to their needs. New York Times.

from iHealthBeat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ihealthbeat/~3/52dEkZTk1ec/drugmakers-leverage-doctor-patient-data-to-market-their-products.aspx

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office is reviewing a five-year, $8.9 million contract under which Truven Health Analytics would build the platform for a new health information exchange in the southeastern region of the state. Government Health IT, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

from iHealthBeat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ihealthbeat/~3/OnesnDuOO94/southeastern-penn-prepares-to-build-first-data-exchange-in-region.aspx

Six health care organizations have selected VitalWare’s claims auditing and ICD-10 financial risk assessment tool. TigerText, a health care messaging provider, has partnered with mobility management provider AirWatch to develop secure health care communications tools.

from iHealthBeat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ihealthbeat/~3/zZ1UtFWQd7k/health-it-business-news-roundup-for-the-week-of-may-17-2013.aspx

My perception is that doctors in previous generations were more likely to devote their entire lives (professional and “personal” time) to the practice of medicine. Today’s doctors are more likely to consider lifestyle and not automatically put everything into doctoring. This is partly cultural –as younger professionals in general have put more emphasis on balance– but a large part is structural, because residents are working fewer hours by law and because more doctors are working for others, which encourages an employee mentality.

I don’t really have a problem with doctors who want to have a life outside medicine, but overall I prefer to be treated by someone who’s really dedicated and wants to devote most of their waking hours to it. By the way I feel the same about other professionals I work with.

So I’d like to see some of the structural issues addressed to encourage those who want to go all out to do so. Kaiser Health News has an article on the topic today (Doctors Transform How They Practice Medicine), which gets at my point at least indirectly. The article discusses how physicians are opening “medical homes” to provide more coordinated care or opening concierge-style practices that limit the number of patients and charge extra fees.

Those are both kind of interesting but also a bit ho hum. I’d rather see a broader array of offerings including those that include more remote services and incorporate specialty care. I hope and think they’ll come because despite the fact that many docs are rushing into hospital employment, I believe many would rather work for themselves if there were a viable way to make it happen.

—-

By David E. Williams of the Health Business Group.

Share

from Health Business Blog http://www.healthbusinessblog.com/2013/05/wanted-entrepreneurial-business-models-for-doctors/

The Senate has voted to confirm Marilyn Tavenner — former Virginia health secretary — as CMS administrator. The vote marks CMS’ first permanent chief since 2006. As CMS administrator, Tavenner is responsible for overseeing the allocation of an estimated $25 billion in federal health IT incentive payments and works on health IT policy issues. Reuters et al.

from iHealthBeat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ihealthbeat/~3/PQe-mwPFaV8/us-senate-confirms-tavenner-as-permanent-cms-administrator.aspx

A preliminary bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee allocates $344 million for a joint, integrated electronic health system between the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The funds must go toward the creation of an open-architecture system. NextGov.

from iHealthBeat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ihealthbeat/~3/KcOXj5xBB-E/house-panel-approves-344m-for-joint-va-pentagon-ehr-project.aspx

The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a bill that calls on FDA to propose rules to track prescription drug distribution. The committee rejected an amendment to create an electronic unit-level tracking system. The Hill‘s “RegWatch,” Cleveland Plain Dealer.

from iHealthBeat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ihealthbeat/~3/1AQUm2RmDXc/rx-drug-monitoring-bill-advances-without-e-tracking-provisions.aspx