Health Care’s Anti-Cash Bias
The patient needed a standard set of blood tests at LabCorp. The busy receptionist obligingly spent time querying her software to figure out the cash price for the tests. She…
Hologram or Avatar Doctors: Why They Will Never Happen
A “medical futurist” was telling the hospital board how that in the future you will have an avatar for a doctor, or a hologram – like Star Trek. This person…
Reflections on 3 Years of Progress in Connected Health
It has been 3 years since the cHealth blog entered the blogosphere, and it’s been a lot of fun. I recently looked back to see if there are highlights or…
Many Colonoscopies for Older Adults May be Inappropriate
A study by Kristin M. Sheffield, Ph.D., and colleagues of the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, that analyzed Medicare claims data for Texas and a sample from the United…
DOVE Program at Northwest Hospital Helps Families Overcome Domestic Violence
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month recognizes all that we can do to preserve and protect the health and well-being of all children, and challenges us to…
Physicians and Negative Online Reviews: Think Before You Sue
iHealthBeat has an article about physicians increasingly suing patients over negative online reviews, ratings and/or comments. This absolutely floors me. Why? iHealthBeat has an article about physicians increasingly suing patients over negative…
Involving Pharma in Social Media: Chat 122 Summary
On April 3rd, we explored as yet uncharted territory for #hcsmca, namely pharmaceutical companies, their reputation and the role they can or should play in the future of health care.…
TouchSurgery: A New Way to Relax Before a Procedure
Tossing and turning the night before an operation is common for many patients. Procedures can be very overwhelming and nerve-wracking. Many doctors will prescribe patients anxiety medication, such as Xanax.…
Does Decreased Length of Hospital Stay Equal Lower Cost?
Based on a 20 percent sample of Medicare claims from 1985-2005 for people 65 and older, Brauer et al. 2009 provide data on length of hospital stay for people with…
