Posted on February 28th, 2012 by Rick Gulla
Commentary By Lynda Young, M.D. President, Massachusetts Medical Society In Massachusetts, the number of people with HIV/AIDS has increased 35 percent from 2000-2009, and 500 people are newly diagnosed every year. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than one million people live with HIV, with 56,000 new infections occurring annually. Many don’t [...]
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Posted on December 2nd, 2011 by Rick Gulla
“Within my lifetime, our profession has changed profoundly. The practice of medicine is exciting but extremely complicated – scientifically, technologically, financially and academically. And we are at a breaking point.” So began the 200th Annual Oration of the Massachusetts Medical Society, delivered by Sean Palfrey, M.D., professor of pediatrics and public health at the Boston [...]
Filed under: Health, Health Policy, Health Reform, Interim Meeting 2011, Medicine, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Posted on October 7th, 2010 by Rick Gulla
Flu season approaches, and public health officials this year are encouraging everyone over six months old to get their flu shot as soon as possible. That’s good advice. But in a published article earlier this week in local media, Massachusetts Medical Society President Alice Coombs, M.D., encourages everyone not to stop with just a flu shot. She’s [...]
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Posted on June 24th, 2010 by Rick Gulla
Survey says: The doctor-patient relationship is alive and well, improving, and in need of improvement. That’s how patients currently rate their experiences with primary care in Massachusetts, according to the first comprehensive assessment of such experiences since universal coverage began in the state in 2006. The report was issued today by the Massachusetts Health Quality [...]
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Posted on March 25th, 2010 by Rick Gulla
In a letter to the Boston Globe today, two top state officials defended Governor Patrick’s proposal to limit large health insurance premium increases and cap provider and hospital rates. David Morales and Joseph Murphy wrote, “The health care cost crisis is hurting the economy’s ability to create jobs and that the situation will worsen without [...]
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Posted on February 11th, 2010 by Rick Gulla
By Barbara Spivak, M.D., President, Mount Auburn Cambridge IPA, and Edward Westrick, M.D., Vice President, Medical Management, UMass Memorial Health Care With the turmoil surrounding health care issues nationally, it can be easy to forget that, besides taking the lead on expanding access through insurance reform, Massachusetts has been a pioneer in forging consensus around [...]
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Posted on September 7th, 2009 by Frank Fortin
In a co-authored commentary in today's Boston Herald, MMS President Mario Motta, M.D. and Massachusetts Hospital Association Chair and Tufts Medical Center CEO Ellen Zane call attention to a proposal being considered by Congress that would dramatically alter Medicare payments and thus have a huge impact on health care in Massachusetts and 13 other states. The proposal, if enacted, would force [...]
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Posted on September 6th, 2009 by Frank Fortin
"Physicians are the linchpins of the U.S. health care system because their clinical decisions affect how up to 90 percent of every health care dollar is spent." So begins Data Bulletin No. 35, the 2008 Health Tracking Study Physician Survey, from The Center for Studying Health System Change, dated September 2009. The survey covers a number of topics on [...]
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Posted on August 27th, 2009 by Frank Fortin
In a unique collaboration, the Massachusetts Medical Society and AARP Massachusetts have come together to urge Congress to pass meaningful health care reform upon their return to Washington. In a commentary appearing in today's Telegram & Gazette in Worcester, MMS President Mario Motta, M.D. and AARP Massachusetts State Director Deborah Banda call on Congress "to guarantee that patients [...]
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Posted on August 10th, 2009 by Frank Fortin
Physicially and financially, obesity is hurting us severely, writes MMS Vice President Lynda Young, M.D. in a commentary published August 7 in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Dr. Young cites no less than five national studies issued in July showing how heavy Americans have become (two-thirds are now either obese or overweight) and how costly obesity is to [...]
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