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 July 4th, 2011 by Rick Gulla
American medicine seems blessed with a plethora of antidotes for a multitude of ills. Physicians’ Desk Reference lists more than 1,100 of the more commonly-prescribed prescription medications, and pharmacy shelves contain scores of over-the-counter remedies in different dosages and formulations for adults and children. Add a growing list of supplements – vitamins, herbals, and other ‘natural’ medicines [...]
Filed under: Medicine, Physician Focus | No Comments »
Posted on March 24th, 2011 by Rick Gulla
Here’s a different, but important, look at the impact of physician practices: Massachusetts office-based physicians contribute $31.7 billion in economic output to the state and support 112,000 jobs. Those were some of the findings from a first-of-its-kind analysis done for the American Medical Association by The Lewin Group, a national healthcare policy research and management consulting group based in [...]
Filed under: Medicine, workforce | No Comments »
Posted on May 25th, 2010 by Rick Gulla
Make it 16 down years out of 18. The MMS Physician Practice Environment, a statistical reading of nine measures affecting the practice climate for physicians in the state, took yet another dip in 2009 and hit a record low. Four factors led the decline in 2009: professional liability rates, the increasing use of emergency rooms by patients, [...]
Filed under: Health Policy, Malpractice, Medicine, Primary Care | No Comments »
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 [...]
Filed under: Health, Health Policy, Health Reform, Medicine | No Comments »
Posted on April 15th, 2009 by Frank Fortin
Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) has released its annual report on Clinical Quality in Primary Care for 150 medical groups, and it continues to show that the state's physicians consistently exceed the national norm and often lead the country in key clinical areas related to preventive care, managing chronic conditions, and the appropriate use of [...]
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Posted on February 3rd, 2009 by Frank Fortin
The Worcester District Medical Society's member forum on retail-based health clinics outlined the clinics' potential impact on physicians and some strategies that physicians can use to respond to their entrance in Massachusetts. William Ryder, regulatory and legislative counsel for the MMS, summarized the two-year struggle by a coalition of concerned providers to ensure that retail [...]
Filed under: Health Policy, Medicine, Retail Clinics | No Comments »
Posted on July 31st, 2007 by Frank Fortin
In July 2006, the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission, the agency that buys health insurance for all Massachusetts state employees, launched the Clinical Performance Improvement Initiative. This project compiles information on how individual physicians score against various cost and quality standards, then assigns lower co-pays to physicians who score well against the standards. The program has [...]
Filed under: Health Policy, Medicine | No Comments »
Posted on July 31st, 2007 by Frank Fortin
In July 2006, the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission, the agency that buys health insurance for all Massachusetts state employees, launched the Clinical Performance Improvement Initiative. This project compiles information on how individual physicians score against various cost and quality standards, then assigns lower co-pays to physicians who score well against the standards. The program has [...]
Filed under: Health Policy, Medicine | No Comments »
Posted on June 5th, 2007 by Frank Fortin
Forty-three million Americans report that a doctor told them they have arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control, arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States, limiting the activities of more than 16 million adults. In Massachusetts, some 1.2 million people have the condition – nearly 26 [...]
Filed under: Health, Medicine, Physician Focus | No Comments »
