Undeniably, individual rights are foundational to our civil liberties. However, we are also socially minded, meaning thinking beyond individual needs, and therefore, we must bridge this polarity. From a care perspective, these dualities remain in two different verticals,1. medical care/treatment, and 2. public health. For example, when I discuss a condition and treatment options with a patient, the… Read More »
“Hot-spotting” is a method in healthcare to identify areas for intervention. The premise suggests, if I can identify a segment that is responsible for most of a situation and change its trajectory, a positive outcome will occur. This premise is the basis for disease management, and now value-based care concerning social determinants of health. However, a recent randomized… Read More »
It is understood that social factors influence health and wellness. Currently, Healthcare systems grapple with the question of how to address issues. A recent report from the consensus committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provides recommendations to guide practice, societal, and policy discussions in this area. They recommend five A’s specifically, in the health… Read More »
Overall, we focus a considerable amount of time and energy on physician accountability for delivering value to those we serve. However, with consistently increasing costs to the consumer, there is less conversation concerning their responsibility. Currently, there is a societal debate asking what exactly, are the duties of individuals involving their own health and well-being. Undeniably, patients’ behavior… Read More »
As we continue to evaluate the cost of healthcare, two main ideas are gaining traction; managed care and managed competition, both are models designed to enhance value in a market. Defined as patient-centered, managed care coordinates care, thereby providing payment incentives that reward achieving cost, quality, and service measures; thus, offering value-based care, whereas, the managed competition model… Read More »
A day rarely ends without Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its vast benefit being discussed in some form or fashion. I am all for technological and mathematical advances; however, one needs to remember that we are early on this journey and we would be better served to avoid the “shiny object syndrome”, meaning chasing after an item merely because… Read More »
As we continue to embrace technology and machine learning to improve care, it is essential to focus on situations as they arise, and advocate adjustments that allow us to evolve. One such area that requires further scrutiny is Physician liability and artificial intelligence (AI). Undeniably, AI is by no means flawless since it involves machine learning on present… Read More »
United States purchasers of healthcare pay higher prices for a unit of service relative to other countries. In fact, these prices are primarily opaque, and the consumer rarely knows what it will owe for payment before they make a purchase. Market-based economics argue that price transparency of products leads to greater competition, thus leading to lower costs over… Read More »
Happy Holidays! Thank you for reading and engaging with me on The Positive Contrarian this year. Today I am sharing one of my previous posts that focuses on the value of hope, something we all could use a little more of during the season of giving. I look forward to posting new content beginning the week of January… Read More »
As healthcare providers, we focus a tremendous amount of activity on screening to prevent illnesses. Whether it is cholesterol checks, mammograms, or colonoscopies, there is a time where the benefit diminishes due to the age or health of an individual. Currently, we are in a situation where screening continues past its efficacy. Therefore, how do we stop? It… Read More »