tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30510558.post116142535552646527..comments2023-06-10T05:20:16.484-07:00Comments on Here's To Your Health, America: Back To Your Health, America.LHwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15890891351498768757noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30510558.post-1163044329533754232006-11-08T19:52:00.000-08:002006-11-08T19:52:00.000-08:00Yes, and while it is certainly not always the case...Yes, and while it is certainly not always the case that an independent physician will do things that inherently raise costs or waste resources, it is also true that the forces that drove physicians to independent practice have shifted as well. Between lower reimbursements, the costs of billing and follow up with the various payers, and dealing with utilization review committees at the various insurers, it is hardly an "independent practice" anymore, anyway.LHwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890891351498768757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30510558.post-1161741472790606022006-10-24T18:57:00.000-07:002006-10-24T18:57:00.000-07:00A compelling idea. Middle class patients might ba...A compelling idea. Middle class patients might balk at the notion of attending a clinic-like setting...and I'd worry about eroding the already eroded doctor-patient relationship. <BR/><BR/>However, clinic-style medicine does not necessarily have to give up continuity of care [seeing the same doc]. And such a system [if the docs are paid well] may shift private practice docs to consider salaried clinics...docs already hate the business end of things. Most went into medicine to take care of patients, not to nurse the ever complex billing problems.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30510558.post-1161699119938561792006-10-24T07:11:00.000-07:002006-10-24T07:11:00.000-07:00That is an excellent point, and in rural areas it ...That is an excellent point, and in rural areas it will be an infrastructure issue that needs to be addressed with some government assistance. However in most urban areas and many suburban, it is a matter of redeploying assets that are already underutilized. There is no doubt in the short run a cost to doing this, but I believe it is manageable in the context of what needs to be done or else the skyrocketing costs of healthcare will lead to further financial difficulties and unacceptable rationing of services. I do not believe effective and rational healthcare reform will come without costs and difficulties, but I believe it can be done better than the weak and ineffective conservative ways of putting band-aids (and that is being charitable) like MSA's and putting more of the burden on the backs of the middle class, and the liberal measures of a one payer government takeover. We will continue to explore these issues regularly here, although we make take a brief respite as the election grows nearer.LHwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890891351498768757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30510558.post-1161569336112167722006-10-22T19:08:00.000-07:002006-10-22T19:08:00.000-07:00Using economic incentives to tweak toward a clinic...Using economic incentives to tweak toward a clinic system is interesting. How would you pay to build [or build up] those clinics? <BR/><BR/>Many hospital clinics are already overburdened, so you'd probably need new facilities.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.com