Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Health Navigator
An article in Beckers Hospital Review focused on clinical care variation –
“Back when he was a resident, (he) saw two physicians perform separate colonoscopies, in which they discovered polyps in their respective patients. Each, however, went about removing the polyp in a different way — one via endoscopic surgery, another through open surgery. Despite having the resources and expertise to perform the procedure endoscopically, the physician who decided on surgery said his reason was a simple one: “That’s how I like to do it.””
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Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Health Navigator
My mother did, but here’s the story –
A recent Harvard Healthbeat story noted:
“Cracking your knuckles may aggravate the people around you, but it probably won’t raise your risk for arthritis.”
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Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Health Navigator
A major source of emotional and spiritual suffering among patients who are nearing the end of life is the abandonment they feel when they stop being cared for by a physician to whom they have become attached.
The New York Times article noted “’I can tell you, it happens all the time and it breaks the heart of patients and families and oncologists,’ said Dr. Diane Meier, director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine in New York City.”
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Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Health Navigator
There are many innovative practices being used to make sure patients are not unnecessarily readmitted to the hospital.
A U.S News article describes a discharge regimen used by the Cleveland Clinic.
“When Richard Jones of Niles, Ohio, 70, was discharged in May, he was sent home with a digital scale to flag any weight fluctuations (a possible sign of fluid buildup), a blood pressure cuff, and other monitoring equipment tied into the hospital system. He was also assigned a telemonitoring support team of nurses, social workers, nutritionists, therapists, and doctors who would check his vital signs daily, remotely or in person, for up to 40 days. In phone and house calls, the team coordinated follow-up doctor visits and counseled the lifelong cheeseburger-and-fries fan on worrisome symptoms to watch for and how to make lifestyle changes stick.”
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Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Health Navigator
“Cancer!” Should you rush to a “major” cancer center?
The Modern Healthcare article noted “When it comes to cancer care, there is a huge disconnect between the possibilities of modern medicine and its day-to-day practice. As last fall’s troubling report from the Institute of Medicine noted, variation in oncology practice is wide; collection of quality and outcomes data is poor; and progress in learning what works best for any particular cancer remains slow and halting.”
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Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Health Navigator
New York State is ahead of the curve on addressing the financial consequences of out-of-network care, a more and more likely scenario with “narrow” networks.
The New York Times article noted: If you “… are stuck with a surprise bill, patients will be responsible only for whatever their co-pay would be if the doctor were in-network.”
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An article in Beckers Hospital Review focused on clinical care variation –
