Healthcare Update 02-18-2013

Some hospital CEOs just don’t like being questioned. When one hospital chief of staff led some other physicians in questioning the manner in which a hospital was being run, hospital CEO Bruce Mogel allegedly had black gloves and a gun planted in the doctor’s car. Then someone called 911 and reported that someone was driving down the street waving a firearm. The doctor was arrested in the hospital parking lot and was strip searched at the jail. The doctor sued. During depositions, a witness alleged that the CEO claimed “People do not know how powerful I am.” Now a jury has found the hospital liable for $5.2 million. It appears that former CEO Bruce Mogel got away scot-free … and is now a “consultant” at the Nelson Financial Group in Arizona. As a follow up to the article about wait times in upstate New York emergency departments, the CEO of one hospital provides a great response … and reiterates that health care insurance doesn’t equal health care access. “With a severe primary care shortage and some practices without after hours and/or weekend care, people are forced to seek care that is available … [j]ust around the corner, millions of Americans are about to have health coverage. Where will they seek care if we have not expanded access to primary care?  In the emergency room.” Government regulations never seem to get less onerous, do they? HIPAA regulations change again. Now doctors can be held liable if their business associates cause patient privac...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: Tags: Healthcare Update Source Type: blogs