Healthcare Updates — 04-15-2013

See more HealthCare Updates from around the web at my new digs at www.drwhitecoat.com. More of a free market approach to medical care. Australian private hospitals noting a large uptick in emergency department patients as patients opt to pay for emergency services rather than wait for care at the public hospitals. Some emergency departments are recruiting highly regarded specialists to further increase patient demand for services. Another article about Australian medical care. Patient goes to hospital complaining of the “worst headache of his life.” In many cases, that translates into doctor speak for “order a head CT scan to rule out bleeding”. The patient had a head CT nine days before going to the emergency department which showed the presence of an aneurysm. He was discharged from the emergency department and died the next day. More arrests for oxycodone prescriptions. In this case, a physician wrote prescriptions for more than 500,000 pills over 2 years. The prescriptions were filled in New Jersey – even though they were written in New York. Other allegations surfaced as well. The investigation was sparked by an overdose death where a prescription bottle bearing the doctor’s name was found at the scene. More Unaffordable Care Act follies. Smoking is considered a “pre-existing condition” under the Act and smokers therefore can’t be charged higher rates than non-smokers for insurance. Which means that non-smokers will be charged even more to cover the...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: Tags: Healthcare Update Source Type: blogs