Ageism In Healthcare And The Danger Of Senior Profiling
We’ve all heard the saying, “age is just a number.” Nowhere is that more important than in the hospital setting. Over the years I’ve become more and more aware of ageism in healthcare – a bias against full treatment options for older patients. Assumptions about lower capabilities, cognitive status and sedentary lifestyle are all too common. There is a kind of “senior profiling” that occurs among hospital staff, and this regularly leads to inappropriate medical care.
Take for example, the elderly woman who was leading an active life in retirement. She was the chairman of the boar...
Source: Better Health - March 27, 2017 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: Health Policy True Stories Ageism Bias healthcare Medicine Rehabilitation Senior Profiling Seniors Source Type: blogs
When It ’ s More Important To Save A Lifestyle Than A Life – Jack ’ s Story
Even though I don’t have an outpatient practice, I like to keep in touch with some of my patients after they’ve discharged from the rehab hospital. Jack is one of my very favorite success stories.
I met Jack in a small regional hospital in rural western America. He had been admitted with sudden onset weakness, and during the intake process, accurately described his daily evening cocktail habit. Unfortunately, this led the clinicians down the wrong diagnostic pathway, presuming that alcohol withdrawal seizures were the cause of his weakness (due to a presumed “post-ictal” state).
A brain MRI was unremarkable, and so...
Source: Better Health - February 3, 2017 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: True Stories Locum Tenens Patient Advocacy Patient Stories PM&R Stroke Source Type: blogs
The Amazing Coincidence That Brought A Physician And Patient Together Across The Country
As the new medical director of admissions for St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane, Washington, it is my job to review all patient referrals to our hospital. Imagine my astonishment when, while traveling to New Orleans, I received an email about a patient at Tulane Medical Center who was requesting admission to St. Luke’s. This dear lady was from Spokane, but had fallen ill while visiting her family on the other side of the country, in Louisiana.
I quickly discovered via Google Maps that she was in a hospital bed only three blocks from my hotel room. I called the case manager and nurse at Tulane and asked i...
Source: Better Health - August 4, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: True Stories Amazing Coincidence rehab St Luke's Rehabilitation Institute Tulane Medical Center Source Type: blogs
The Amazing Coincidence That Brought A Physician And Patient Together Across The Country
As the new medical director of admissions for St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane, Washington, it is my job to review all patient referrals to our hospital. Imagine my astonishment when, while traveling to New Orleans, I received an email about a patient at Tulane Medical Center who was requesting admission to St. Luke’s. This dear lady was from Spokane, but had fallen ill while visiting her family on the other side of the country, in Louisiana.
I quickly discovered via Google Maps that she was in a hospital bed only three blocks from my hotel room. I called the case manager and nurse at Tulane and asked i...
Source: Better Health - August 4, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: True Stories Amazing Coincidence rehab St Luke's Rehabilitation Institute Tulane Medical Center Source Type: blogs
Medicaid Rates So Low, Hospitals Consider It Charity Care
Most hospitals have slim margins, and budgets are set based on anticipated average patient reimbursement at Medicare rates. Some private insurers pay higher rates than Medicare, and the differential is often used to offset the cost of treating Medicaid patients. Medicaid reimburses at about half what Medicare pays, which is usually not enough to break even. Out of financial necessity, Medicaid patients are often given limited access to care and services. This is done in some subtle and some not-so-subtle ways. In a recent conversation with an orthopedist friend of mine, he confided in me candidly:
“Some of my colleag...
Source: Better Health - June 27, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: Health Policy Opinion Arthritis Charity Care Costs Coverage Low Reimbursement medicaid Obamacare Orthopedic Surgery Source Type: blogs
Living La Vida Locum: 10 Tips For Being A Terrific Traveling Physician
*This post was initially published on the Barton Blog.
I have been working locum tenens assignments for over five years, and I’m enjoying it even more now than I did in the beginning. This is probably because experience has taught me how to handle the variety of challenges and unknowns that are a part of the job. Excelling in these environments leads to more assignment opportunities, meaningful professional relationships, and repeat business. If you’re interested in honing your locums skills, here’s how to do it:
1. Be prepared
Before traveling to your assignment, prepare a clipboard that will contain all the key inf...
Source: Better Health - May 31, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: Health Tips Barton Comp Health Jackson and Coker Locum Tenens Tips For Success Traveling Physician Source Type: blogs
When Bison Attack: Wild Injuries In Rehab Hospitals & Buffalo Carpaccio
*This post was initially published on the Barton Blog.
As a locum tenens physician in rehabilitation hospitals, I see patients with some of the most unique injuries. From rare brain infections contracted in exotic lands, to the consequences of ill-advised horseplay with guns or ATVs – I’d begun to wonder if maybe I’d seen it all.
And then I met a grandma from New Jersey, who had a life-changing encounter on a nature trail out west. In her dutiful effort to corral her teenage grandchildren, and keep them following the guide’s directions, she shouted for them to remain on the path. In so doing, her yelling attracted...
Source: Better Health - May 24, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: True Stories Animal Injury Bison Buffalo Gore Rehabilitation Source Type: blogs
When Bison Attack: Wild Injuries In Rehab Hospitals & Buffalo Carpaccio
*This post was initially published on the Barton Blog.
As a locum tenens physician in rehabilitation hospitals, I see patients with some of the most unique injuries. From rare brain infections contracted in exotic lands, to the consequences of ill-advised horseplay with guns or ATVs – I’d begun to wonder if maybe I’d seen it all.
And then I met a grandma from New Jersey, who had a life-changing encounter on a nature trail out west. In her dutiful effort to corral her teenage grandchildren, and keep them following the guide’s directions, she shouted for them to remain on the path. In so doing, her yelling attracted...
Source: Better Health - May 24, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: True Stories Animal Injury Bison Buffalo Gore Rehabilitation Source Type: blogs
Why Young Physicians Should Consider Locum Tenens: Try Before You Buy!
*This blog post was initially published on the Barton Blog.
When doctors complete their residency training, they are under a lot of pressure to land their first “real job” quickly. Student loan deferments end shortly after training, and whopping debt faces many of them. But choosing a job that is a good long-term fit can be difficult, and gaining a broader exposure to the wide variety of options is key to success. That’s why “try before you buy” can be an excellent strategy for young physicians.
Locum tenens agencies such as Barton Associates work with healthcare organizations and practice locations across the c...
Source: Better Health - May 16, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: Opinion First Job Out Of Residency Hospital Career How To Choose Job satisfaction Locum Tenens Traveling Physician Try Before You Buy Work Source Type: blogs
Healthcare And The Importance Of Hope
Hope is a tricky thing. On the one hand, false hope can lead patients to opt for painful, futile treatments at the end of life. On the other, unnecessarily bleak outlooks can lead to depression and inaction. When health is at stake, presenting information with the right amount of hope can guide patients away from both suffering needlessly and/or succumbing to treatable disease.
I was reading a sad story about a patient whose physician had made her feel hopeless. She was an elderly widow with some real, but not immediately life-threatening, medical conditions. His attitude led her to believe that she was sick and useless &#...
Source: Better Health - February 20, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: Opinion False Hope healthcare Keeping Hope Alive Rehabilitation Medicine What Doctors Say Source Type: blogs
Doctors: It ’ s Not What You Say, But How You Say It
Most physicians will be thrust into the role of patient or caregiver at some point during their careers. Unfortunately, it’s not until this occurs that many become fully aware of the finer points of excellent care and communication. Take for example, the simple act of reporting test results to a patient. We do this every day, but may not realize that how we frame the information is as important as the data themselves.
I came to realize this on a recent hospital visit when I was in the role of healthcare proxy for a loved one with heart disease. Not only did various physicians present information with different degree...
Source: Better Health - December 28, 2015 Category: American Health Authors: Dr. Val Jones Tags: True Stories Cardiac Electrophysiologist CHF Ejection fraction Heart Disease How To Relay Information What Does It Mean? Cardiologist Source Type: blogs
