Patients Disenfranchised from the System

Staff Writers 

“When was the last time you had freedom of choice in, of all places, a hospital? One choice is no choice at all, and it only makes people feel frustrated and powerless. People have a fundamental need to choose for themselves-give your customers the power of choice.”

-Roger Dow and Susan Cook, 1996 

Examples of patients disconnected form the domestic US healthcare system abound. Here are just three for consideration from the past decade: 

The Disconnected and Disenfranchised 

1. An HMO cost cutting measure, known as the Drop in Group Medical Appointment (DRGMA) is particularly onerous to some patients. In this largely still voluntary model, group visits of 10-15 patients take place simultaneously. During each visit, patients are examined in the group or privately, charts are reviewed, vital signs are taken, medications adjusted, tests are ordered and results discussed.
2. Virtual e-health visits took a step forward recently as the First Health Group became the first managed care organization to establish another voluntary cost cutting program that eventually will pay doctors about $25 for online consultations with disembodied patients conducted via their web site.
3. In a most unusual court case, a physician and six patients covered by Kaiser Permanente file suit accusing it of endangering patients’ lives by forcing them to accept double size pills. The plaintiffs alleged that the HMO forced them to buy medication at a higher dose and then split the pills in half. Some pharmaceutical and medical experts opine that the practice is harmful to patients; others support it.

More Patient Concerns 

And, according to Charles S. Lauer, publisher of the Modern Physician, through a study conducted by ARA Marketing and HBOC McKesson which appeared in the Harris Interactive Healthcare News a few years back, other pressing patient concerns include:

· 60 percent: “forgetting to ask all my questions when I am with my doctor, and

· 29 percent: “not having enough time with my doctor”, since the amount of face time between patient and doctors now amounts to about three-five minutes. 

In a more recent study, Harvard University reported that half of U.S. physicians believe their ability to deliver quality healthcare has deteriorated in the past five years.  

In yet another example, according to a survey of the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI):

· Only 23 percent of employees considered themselves familiar with managed care.

· Fewer than 27 percent said that healthcare has gotten better in the last five years.

· Only 43 percent of those who received care expressed high satisfaction with its quality.

·  Almost 40 percent said they were not pleased with healthcare costs, despite HMOs.  

Conclusion 

Is it no wonder that patients, along with their healthcare providers are increasingly becoming despondent over the domestic healthcare imbroglio?  

Please, send us your comments, examples and most importantly – your solutions to the disconnect?

For related info: The Business of Medical Practice [Advanced Profit Maximization Techniques for Savvy Doctors]
http://www.springerpub.com/prod.aspx?prod_id=23759 

Filed under: Health Insurance | Tagged: Managed Care |