Understanding the Tele-Medicine Paradox in Healthcare

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd

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A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one’s expectation. It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true or apparently true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically unacceptable conclusion. A paradox usually involves contradictory-yet-interrelated elements that exist simultaneously and persist over time. They result in “persistent contradiction between interdependent elements” leading to a lasting “unity of opposites”.

THE TELE-MEDICINE PARADOX

Classic Definition: Refers specifically to the treatment of various medical conditions without seeing the patient in person. Healthcare providers may use electronic and internet platforms like live video, audio, PCs, tablets, or instant messaging to address a patient’s concerns and diagnose their condition remotely.

Modern Circumstance: This may include giving medical advice, walking them through at-home exercises, or recommending them to a local provider or facility. Even more exciting is the emergence of telemedicine apps which give patients access to care right from their phones or computer screens.

Paradox Examples: Treating certain conditions remotely can be challenging. Tele-medicine is often used to treat common illnesses, manage chronic conditions, or provide specialist services. If a patient is dealing with an emergent or serious condition, the remote provider suggests they seek in-person medical care.

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OREGON BANS: Corporate Control of Physicians

By Health Capital Consultants LLC

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On June 9th, 2025, Oregon’s governor signed into law the country’s strictest corporate practice of medicine (CPOM) prohibition. Senate Bill (SB) 951 will severely curtail the involvement of private equity firms and other corporations in the state’s medical practices.

This Health Capital Topics reviews the bill and discusses the implications on the healthcare industry. (Read more…)

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FROM: Zocdoc to Zo

By Staff Reporters and AI

SPONSOR http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

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When New York-based Zocdoc was founded back in 2007, the idea was to help patients get off the phone, founder and CEO Oliver Kharraz told Healthcare Brew. The company created a website that helps patients find clinicians who fit their needs in their area and are under their insurance, and books appointments online.

MD versus DO: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2023/06/17/the-md-versus-do-degree/

But on May 1st, Zocdoc launched a new product to get people back on the phone: an artificial intelligence (AI) voice agent called Zo. Zo helps people book doctor appointments 24/7—but instead of speaking with a person, patients speak with an AI voice that is trained to meet their needs.

DPM Podiatrist: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2024/03/20/is-a-podiatrist-a-physician/

“Until recently, we didn’t do the phone because the experience on the phone was just so miserable,” Kharraz said. “Now you can actually have a consistent experience, where the AI can pick up after the first ring an unlimited number of times concurrently [and] have a natural conversation with you.”

Tele-Health: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/04/04/types-of-patient-care-healthcare-providers-deliver-via-tele-health/

Click here for more on the rise of voice agents in healthcare.

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WHAT TRUMP’S ELECTION WIN COULD MEAN FOR HEALTH CARE

By Dr. Bertalan Meskó, MD PhD

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Regarding AI, the emphasis will shift away from the regulatory environment towards technology companies making their own decisions. Trump also promised to repeal Biden’s executive order on AI because it “hinders AI Innovation”.

Regarding health care, Trump said he would let Robert F. Kennedy “go wild” on health. Being a vaccine doubter and having made many unscientific claims about health, this could be a huge risk to digital health and the FDA’s job on regulating technologies. READ MORE

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GDP: Private Domestic Health Care Investments

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

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SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

GROSS PRIVATE DOMESTIC HEALTH CARE INVESTMENTS

Classic:  Investment purchases and private expenditures of healthcare firms, the value of related construction, and the change in inventory during the year.

Modern: Gross Revenue Per Day is the average amount charged by a hospital for one day of inpatient care (gross inpatient revenue divided by patient-census days).

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

Examples:

  • Gross Revenue Per Discharge: The average amount charged by a hospital to treat an inpatient from admission to discharge (gross inpatient revenue divided by discharges).
  • Gross Revenue Per Visit: The average amount charged by a hospital for an outpatient visit (gross outpatient revenue divided by outpatient visits).

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DAILY UPDATE: UnitedHealth, PBMs, Walgreens and Edmunds as Stock Climb

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

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UnitedHealth posted $6 billion in profit and $100 billion in revenue, but the company’s stock is dipping this morning.


Walgreens is closing 1,200 stores by 2027 and a net loss of $3 billion, though the company beat Wall Street’s expectations.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Stocks Up

  • Chip stocks recovered lost ground today thanks to a strong earnings report from TSMC (more on that below). Nvidia led the group higher, rising 0.89% to yet another new all-time high.
  • Blackstone rose 6.30% to a new record high after the world’s largest alternative asset manager reported an excellent quarter.
  • Expedia popped 4.75% after a report by the Financial Times revealed that Uber had explored an acquisition of the travel site. Expedia shareholders cheered the news, while Uber shares sank 2.45%.

Stocks Down

  • Robinhood fell 2.27% after announcing its new Legend trading platform geared specifically toward advanced traders.
  • Lucid Group plummeted 17.99% on the news that the EV automaker is offering over 262 million shares of its common stock in an attempt to raise funds.
  • CSX dropped 6.71% after missing both top- and bottom-line estimates last quarter thanks in no small part to hurricanes Helene and Milton.
  • Health insurance stocks took a beating today due to a not-great earnings report from Elevance Health (more on that below, too). Centene Corp. fell 9.09%, while Molina Healthcare tumbled 12.55%.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) slipped 1.00point (–0.02%) to 5,841.47; the $DJI added 161.35 points (0.37%) to 43,239.05; and the NASDAQ Composite®($COMP) rose 6.53 points (0.04%) to 18,373.61. 
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) climbed eight basis points to 4.1%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) sank to 18.97 by late Thursday, a two-week low.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/tj8smmes

The average amount owed on “upside down” auto loans, in which the balance is more than the car is worth, hit a record high of $6,458 in the third quarter, according to Edmunds, a site that helps consumers research and buy cars

Diabetes advocates have officially joined the fight against pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

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U.S. ECONOMY: Perhaps a “Soft Landing” After All?

YET- HEALTH CARE IS GROWING!

By Staff Reporters

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The US economy is looking like it could avoid a downturn and achieve a soft landing after all. US employers added a more-than-expected 199,000 workers to their payrolls last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said recently. The solid result calmed many analysts’ fears that a steeper economic slowdown is imminent due to the Federal Reserve’s earlier interest rate hikes. And, it brings us closer to the coveted “soft landing” scenario, in which the Fed tames inflation on the economy. For example:

  • The unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked down for the first time since July, to 3.7%.
  • Average hourly pay increased by 0.4% and is now up 4% for the year, beating the projected pace of annual price growth.
  • But the job market isn’t quite what it used to be

Last month’s 199-k jobs created were below the average of 240,000 added in the preceding 12 months. Plus, November hiring was confined to just a handful of industries:

  • Healthcare and the government were responsible for two-thirds of the headcount growth, adding 77,000 and 49,000 jobs, respectively.
  • The manufacturing sector gained 28,000 workers—but that was largely due to folks returning to work after striking against the Big Three automakers.
  • CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

Finally, in another sign that employers might be pulling back from on-boarding new people, the Labor Department reported earlier this week that job openings in late October were at their lowest since March 2021.

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AFFORDABILITY: Healthcare on Notice for Patients

By Staff Reporters

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People living in the US are finding it increasingly difficult to afford needed health services—even with employer-sponsored health insurance, a new analysis suggests.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

Researchers at the NYU School of Global Public Health (GPH) examined data from the National Health Interview Survey—an annual CDC survey—that was collected from 2000 to 2020 for 230,000+ adults who received health insurance through an employer or union. Both men and women found most healthcare services to be less affordable now compared to the early 2000s, according to the finding of the NYU analysis reported in a December 2022 JAMA abstract. Women, in particular, found all types of health services to be less affordable than men.

From a nationally representative survey which is conducted annually, researchers included data from 5,545 women and 5,353 men sampled in 2020, and found that about 6% of women reported they couldn’t afford needed medical care. This compares to just 3% of slightly larger sample groups from 2000, per the analysis. By contrast, about 3% of men gave that response in 2020, compared to 2% in 2000.

Avni Gupta, a doctoral student in the public health policy and management department at NYU GPH and the lead author of the analysis, offered that “lower incomes and higher healthcare needs among women could be driving these differences in reported affordability.”

And, José Pagán, the department chair and co-author of the JAMA analysis, said people with employer-sponsored coverage—the largest source of health insurance for people living in the US—“generally think they are protected.”

“[B]ut our findings show that health-related benefits have been eroding over time,” he said; according to Healthcare Brew

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ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Health-Insurance-Managed-Care/dp/0826149944/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275315485&sr=1-4

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PODCAST: Domestic CEOs and Healthcare in America

WHY THEY DO NOT CARE?

By Eric Bricker MD

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Who Can’t Afford Health Care?

Expensive Even with Insurance

By Thomas Porostock

Health Care, even with insurance can be expensive, but what if you actually can’t afford medical care?

 

Conclusion

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