Assessing and documenting privilege competency is a major focus of the 2007 and 2008 Joint Commission Hospital Standards. In addition to physicians, competency evaluation requirements also apply to mid level providers, i.e., Physician Assistants and Advanced Practice Nurses, who are privileged through the medical staff process. The American Academy of Physician Assistants, in collaboration with […]

http://blog.fos-society.com The American Medical Association (AMA), with the support of the AAOS and more than 60 other medical specialty societies, will be conducting a multi-specialty survey of America’s physician practices this year. The purpose of the survey is to collect up-to-date information on physician practice characteristics and professional practice expenses from virtually all physician specialties […]

http://www.watchmojo.com January 17, 2007 — Today, SureScripts, operators of the Pharmacy Health Information Exchange, announced that the first prescription has been transmitted electronically from physician to pharmacist in the nation’s capital. Less than one month after the Washington, D.C. Board of Pharmacy adopted new rules making electronic prescribing legal, a D.C.-based Rite Aid pharmacy became […]

http://knowledge.wpcarey.asu.edu Although single-physician practices still are dominant in the United States, multi-physician practices tend to provide better care for people who suffer heart attacks. Heart attack patients receive less-timely treatment and have worse chances of survival if they are treated by solo physicians rather than physicians from larger practices, according to a new study authored […]

Scott Ross, M.D. http://www.naplesnews.com Recently one of my patients asked me for some personal advice — on whether the patient should terminate a relationship with another physician. The doctor was in the midst of a nasty malpractice case, one publicized in the Daily News. Although it may not be a matter of the case being […]

http://www.insurancejournal.com Senator John Ensign, R-Nev., has introduced the Medical Care Access Protection (MCAP) Act of 2007, which would set a cap on non-economic damages in medcial mapractice lawsuits. “Medical liability reform works, and it’s turning the tide against frivolous lawsuits and outrageous jury awards,” said Ensign, who is a veterinarian. “We’ve seen it in California, […]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve a recommendation to Congress to increase reimbursements to doctors by an estimated 1.7% in 2008, CQ HealthBeat reports. Without action from Congress, physician reimbursements in 2008 would decrease by 10% under the current payment formula. MedPAC calculated the new figure using expected 2008 […]

By KAREN GARLOCH McClatchy Newspapers Patients in the United States travel to Duke University, Johns Hopkins or the Mayo Clinic for medical care. Today some venture even farther — to far-flung places such as Costa Rica, Thailand, India and Singapore. Last year, an estimated half-million Americans traveled overseas for medical treatment. It’s a growing trend […]

From the AMA. By William G. Plested III, MD A message to all physicians from AMA President William G. Plested III, MD. The new year is upon us and brings excitement and hope for new beginnings in all of our endeavors. It is time to review our gains and losses in 2006, and to set […]