Another obstacle facing IMP's

[Guest guest]

Hello -

Here is an interesting story from New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/business/hca-giant-hospital-chain-creates-a-wi\

ndfall-for-private-equity.html?pagewanted=all

I am attaching a word document of same story if that is easier for people to

view. It talks about HCA hospital chain business practices and how

well-connected it is politically (the old boy's club alive and well) and how

that appears to facilitate its success. Not so good for doctors. Unfortunately

those of us who are trying to stay out and remain independent of " the system "

have an upstream battle all the way.

Palm Desert, California

[Guest guest]

Reminds me of the feudal system and docs on the wrong side

 

Hello -

Here is an interesting story from New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/business/hca-giant-hospital-chain-creates-a-windfall-for-private-equity.html?pagewanted=all

I am attaching a word document of same story if that is easier for people to view. It talks about HCA hospital chain business practices and how well-connected it is politically (the old boy's club alive and well) and how that appears to facilitate its success. Not so good for doctors. Unfortunately those of us who are trying to stay out and remain independent of " the system " have an upstream battle all the way.

Palm Desert, California

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice: Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above.

 If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

[Guest guest]

How does HCA hospitals get around EMTALA?  I mean, I was under the impression if you show up at an Emergency Room, you have to be see whether you can pay or not...and the article points out a painful fact--just because it doesn't look like an emergency to someone at the front desk, doesn't mean it isn't an emergency--I would think the people sent home that had bad outcomes or died would add a lot of legal fees/lawsuit fees to their finances.

Its also amazing they can't tell if they are really billing more accurately to reflect work done or figured out how to game the system, or just overbilling and hoping it will just take a while for the bureaucracy to catch them.

dbf

 

Reminds me of the feudal system and docs on the wrong side

 

Hello -

Here is an interesting story from New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/business/hca-giant-hospital-chain-creates-a-windfall-for-private-equity.html?pagewanted=all

I am attaching a word document of same story if that is easier for people to view. It talks about HCA hospital chain business practices and how well-connected it is politically (the old boy's club alive and well) and how that appears to facilitate its success. Not so good for doctors. Unfortunately those of us who are trying to stay out and remain independent of " the system " have an upstream battle all the way.

Palm Desert, California

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice:

Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above.

 If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

[Guest guest]

You may have to be seen, doesn't mean you have to be treated though does it?

How does HCA hospitals get around EMTALA?  I mean, I was under the impression if you show up at an Emergency Room, you have to be see whether you can pay or not...and the article points out a painful fact--just because it doesn't look like an emergency to someone at the front desk, doesn't mean it isn't an emergency--I would think the people sent home that had bad outcomes or died would add a lot of legal fees/lawsuit fees to their finances.

Its also amazing they can't tell if they are really billing more accurately to reflect work done or figured out how to game the system, or just overbilling and hoping it will just take a while for the bureaucracy to catch them.

dbf

 

Reminds me of the feudal system and docs on the wrong side

 

Hello -

Here is an interesting story from New York Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/business/hca-giant-hospital-chain-creates-a-windfall-for-private-equity.html?pagewanted=all

I am attaching a word document of same story if that is easier for people to view. It talks about HCA hospital chain business practices and how well-connected it is politically (the old boy's club alive and well) and how that appears to facilitate its success. Not so good for doctors. Unfortunately those of us who are trying to stay out and remain independent of " the system " have an upstream battle all the way.

Palm Desert, California

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice:

Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above.

 If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

-- Graham Chiuhttp://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

[Guest guest]

I think that is just it, they have a nurse or PA screen for whether an actual emergency. If it's not, they say, this should be seen tomorrow in outpatient clinic for X $ or you can be seen here and now for way more. Patient got a choice, left, and probably never goes to the clinic either. Doesn't have the small or large amount so just goes away, maybe to next ER that isn't HCA.

In the IT job our biggest client is HCA. Their EMR's are easy to work with, I don't think they overcall their medicare admissions, but they are getting ADM vs OBS down to an art. The job no longer has as many crazy moment's, like seeing someone come in intubated in the field after acute MI, going to ICU on vent, as OBSERVATION. Really? More and more their system, doctors or protocol or what has got the category right. I think lots of places leave money on the table, make someone who should have been an INPT, an obs out of fear of medicare rules, instead of what does the patient need. If you are a small hospital, and you get a multi millon dollar fine, it could be the end of you, so they play it safe. After having just such a fine, HCA has somehow got it closer to right. Maybe they are over calling, but not from what I have reviewed.

CCote

To: Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2012 3:00:03 PMSubject: Re: Another obstacle facing IMP's

You may have to be seen, doesn't mean you have to be treated though does it?

How does HCA hospitals get around EMTALA? I mean, I was under the impression if you show up at an Emergency Room, you have to be see whether you can pay or not...and the article points out a painful fact--just because it doesn't look like an emergency to someone at the front desk, doesn't mean it isn't an emergency--I would think the people sent home that had bad outcomes or died would add a lot of legal fees/lawsuit fees to their finances.

Its also amazing they can't tell if they are really billing more accurately to reflect work done or figured out how to game the system, or just overbilling and hoping it will just take a while for the bureaucracy to catch them.

dbf

Reminds me of the feudal system and docs on the wrong side

Hello -Here is an interesting story from New York Times -http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/business/hca-giant-hospital-chain-creates-a-windfall-for-private-equity.html?pagewanted=all I am attaching a word document of same story if that is easier for people to view. It talks about HCA hospital chain business practices and how well-connected it is politically (the old boy's club alive and well) and how that appears to facilitate its success. Not so good for doctors. Unfortunately those of us who are trying to stay out and remain independent of "the system" have an upstream battle all the way.Palm Desert, California

-- M.D.www.elainemd.comOffice: Go in the directions of your dreams and live the life you've imagined.This email transmission may contain protected and privileged, highly confidential medical, Personal and Health Information (PHI) and/or legal information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient of this material, you may not use, publish, discuss, disseminate or otherwise distribute it. If you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and confidentially destroy the information that email in error.

-- Graham Chiuhttp://www.compkarori.co.nz:8090/Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.