tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3831362075230684289.post3652280515276383989..comments2022-04-27T02:28:26.814-04:00Comments on Life in Underserved Medicine: Health Care Reform's Six Month MarkRichmondDochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17928931511086527042noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3831362075230684289.post-1082700588045791382010-09-21T10:24:17.449-04:002010-09-21T10:24:17.449-04:00Xris;
As much as I would like to absolve us of th...Xris;<br /><br />As much as I would like to absolve us of the blame, I think doctors (and the health care system overall) have had a big role in driving up costs.<br /><br />Our current system reimburses us for the amount of care we provide, not for the type of care we provide. The more people we see, the more tests we order, the more money changes hands. Add to that the fact that face-to-face visits are undervalued in our current payment system and you have multiple incentives for doctors to provide ever more care. The use of high tech equipment and tests (MRIs, surgical robots, etc) raises costs even further, despite the fact that many of these technologies are used in ways that do not necessarily provide any better outcomes for patients. 15-minute appointment schedules push us to work ever faster, and it is quicker to send patients for a test than to spend 30 minutes on a thorough history and physical exam. Patients expect use to use the newest, fanciest technology. As a result, physicians definitely help push up health care costs.<br /><br />I do think that insurance has raised costs, Frivolous lawsuits might have raised some costs, but I have seen mixed reports regarding how much of a difference they made and whether tort reform will do much to reduce costs. Government regulation may have raised costs, but I'm not sure how much--remember that Medicare is the most cost-effective insurance around.<br /><br />There is plenty of blame to go around. Doctors need to be accountable for our share of it. If we work to reduce the use of costly but unproven technology, and if our health care payment system actually valued patient-centered care, then we could also be part of the solution.RichmondDochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17928931511086527042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3831362075230684289.post-86374550039629192522010-09-21T03:09:14.128-04:002010-09-21T03:09:14.128-04:00They simply could not charge more than what could ...They simply could not charge more than what could reasonably be collected. It is govt regulation, insurance companies, and frivolous law suits, that have helped to drive prices up, not doctors.Xris Robertshttp://autoinsurancequotesayn.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com