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Biomedical subjects

M Krasner

Publications and source records attributed to M Krasner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Optimal clinical management of eye problems: the role of optometrists in managed care plans.

BACKGROUND: Recent developments in the education and licensure of optometrists have created new opportunities for more-efficient provision of eye care. This study was conducted to determine the extent to which optometrists provided various kinds of eye care independently in managed care organizations. We compared optometric practices in health plans located in states in which the legal authority of optometrists was limited, to optometric practices in plans situated in states in which optometric licensure permitted broader prescribing authority. The volume and nature of referrals to ophthalmologists were assessed in relation to state law and organizational protocols. METHODS: A 15-item patient encounter form was developed and completed for all patients examined by the optometrists at each site during a 4-week period in 1998. Specific conditions were selected and criteria developed to help determine whether referrals to ophthalmologists were appropriate, or if they could have been managed by the optometrist These referrals were assessed by an independent panel of four optometrists. RESULTS: This study documented that optometrists provide a substantial range of eye care, and their individual scope of practice is influenced not only by legal boundaries, but also by financial and organizational factors found within managed care organizations. The pattern of referrals to ophthalmologists helped indicate the extent to which optometrists were underutilized or used appropriately in various settings. CONCLUSIONS: There is no single reliable predictor of whether optometrists will be used at the highest level of their abilities and scope of license. Although state licensure sets the overall parameters for care, optometric practice in managed care plans may be modified by internal protocols and organizational factors.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Germline BRCA1 alterations in a population-based series of ovarian cancer cases.

The objective of this study was to provide more accurate frequency estimates of breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 ( BRCA1 ) germline alterations in the ovarian cancer population. To achieve this, we determined the prevalence of BRCA1 alterations in a population-based series of consecutive ovarian cancer cases. This is the first population-based ovarian cancer study reporting BRCA1 alterations derived from a comprehensive screen of the entire coding region. One hundred and seven ovarian cancer cases were analyzed for BRCA1 alterations using the RNase mismatch cleavage assay followed by direct sequencing. Two truncating mutations, 962del4 and 3600del11, were identified. Both patients had a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Several novel as well as previously reported uncharacterized variants were also identified, some of which were associated with a family history of cancer. The frequency distribution of common polymorphisms was determined in the 91 Caucasian cancer cases in this series and 24 sister controls using allele-specific amplification. The rare form of the Q356R polymorphism was significantly ( P = 0.03) associated with a family history of ovarian cancer, suggesting that this polymorphism may influence ovarian cancer risk. In summary, our data suggest a role for some uncharacterized variants and rare forms of polymorphisms in determining ovarian cancer risk, and highlight the necessity to screen for missense alterations as well as truncating mutations in this population.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Optometry as practiced in health plans within different state jurisdictions.

This study was conducted to determine how managed care plans use optometrists to provide vision and eye care. The study documents the variety of optometric practice patterns found within six health plans in several states, each having different organizational characteristics, professional staffing patterns, and payment arrangements, and each regulated by dissimilar state licensure laws. A 15-item patient encounter form was developed and completed for all patients examined by the optometrists at each site during a four-week period. The instrument included information on patient demographics, medical/ocular history, reason for the visit, procedures performed, diagnosis, therapy provided, ocular medications prescribed, prognosis, disposition, referrals, and duration of the visit. A variety of patterns were found, some of which did not necessarily closely follow the legal boundaries of optometric care. This study documented that optometrists provide a substantial volume and range of vision care, and their scope of practice is influenced by legal, financial, and organizational factors. In some plans, optometrists' skills were underutilized relative to their legal authority in certain situations; in others, creative, cooperative arrangements extended the benefits of optometry beyond the existent practice laws. Licensure is certainly a major influence on the scope of practice of health providers. This study revealed, however, that licensure alone does not appear to be the only determinant of use, delegation, and division of labor among health professionals, and that organizational factors seem to play a very significant role.

Diagnosis-Related Groups↗
PubMed1997

In search of America's best hospitals. The promise and reality of quality assessment.

"America's Best Hospitals," by US News & World Report, is a sophisticated and influential appraisal of hospital care. Using measures of health care structure, process, and outcome, the report identifies outstanding hospitals in 16 medical specialties through an overall "index of hospital quality." This strong conceptual design, however, has not been adequately implemented because national data sources for all 3 components are severely limited. Most importantly, since there are no national data on process of care, a reputation survey has been used to measure this component of quality. One consequence of reliance on reputation is that a small group of prominent hospitals in each specialty receives such high scores that they automatically rise to the top of the rankings, regardless of structure or outcome score. "America's Best Hospitals" identifies America's best regarded hospitals, but provides limited additional insight into quality. Adequate surveillance and protection of quality in an era of managed care requires measurement systems beyond the scope of existing data and methods.

American Hospital Association↗
PubMed1986

New York's role as a center for health care: an analysis of nonresident patients served by New York City hospitals.

Patients who reside outside of New York City have long been an important segment of the patient population at New York City hospitals. Each year, as far back as systematic data are available, approximately 10 percent of all patients at New York City hospitals have been non residents. Increasing competition and changing reimbursement policies compel hospitals in New York City to assess their role in caring for these patients and its economic implications. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the characteristics of nonresident patients and their significance to the city's hospitals. Using data from all New York City hospitals, the report analyzes the demographics, insurance coverage, and case-mix characteristics of nonresident and resident patients. And, using more detailed data from New York University Medical Center and Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, it addresses the financial and reimbursement policy questions posed by the care of nonresident patients. The key findings of the report are as follows: A total of 115,307 nonresidents were hospitalized in New York City in 1982; this figure represents 10.4 percent of all patients in city hospitals. Over 80 percent of nonresident patients come from 14 counties surrounding New York City. Nonresident patients are a crucial component of the patient population at six hospitals that are the principal affiliates of a medical school and the six specialty hospitals. At academic health centers, nonresidents represent 25 percent of all inpatients; at the specialty hospitals, they represent 36 percent. Manhattan hospitals account for 69 percent of all nonresident discharges in the city. Outside of Manhattan, only Montefiore Medical Center and Long Island Jewish Medical Center have substantial numbers of nonresident patients. Among nonresident patients, 75 percent of admissions are scheduled in advance and 72 percent of hospital stays are for surgical procedures. In contrast, among resident patients, only 50 percent of admissions ares scheduled and 52 percent are for surgical procedures. Almost two-thirds of nonresident patients are covered by private insurance, compared to one-third of residents. Nonresident patients require more hospital resources on average than residents do. The average Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) weight, a measure of expected resource intensity, is 22.5 percent higher for nonresidents than for residents. However, nonresidents also come to New York City hospitals for relatively routine care. For example, the most common diagnoses among nonresidents and residents are uncomplicated deliveries and abortions. At New York University Medical Center and Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, nonresidents have higher average charges than residents, but the charge differences are much smaller than the DRG weight differences. Thus, within a given DRG, nonresidents consume fewer resources than residents. Under Medicare's Prospective Payment System bases on DRGs, nonresidents appear to be financially attractive to New York hospitals, based on the experience of New York University Medical Center.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1985

The financial condition of New York City voluntary hospitals: the first year of NYPHRM (New York Prospective Hospital Reimbursement Methodology).

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STUDY. In 1983, for the first time since 1977, the average voluntary hospital in New York City did not incur a deficit. Nevertheless, voluntary hospitals in New York City continued to have a lower return on their assets than voluntary hospitals in the rest of the state, in the Mid-Atlantic region, and in the nation. New York City voluntary hospitals would need 85 percent of their total assets to repay their debt, while the comparison groups would use less than 60 percent. The annual rate of growth in hospital expenses among New York City voluntary hospitals declined from almost 12 percent between 1981 and 1982 to less than 9.5 percent between 1982 and 1983, which also was almost a full percentage point below the national rate of increase. Between 1982 and 1983, the value of uncompensated care provided by New York City voluntary hospitals increased from 3.4 percent to 3.7 percent of total operating expenses. Fourteen of the 49 New York City voluntary hospitals studied were financially stressed in 1983, compared to 18 in 1982. Without the additional revenues received from the NYPHRM pools, 10 more New York City voluntary hospitals would have had bottom-line deficits. More details on the financial condition of New York City voluntary hospitals in 1983, and first year of NYPHRM, follow. Definitions, data sources, and methods are described in an appendix to the report, which also includes a glossary of financial terms.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed1977

Cost factors in urban telemedicine.

This paper reports on the cost effectiveness of a pediatric primary care system utilizing nurse practitioners (NPs) linked to a physician consultant through bidirectional interactive cable television. In addition, it discusses ways in which multiple uses enhance the economic feasibility of a telemedicine consultation link in a given geographic area. The overall consultation rate during periods of remote physician coverage was 21 per cent, compared with 24 per cent during on-site coverage. The telephone became a partial substitute for the TV for some uses but could not replace it in diagnostic decisions. As telemedicine is obviously underutilized in a one-satellite system, we compare a five-satellite network with other ways of delivering service. The resulting estimated cost of $18.50 an hour, or 2/3 of the cost of a physician providing direct care, includes a TV component of $5.30 an hour of use in a 1,750-hour year. The critical factor is that the NP can be a physician substitute if there is TV backup. The TV appears to prevent unnecessary referrals compared to a physician on site. Whether TV increases the length of the consult compared to the phone for conditions of equal severity is not entirely clear. If TV is compared to transporting a patient to a central place, the implicit value of transport time and disutility required to justify using TV is $7.55 per consult in a five-clinic network. Geographic and other barriers to physician availability enhance the potential for application fo telemedicine.

Child↗
PubMed1977

New health practitioners and dermatology manpower planning.

To assess the need for dermatologists in the United States, the potential role of new health practitioners in this specialty is considered. Available data on physician extenders in general and informed opinion on dermatologist extenders in particular suggest that specially trained, nonphysician personnel could substantially augment the supply of dermatological services. At present, however, widespread adoption of new staffing patterns appears unlikely. A long-run trend toward greater use of all categories of ancillary personnel in this specialty is expected, and the profession is urged to play an early and active role in this trend's development.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1977

National dermatology manpower requirements: the experience of prepaid group practices.

Ten prepaid group health plans across the country were surveyed as part of an effort to estimate the need for dermatologists in the United States. Although generalizing the experiences of prepaid group practices to the general population is at best an imprecise approach, the dramatic shortage suggested by the data cannot be completely ascribed to the method used. Whereas the average ratio in the surveyed plans was 2.8 dermatologists per 100,00 subscribers, there are only about 1.9 dermatologists providing patient care per 100,000 persons in the general population. The difference between prepaid plan subscribers and the general population in annual visits to dermatologists is even more dramatic: 193 per 1,000 subscribers compared to 84 per 1,000 population.

Dermatology↗
PubMed1977

Dermatologists for the nation. Projections of supply and demand.

Because inappropriate supply of physician specialists involves unnecessary human suffering or waste of human resources and because free market forces are ineffective in the medical sector, deliberate planning of supply is necessary. A model projecting the future supply of dermatologists was formulated on the basis of current residency capacity, which produces 250 dermatologists annually, and current experience regarding life expectancy and retirement. The model implies that an equilibrium supply of 8,800 dermatologists, or three per 100,000 population, will be realized early in the 21st century. A number of methods were used to estimate the demand for care, and, under conditions of general access, three dermatologists per 100,000 appear to be appropriate. Thus, maintaining current training capacity seems to be prudent, but because of many unknown and unpredictable factors, periodic reassessment is necessary.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

An index of insurance adequacy for fertility-related health care.

Health insurance plans are evaluated here in terms of ability to guarantee financial access to a set of basic fertility-related health services. Extent of coverage is determined by whether a service is a contract benefit, its market cost, and how often it is used in a given population in one year. Comprehensive coverage removes a deterrent to utilization of preventive care such as well-baby visits, prenatal care, and family planning. In a total population of women of child-bearing age, each is likely to need some fertility-related care in a given year. The method of calculating adequacy involves using best available estimates of deliveries, abortions, etc. per 1,000 women, and, within each category, of components such as cesarean section. Local or national cost data can be used to derive an average cost per service and an aggregate for a group. The method of comparing this with plan benefits depends on the way benefits are expressed. Jacksonville, Fla. medical market data were used in a trial of the method on a plan for Federal employees, which shows 70 per cent coverage of estimated expense.

Abortion, Induced↗