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PubMed1996

Medical students as patients: a pilot study of their health care needs, practices, and concerns.

BACKGROUND: The personal health experiences of medical students may contribute in important but previously unacknowledged ways to their well-being and education. This pilot study surveyed medical students about their health care needs, practices, insurance status, and concerns about seeking care. METHOD: A questionnaire was developed and distributed to 151 students at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 1993-94. Participant privacy was protected. Responses were compiled and analyzed using logistic regression models and odds ratios. RESULTS: A total of 112 students responded. Most reported health care needs and half routinely received care at their training institution. One-third had informally requested prescriptions or diagnostic tests from medical school faculty and housestaff; one-fourth used such informal consultation as their "usual" method of obtaining care. Eighteen students were uninsured. The students reported that they had not sought care for several reasons, and many had experienced difficulty in obtaining care. The students indicated concern about confidentiality and about the dual role as both student and patient at the training institution. They believed that their academic standing would be jeopardized if they developed certain health problems. When asked about hypothetical scenarios, a majority preferred to avoid the dual role of medical-student-patient. When asked about scenarios in which medical student peers exhibited suicidal depression or severe drug abuse, the students overwhelmingly preferred not to notify the medical school administration. Significant differences in responses were found with respect to gender and training level. CONCLUSION: This pilot study examined the health care needs, practices (including the use of informal consultation), insurance status, and concerns of students at one medical school. The findings highlight the students' perceptions of illness and vulnerability during medical school training. Constructive implications for academic medicine are discussed regarding initiatives in the areas of policy, research, and the resources and structure of student health care services.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Organ procurement in Munich: financial and organizational aspects.

The Transplantation Center at the University of Munich is like all other German centers financially supported by the Insurance Companies via a non-profit organization (Kuratorium für Heimdialyse e.V.). The financial modalities are based on the arrangement that the Insurance Companies pay a certain amount for each transplantation to the non-profit organization. This institution, in cooperation with the University, uses this money to cover all extra expenses arising in the field of organ procurement as well as clinical transplantation (providing additional staff, equipment, etc). This model of a transplant center (ie, cooperation between University and non-University institutions) proved to be successful in the past 9 years. There was a steady increase of donor nephrectomies (200 donor kidneys in 1984) as well as kidney transplantations (171 transplantations in 1984).

Cadaver↗
PubMed1995

Research issues related to oral health expenditures and financing oral health care for the aging veteran.

This article was intended to stimulate research on the financing and cost of oral health care provided to older veterans. Such research is needed as increasing costs and gaps in health care coverage have awakened federal interests in developing national health insurance plans. Although the status of oral health care benefits under such plans remains unclear, plans approaching universal coverage will likely lead The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to compete with private providers for patients. Oral health care may be financed as a benefit under a VA-sponsored health plan or financed directly as an appropriation to VA medical centers. This article suggests that research is needed 1) to examine different methods of payment, or rate schedules, that may be used to reimburse providers for the cost of oral health care, 2) to calculate reimbursement rates, and 3) to determine profitability by comparing reimbursement rates with estimates of production costs. The need for such research is underscored by wide variations in operating costs of dental services at different VA medical centers. The cost of oral health care services may include not only the cost of providing dental services but also possible medical care cost "offsets," because patients with better oral health may also experience better overall health status requiring fewer medical services. Finally, the literature suggests that time costs play an important role in rationing care among patients with dental insurance. Studies should be conducted in VA to determine how waiting time, cost of travel, and appointment scheduling affect the use of outpatient dental care services.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

High standards. A decade after the law went into effect, there is still debate about the pros and cons of the HIPAA privacy and electronic transaction regulations.

When congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability act in 1996, the goal was to create a simpler, more standardized system that would eventually lower health care costs; reduce errors through safe, universally accepted electronic communication of health care transactions; and eliminate paper claims. Ten years later, the jury is still out on whether HIPAA has been worth the time, energy, and financial investment for insurers. That's not to say, however, that HIPAA hasn't generated benefits while also creating new challenges. "Standards made sense," says Tom Fitzpatrick, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey's director of enterprise strategic planning, "but no one ever said it would be fast, cheap, or easy. It was challenging to integrate proprietary claims systems and legacy software with the new standards that took effect in October 2003. But that wasn't the end of the story. HIPAA's privacy and security rules and the standard identifiers have meant even more upgrades and improvements and have required payers to spend millions of additional dollars over the past three years on HIPAA compliance." According to a set of quarterly surveys conducted by HIMSS/Phoenix Health Systems, progress has actually been fairly rapid. On the other hand, some things have remained much the same. In 2003, payers cited "understanding/interpreting the legal requirements" as the most difficult aspect of the HIPAA remediation process, followed by "achieving successful integration of new policies and procedures" and "resolving issues with third parties". In 2006, the barriers are similar, with users citing the same top two struggles.

Confidentiality↗
PubMed1991

The value of a new family practice center patient to the academic medical center.

BACKGROUND: Family practice centers are important contributors to the financial viability of academic health centers, although they often are not the direct beneficiaries of their own labor. The greater time commitment and lower costs of most primary care creates significant financial hardships for departments of family medicine in university centers. This study describes the use of inpatient and outpatient health care services by new patients at a university family practice center. METHODS: A sample of 215 new adult enrollees at a university family practice center were examined for a 1-year period after their initial visit to the center. Total billings by the university hospital, specialty services, and the family practice center were tabulated by insurance type. RESULTS: Medicare patients generated the highest average charges (+2501 per patient per year); self-indemnity patients generated the lowest average charges (+301 per patient per year). The largest portion of health services charges was generated by the university hospital inpatient service, which was responsible for approximately 60 cents of every dollar billed to patients in this study. Conversely, the Family Medicine Department billings generated only 17% of the total charges. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that university-based family practice centers are significant contributors to the financial and educational base of the academic health center. If family medicine and associated primary care centers are forced to reduce their size or services because of financial difficulties, the impact will be felt by the university hospitals and by other specialty departments.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1997

Clinical and financial analyses of ectopic pregnancy management at a large health plan.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare three treatment options for ectopic pregnancy-laparotomy, laparoscopy, and methotrexate-including clinical aspects, costs, and reproductive outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective review of outpatient and inpatient records of all patients with a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy insured by Fallon Community Health from 1990 to 1995. SETTING: Multispecialty group practice and a university-affiliated private hospital. PATIENTS: One hundred seven women treated for ectopic pregnancy. INTERVENTIONS: Thirty-six women were treated by laparotomy, 58 by laparoscopy, and 13 by single-dose intramuscular methotrexate. Data from the chart review were analyzed to define differences among the three groups with respect to several predetermined outcome variables: initial symptoms, risk factors, human chorionic gonadotropin levels, size of ectopic gestation, procedure types, rupture rates, surgical outcomes and morbidity, failure rates, length of convalescence, reproductive outcomes, and costs. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The incidence of ectopic pregnancy was 8.6/1000 reported pregnancies. Initially, 38% of surgical patients had laparoscopic treatment, but by 1995 the figure reached 100%. From 1994 to 1995, 13 (29%) of 45 pregnancies were treated with single-dose methotrexate. Compared with laparoscopy, length of stay was significantly longer for laparotomy (3.1 vs 1.3 days), as was recuperation time (2.4 vs 4.6 wks). Laparotomy had similar rates of total complications as laparoscopy (13.9% vs 10.3%). The rate of treatment failures (persistent trophoblastic activity) were 2.7% and 3.4%, respectively. The rate of persistence for laparoscopic salpingostomy was 6.1%. Methotrexate therapy resulted in no tubal ruptures or treatment failures. Two of 13 women required a second injection. The only complication of methotrexate therapy was mild leukocytopenia in one patient. Total charges were similar for laparotomy and laparoscopy ($6720 vs $6840). Outpatient methotrexate therapy cost significantly less than the two surgical procedures (average $818/case, p < 0.001). Laparotomy resulted in similar intrauterine pregnancy rates as laparoscopy (66% vs 77%), and similar repeat tubal pregnancy rates (17% vs 7%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study support laparoscopy and methotrexate as efficacious, safe, and cost effective for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy compared with laparotomy. Reproductive outcomes were similar among the three groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Position of preventive dentistry in Belgium: overview of private and public aspects].

The authors provide a summary of the situation with regard to preventative dental medicine in Belgium, with special emphasis on the health insurance system, the attitude of Belgian dentists to prophylaxis, the status of preventative dentistry at universities, and the estimated requirements with respect to prevention together with some initiatives in this area.

Belgium↗
PubMed1990

Containing Ontario's hospital costs under universal insurance in the 1980s: what was the record?

In recent years the Ontario government has been concerned that the proportion of public expenditures devoted to health care is at an all-time high. In addition, the media have devoted considerable attention to specific incidents that may represent inadequate funding of hospital services. To shed light on the debate on health care expenditures we analysed the trend in expenditures of Ontario's hospital sector in the 1980s in terms of the amount of inputs (e.g., labour) used to produce hospital services (e.g., a patient-day or admission) and after adjustment for general inflation. As in the 1970s the number of inputs grew relatively slowly during the 1980s. Inputs per patient-day grew at an annual rate of 0.46% and inputs per admission at an annual rate of 2.4%. Cost increases were largely accounted for by hospital wage increases; this could have been due to Ontario's rapidly expanding economy. These findings indicate that Ontario has continued to be successful in containing the number of inputs used in the hospital sector. However, after two decades of substantial success with publicly acceptable cost control, the government faces increased scrutiny as the media and the public focus attention on several areas of perceived inadequate funding in health care services.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed1981

A working model for allied health clinical practice.

Allied health educators are expected to have exemplary clinical skills. Opportunities to practice are often limited in the academic setting. One method for insuring the maintenance of clinical skills among allied health faculty is a professional practice clinic. The University of Texas School of Allied Health Sciences at Houston, in conjunction with a teaching affiliate, Hermann Hospital, has opened a free-standing nutrition clinic on a fee-for-service basis. Reasons for establishing a clinical practice included: 1) to provide opportunities for faculty to practice; 2) to provide a teaching laboratory; 3) to provide a community service; 4) to provide a mechanism for research with defined groups; and 5) to facilitate faculty development with fee-generated income. A partnership model between the university and hospital was proposed which included the organizational structure, description of services, fee schedule, and funding base. Evaluation areas will include: impact on educational program, effectiveness as health counselors, faculty and staff growth, and generated income as profit.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗