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Last Medicalaw.net I reported that over 70% of the nations physicians were now employed by private equity or hospitals. Another study has shown that about half of physicians practices that were purchased by private equity were re-sold in less than three years. It's nice the physicians are fungible.
The long strike against the British NHS is now over. The senior consultants have voted to accept a measly 2.8% pay increase along with some gender pay equity and some enhanced parental leave options. The junior physicians have not reached the same ridiculous settlement as their elders.
Gee, who could have guessed? A report in the Wall Street Journal shows that hospital prices rise post merger. These higher prices to the insurance companies who in turn pass them along to the patients with higher premiums.
The FDA has announced that they will finally oversee medical lab tests. There are tens of thousands of tests that will evade the terrible scrutiny of the FDA by being grandfathered in. It is the new and expensive tests for cancer, heart disease and genetic conditions and Covid that will come under the eye of the all powerful FDA. All lab tests will be required to be registered with the FDA.
The infamous USPSTF has again reversed itself after finding out they were wrong. The recommendation for mammography is now to start at 40 instead of the prior 50 years of age. They also are still behind the eight ball on yearly screening by recommending every other year screening. Top
Kathryn Correia, the CEO of legacy Health in Portland, Oregon, will resign and be replaced as CEO by Dr. George Brown, a former CEO of the organization. This comes after the announcement that Legacy will go in with Oregon Health and Science University. Also the CEO of Oregon Health. Dr. John Hunter will also resign.
Katy Hochul, New York governor, has reached a deal with the legislature to fund University Hospital at Downstate in New York City (SUNY ) open. The budget will include $300 million for capital funding and an additional $100 million for operations. As always with public hospitals there is no incentive to conserve so this will happen again in the not so distant future. Top
About one year after the ER staff at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit joined the union they have staged a one day strike. They are striking against Team Health for not putting any or enough money into hiring staff leading to poor patient experiences at the hospital. Look forward to much more of this as more physicians are purchased by for profit organization to make money for the organization and not worry about patient care.
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center has fired Dr. Louis Kwong, orthopedic surgeon, after complains of his gawking a the genitalia of anesthetized patients along with being the recipient of funding from an orthopedic company, Zimmer Bionet without reporting the money to the hospital, a violation of his contract. He had been reported to the administration many times over the years for various problems but the administration always ignored the complaints until they could no longer do so.
New Jersey's Medical Board has revoked the medical license of Dr. Shar Kennett, an ER physician in Wayne, New Jersey. She agreed to the removal of her license to resolve allegations that she was guilty of gross incompetence in the death of a 20 year old in the ED. It is alleged that Patient 1 came to the ED with respiratory distress and that she did not examine the patient nor order any tests before he died. She says she saw the patient twice but did not communicate with the ED staff nor the parents and that she noted her visits later. She acknowledged that she did not order any diagnostic tests but that she thought she had.
In these days of rapid inflation physician fees paid by Medicare have DECREASED 2.3% from 2003 to 2021 when inflation is accounted for. Any other profession or job with the same findings? Doubt it. Top
DISCLAIMER: Although this article is updated periodically, it reflects the author's point of view at the time of publication. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. Readers should consult with their own legal counsel before acting on any of the information presented.