Dr. Niran Al-Agba

Is the Marital Status of a 5 year old Child Important?

Doctors have spent decades honing their clinical skills and should be entitled to choose the documentation method they find most effective and efficient. Some physicians find electronic records helpful and should be encouraged to use them. My pediatric practice will keep surviving on a shoestring, a prayer, and good old-fashioned paper. It warms my heart to know each chart note contains helpful information and not one human being leaves with NONE as their diagnosis.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-26T02:14:29+00:00January 16, 2018|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: Burnout, EHR, Electronic Records, EMR, Government Medicine, Health Policy, MACRA, Physician Autonomy|

GEHA’s Seven-Year “Glitch”

After reviewing more than 100 EOB’s personally, a clear and definitive pattern of fraud emerges demonstrating GEHA makes every single patient responsible for $50-100 in out-of-pocket costs for immunizations. Language in our GEHA contract clearly states we must follow their specifications according to each EOB we receive.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-04T03:12:48+00:00May 17, 2017|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: Burnout, EHR, EMR, GEHA, Immunizations, Insurance, Third Party Payer|

Meaningful Use: A Bird’s Eye View from the Penalty Box

Welcome to the penalty box, with no term limit. Every single visit, procedure, counseling session, or medical intervention will have 2% shaved off the top. The average family physician receives about $100,000 a year in Medicare reimbursements, so a 2% penalty for 2017 will become 3% in 2018, and increase to 4% in 2019—a combined three-year total of $9,000.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-04T01:54:53+00:00January 24, 2017|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: Burnout, EHR, EMR, MACRA, Meaningful Use, MIPS, Penalty|

MACRA Payment Regulations Should Be Evidence-Based

Whether applied to policymaking for individuals, large populations, or administration of health services nationwide, it is imperative regulatory decisions be anchored to empirical evidence. The official MACRA rule has now been released. (continue reading →)

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T23:15:25+00:00October 18, 2016|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: ACA, Burnout, EHR, EMR, Health Policy, MACRA, Medicare, MIPS, Physician Autonomy|

Don’t Surrender Doctors… Fight. My Call to Action.

Independent physicians are at the beginning of a challenging movement as we fight to stay relevant and solvent during the transition of health care from independence to “regulation without representation”. In 1773, (continue reading →)

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T23:12:11+00:00October 13, 2016|Categories: Physician, Policy|Tags: ACA, Burnout, EHR, EMR, Independent Practice, MACRA, MIPS, Physician Autonomy, Rural Medicine|

My Ideal Electronic Health Record

I recently contacted her mother to inquire if she wanted her daughters’ medical chart. She said it was a gift to see her daughter through the eyes of her physician, who was there every step of the way. Medical records are more than metadata on a computer screen; they are a sacred chronicle of our enduring connection with our patients in life, and even in death. When an EMR can do that, I will be thrilled to embark on a digital journey. Until then, give me paper or give me death.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T22:25:19+00:00August 26, 2016|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: Burnout, EHR, EMR, Physician Autonomy, Physician Suicide|

Rural Care: A Primer For Washington Officials, Columnists and Economists.

I am not convinced time and money spent implementing new technology does anything to improve patient care; I am fairly certain, however, conversations with my patients provide considerable value.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T22:59:10+00:00July 27, 2016|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: Corporatization, EHR, EMR, Government Medicine, MACRA, MIPS, Rural Care|

Using Index Cards as Medical Record Tools

Let us go back for a moment to ponder this ingenious idea of using an index card as a medical record tool. Low cost, top quality medical care is the Holy Grail for which everyone in the field of medicine is searching. Is it conceivable we already found it, used it for more than a century, and abandoned it in light of its simplicity? Possibly.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T16:41:25+00:00May 25, 2016|Categories: Physician, Practice|Tags: EHR, Electronic Medical Records, EMR, Paper Records, Patient Physician Relationship, Physician Autonomy|