Research shows that physician-owned practices provide better quality of care. For example, in comparison to organizations employing more than 100 physicians, practices with 3 to 9 physicians had 27% fewer preventable hospital admissions and those comprised of one or two physicians had 33% fewer preventable hospital admissions. Fewer days spent in the hospital leads to fewer bills for consumers to pay.
Tapeworms represent third parties who have ingratiated themselves into the patient-physician relationship in the interest of the almighty dollar. As the distance has grown between patients and physicians, costs have spiraled out of control. By inviting extra layers of bureaucracy, CMS and other corporations are essentially slapping lipstick on the tapeworm and trying to make CPC look as attractive as Direct Primary Care, but that is an illusion.
The DPC movement offers the first successful and innovative alternative health care approach to emerge in years. CMS is focusing on physician capture, control, and capitulation, yet should not underestimate the fortitude of independent physicians. We are steadfast, experienced in trench warfare, and refuse to succumb to their demands. We will continue to fight relentlessly against mounting administrative burdens which interfere with the provision of patient care.
Micro-hospitals are best suited to handle short-stay admissions anticipated to be less than 48 hours. Costs are slightly higher than for an urgent care center, yet lower when compared to traditional hospital settings. Micro-hospitals can meet 90 percent of patients’ basic healthcare needs and tend to flourish most in markets with critical service gaps by preventing at-risk populations from falling through the cracks. Ideally, micro-hospitals should be located within 20 miles of a full-service hospital, to facilitate transfer of patients to larger institutions should higher acuity healthcare needs arise.
INDEPENDENT MEDICAL PRACTICE IS ALIVE AND WELL IN KITSAP COUNTY. On this Fourth of July 2017, we, the undersigned independent physicians in Kitsap County, solemnly pledge that we will continue to provide the highest quality medical care to our patients through its purest, most original form — the small private medical office. We hold sacred the one to one relationships we have with our patients. Our allegiance is to you, the individual patient, is unwavering. We commit ourselves to continuing to strive to place you, our patients, at the heart of all that we do.
My advice for patients everywhere: Whenever possible, find an independent practice, whether a solo doctor or direct primary care clinic, and patronize that physician. Your care will be more personalized, cost less in the long run, and your health will be better for the investment you made in yourself.
I need a light, a stethoscope, and a pen to heal and comfort human beings; the rest is basically nonessential. This Mexican physician and I fundamentally do the same thing every day; except he has no receptionist, no billing personnel, no manager, no administrator, no care coordinator, and definitely NO EMR in his emergency clinic. He documented the visit in less than 3 minutes (like I do), signed it, and handed me the top page for my records. His care was good, his skills were solid, and his decision-making sound; I would have treated any other child the same way.
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 →)
As the reality of MACRA (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015) looms, the pressure is on small practices to survive. CMS plans to penalize 87% of solo physicians and reward bonuses to 81% of practices with more than 100 physicians. It is time for passive resistance, defined as protesting against a law using peaceful methods such as refusing to obey or refusing to leave a building. I vehemently refuse to leave the building.
We should pay physicians for time spent engaging patients in conversation, instead of rewarding them for checking boxes on a computer screen. Physicians were trained to care and comfort people, not chase blood pressure numbers and pain scale scores. Changes masquerading as meaningful have only increased physician workload. We are widgets in the ever expanding assembly line. Do you think the MIPS will give us more time to practice medicine? If you believe it will, then I have a bridge to sell you.
