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|

Is It Time for Physicians to Unionize?

Since the birth of our nation, labor unions have existed in one form or another in the United States. Unions are a force to protect the ‘working population’ from inequality, gaps in wages, and a political system failing to represent specific industry groups. The existence of unions has already been woven into the political, economic, and cultural fabric of America; it may be time for physicians and surgeons to unionize.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-14T04:03:09+00:00September 19, 2017|Categories: Physician, Policy|Tags: ACA, Affordable Care, Corporatization, Labor Union, Physician Autonomy, Physician Union, Unionization, United Physicians|

Welcome to the Kitsap Independent Physicians Group!

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.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-14T03:50:31+00:00July 6, 2017|Categories: Physician|Tags: Independent Practice, Patient Physician Relationship, Physician Autonomy|

Is the KentuckyOne Health Experience a Road Map for Kitsap County?

The Pacific Northwest hospital group may be considered the “golden child” for now, but what happens if profit margins decline and further cutting costs is not feasible? The Jewish Hospital merger experience should serve as a cautionary tale for Kitsap County. Will our beloved community hospital be sold off five years from now or can we escape the same fate by devising a viable alternative for healthcare in our community?

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-26T01:29:47+00:00June 13, 2017|Categories: Patient, Policy|Tags: ACA, Affordable Care, CHI, Consolidation, Corporatization, Franciscan, Hospitals, Obamacare, Physician Autonomy, Surprise Billing, Transparency|

Blood, Guts, and MACRA

DR-Exit: Sean MacStiofain said “most revolutions are caused… by the stupidity and brutality of governments.” Regulation without legitimacy, predictability and fairness always leads to backlash instead of compliance. If something is not done to stop MACRA implementation, more physicians will opt-out of Medicare and Medicaid than is fathomable. Once DRexit begins, there will be no turning back.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-14T03:29:09+00:00February 28, 2017|Categories: Policy|Tags: Affordable Care, Consolidation, DRexit, Hospitals, MACRA, MIPS, Physician Autonomy, Rural Care|

Gaming the System: Pediatrics, Mammograms, and MACRA

Imagine what quality metrics the pediatric cardiac surgeon is going to track. He would do well to collect statistics on how often he images patients for appendicitis because it is likely a rare occurrence. Things are really looking up for the use of data and technology in healthcare. Costs are likely to keep rising with everyone scoring in the 99th% percentile once they figure out how to game the system. But we certainly cannot stand in the way of science or progress now can we?

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-14T03:27:54+00:00February 21, 2017|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: ACA, Affordable Care, MACRA, MIPS, Physician Autonomy, Transparency, Value-based Care|

Free-market Medicine: Can Independent Practices Stay Viable Using Price Transparency?

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.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-14T03:25:58+00:00February 10, 2017|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: Burnout, Free Market, Independent Practice, Physician Autonomy|

Taking Our Seat at the Table: The Practicing Physicians of America

Physicians must stand up and be counted. Our time is now. Practicing physicians can deliver valuable insight and novel perspective on how to enact change. We must give the power to make healthcare decisions back to the patient and their doctor, rather than to the insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-14T03:22:03+00:00January 26, 2017|Categories: Physician|Tags: Anti-MOC, Burnout, MOC, MOC Reform, Patient Physician Relationship, Physician Advocacy, Physician Autonomy, PPA ACA|

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|