Jon C. Tilburt, M.D.

A recent study reveals that physicians prescribe placebo treatments in clinical practice on a regular basis – a practice that on its face appears to violate professional ethics and raises questions about how and why placebos are being used, the propriety of their use, and the very way in which “placebo effect” ought to be conceptualized.

Leveraging health quality information

Project to help providers evaluate and improve the quality of patient care, allow insurers to assess and evaluate the performance of their provider networks in a common way, and enable consumers to see how hospitals are performing.  

    Eirk Muther

Updated December 31, 2008

Senate committee recommends against IBC-Highmark merger; PHC4 extended through June; Pa to launch modified certificate of need process; and other briefs.

Information gaps are a significant impediment to the reports' usefulness to policy-makers. Nonetheless, these reports can and should inform our discussion and debate as we search for a durable solution to the problem.

Corner not turned on malpractice crisis

To celebrate anything or draw any conclusion from the 2006 decline in premiums would be a mistake. Six times in the past 14 years Pennsylvania’s liability payouts have declined – only to be followed by substantial increases in following years.

Gov. Rendell misleads public & print media

Gov. Rendell is cynically attempting to trick the media and public by saying "lawsuits" are down while the number of doctors sued trends significantly upward.

Electronic health records in litigation

The design of an EHR vastly exceeds the content and functional capability of the rather static chart that has for years been produced in the litigation process.

Identity theft compliance for physicians 

Physicians aren’t banks, lenders or credit card companies, so why is this their problem? Doesn’t HIPAA provide enough privacy protection for patients? Many experts thought so, until some FTC attorneys said otherwise.

Organized medical event discussions

Physicians are considered competitors, so when these “competitors” get together to discuss how they will work together against a managed care company, this is considered by regulators to be a violation of the Sherman Act.

Documenting a solid H&P, part 2

The physician’s knowledge and ability to document a history and physical will directly determine successful reimbursement for services rendered.

To drive or not to drive: Who decides?

Weighing the natural diminishment of vision, hearing, mobility, reaction time, etc., plus many diseases of the elderly against the importance of driver’s license to the patient such as independence always creates a difficult dilemma for practicing physicians.

Asset allocation: Investing with discipline

If you’re looking for a smart way to reduce investment volatility while still retaining profit potential, then consider the advantages of asset allocation.