Spotlight Interview

Physicians can build their skills in the area of communicating effectively across cultures, asking particular questions of their patients, and being able to negotiate in ways that will improve the outcomes for diverse patient populations.

A case for recruiting retired physicians to make house calls to homebound older adults.

Implementation of a respected model of chronic disease care and management is being promoted by the state and supported financially by health plans.

Preventable, serious adverse events are not medically necessary and therefore, for inpatient services at acute general hospitals, these events will not be paid for under the Medicaid fee-for-service program.

A liability by contract proposal to get medical malpractice out of the courts.

Rapid and profitable proliferation of ambulatory surgery centers have important impacts on physicians and hospitals.

Of the dozens of proposals to enhance access, quality and affordability, some have passed legislatively, some are being implemented administratively, and others continue to face hurdles.

New hospital quality incentive project expands beyond Medicare and looks at appropriateness of care, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, harm avoidance and efficiency.

Historically significant changes to Medicare’s hospital reimbursement methodology, and their anticipated impacts.

Reports will now go directly into a CDC database, while hospitals must demonstrate measurable improvement or face penalties.