More than half the dermatologists in 12 Medicare Advantage plan directories were dead, retired, not accepting new patients, or specialized only in specific conditions, according to a study published last week in JAMA Dermatology online. Researchers also found that about 46% of the...
The results are in for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)'s second Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture. The survey, designed to measure the culture of patient safety in outpatient medical offices, gauges staff and provider attitudes about patient...
The Joint Commission earlier this month announced that the 2015 Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals will include a new “Patient Safety Systems” chapter. The chapter will include standards from other sections of the CAMH, but will not provide new standards. The Patient...
When hospitals acquire medical groups and physician practices, this consolidation can lead to higher costs, according to a study that appeared recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The JAMA study found that total expenditures per patient were higher in...
A new nationwide study confirms that patients believe physician assistants (PA) add value to healthcare teams and provide excellent patient service. The study, conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), surveyed more than 1,500 U.S. adults....
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced last week that its national telehealth programs served more than 690,000 veterans during fiscal year 2014. That total represents approximately 12% of the overall veteran population enrolled for VA healthcare, and accounted for more than 2...
