Richard Payerchin is editor of Medical Economics.
AMA: Pharmacy benefit managers dominate health insurance services in state, local markets
Consolidation and lack of competition create risk of higher prices for patients.
Discovering the opioid epidemic
A new physician is surprised at requests for prescription painkillers.
15 metropolitan areas with the most primary care physicians per 100,000 people
Local level data needed to understand gaps in services, analyst says.
MGMA 2022: Physicians don’t have to be mental health experts to become mental well-being advocates
Lack of providers, stigma are barriers to seeking needed care, but meaningful conversations can help.
Introducing Austin, Indiana, with the town physician
A ‘Tale of Two Cities’ off Interstate 65
15 metropolitan areas with the most behavioral health providers per 100,000 people
If more screening creates more demand, these cities rank above the national average.
MGMA 2022: As COVID-19 goes away, regulatory burdens spring up to occupy physicians
MGMA releases annual member survey on processes that take time away from patient care.
MGMA 2022: Want your patients to pay? Make it easy for them
Offering financial education helps patients understand what they owe, why, and when.
MGMA 2022: Physician practices, health care systems remain vulnerable cyberattack targets
Working from home offers flexibility for staff, gateway for cyberattacks.
MGMA 2022: What duties can medical assistants take on? Some principles for delegating
Physicians should consider legalities as scope of practice laws change around the country.
MGMA 2022: Organizational changes, U.S. health care revisions needed to alleviate physician burnout
Recognizing it’s a problem is first step to making changes that help workforce, patients and the bottom line.
MGMA 2022: Emotional intelligence part of creating a thriving medical practice
Pay is important, but culture is crucial for recruiting and retaining staff.
15 metropolitan areas most undersupplied for behavioral health providers per 100,000 people
Provider population not keeping up with general population growth in some parts of the country.
A message to primary care physicians from The Physicians Foundation
The Physicians Foundation remains committed to supporting primary care physicians and to improving a sometimes toxic work environment in medicine.
Health care leads job growth for September as national unemployment rate drops to 3.5%
Feds to revise questions about COVID-19 effects on jobless rate and will ask about telework.
Chronic health conditions, not just cancer and diabetes, are pushing up U.S. medical debt
Pre-pandemic survey examines effects of heart disease, asthma, and more.
Changes to alleviate burnout in medicine have taken time
A large, complex health care system takes a long time to change with actions from multiple people.
Primary care for the residents – and the soul – of a small town in Indiana
Physician recounts work with patients struggling with opioid addiction, HIV.
Health care usage increases, medical bill worries decrease when adults enroll in Medicare
Survey examines differences between low-income adults at ages 64 and 66.
Medical groups want lawmakers to bolster safety for health care workforce
Physicians, nurses, other staff facing growing number of threats.
California enacts COVID-19 misinformation law for physicians
Unsupported claims could lead to license suspensions, revocations.
Barriers physicians face when seeking help for burnout
Finding, providing and paying for the best mental health services for physicians is a complicated topic, but there is an easy way to help.
Feds announce $346M to address worker shortages in health care
Programs will add community health workers, nurses in primary care, other specialties, and public health.
Surprise – 20% of physicians feel there is no stigma in seeking mental health care
The 2022 Physicians Foundation survey found 80% of physicians feel there is stigma attached to physicians seeking mental health care.
FDA accelerates drug approvals, but then some follow-up trials lag
HHS Inspector General examines process for getting drugs to patients and to market quickly.
13 states with the worst patient insurance rates
The worst state is more than double the national average for health insurance coverage.
Physician roundtable: Burnout continues to escalate
Physician burnout is “very disturbing,” “quite worrisome,” and “a crisis” in U.S. health care, according to three leaders of the Physicians Foundation.
Suicide, ‘a major contributor to premature death’ in U.S., rises by 4% for 2021
Figures strengthen resolve but don’t offer context for complex issue, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says.
Burnout is pervasive, unacceptable and expensive
Health care systems will change when more leaders realize how expensive it is to replace physicians who leave because of poor workplace conditions.
Patients, careers suffer when burnout builds up for physicians
International study examines intertwined effects as problem approaches global crisis.