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In most patient satisfaction surveys related to the medical practice setting, patients' main concern is long wait times. Even though a long wait time is not likely to be the main complaint in a lawsuit, it does not endear the doctor to the jury. A proactive approach and communication are key.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina and the Palmetto Health Family Medicine Center/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Department of Family and Preventive Medicine began a program this month that compensates the medical center for extra care coordinating and pays incentives to physicians if the center can show improved patient health results.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations treated with low-dose oral corticosteroids have outcomes similar to those treated with more costly and invasive high-dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy, according to new research.

The recently enacted federal healthcare reform law provides health insurance coverage to the largest number of Americans while keeping federal costs as low as reasonably possible, according to an analysis.

One obstacle to better use of clinical data within healthcare organizations is that capturing discrete patient data and entering that data in a computable format appear to be daunting, resource-intensive tasks, according to healthcare providers participating in a study, the findings of which are summarized in a white paper titled, Can Organizations Maximize Clinical Data?

A national initiative by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Institute of Medicine aims to improve access to health data so that developers of Web and mobile phone applications, social media, and other information technologies can create tools designed to improve health.

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $83.9 million in grants to help networks of health centers adopt electronic health records and other health information technology systems.

A new study in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington will examine the effect of physicians sharing with patients, through online medical record portals, the comments and observations they make after each patient encounter.

"Marketing" is any action to attract or keep patients, which includes many activities.

Novice leadership

One physician's first "real" job of residency was at a small clinic serving a mostly active-duty Army population.

The financial crisis of 2008-2009, along with more recent concern over the large debts run up by Greece and some other members of the European Union, has made debt a frequent topic of meetings with clients.

Patients admitted to hospitals for heart failure in 2006 fared better in-hospital than did those in 1993, but were discharged more often to nursing homes, and readmitted more frequently, according to research.

Parkinson's disease patients taking the drug amantadine are at risk for damage to the corneal endothelium and resulting impaired vision, which can become more pronounced the longer the drug is used, according to research.

In hypertensive patients with diabetes, shorter intervals between encounters with physicians are associated with a faster decrease in blood pressure and earlier blood pressure normalization, new research indicates.

Family matters

Locum tenens agencies have a wealth of experience in helping providers arrange their home lives and embrace technology to deepen, rather than diminish, their family ties.

Life insurance proceeds paid to an irrevocable life insurance trust may escape estate taxation if the trust owns the policy and you have not retained any incidents of ownership, such as the right to change the beneficiary.

The Federal Trade Commission called on Congress to alter the "Red Flags" rule legislation to exempt groups, such as physician offices, from the identity theft protection guidelines.

A two-year national demonstration project of the patient-centered medical home concept of 31 primary care practices shows that the model does improve care, but patients still complain of lack of income and personal relationships with physicians, according to study results.

A growing number of U.S. primary care doctors are taking locum tenens positions overseas.