To meet Federal patient satisfaction goals, our hospital administration is requiring community based physicians to give patient admission orders before we have a chance to see the patient. Patients who self-refer themselves to the emergency department, are evaluated by the emergency room staff, and who are determined to require admission must be admitted by their community physician within 20 minutes of receiving a call from the ER staff advising the ...
Steven Reznick, MD
Patient safety in the elderly staying at home
As a geriatrician in a locale with many elderly retirees, I am frequently asked how long mom or dad (or both) can stay in their home and live safely and successfully. It is clearly a complicated issue even if the individuals involved are cognitively and mentally intact, physically capable and financially able to pay for support and help.There is much to consider. Are the patients physically able to maneuver within ...
Why concierge and direct pay medicine is not unethical
A response to Concierge Practice: Unjust for Patients and Doctors Alike.Like the shots fired at Concord and Lexington in 1776, concierge medicine and direct pay practices are the initial shots fired by concerned primary care physicians in the revolution against health care systems which limit access to physicians and destroy the doctor / patient relationship. Concierge medicine arose as a result of government, private insurance, and employer intrusion ...
Why the annual physical exam is essential to both doctors and patients
I have listened to health economists debate the value of an annual physical exam. Is it cost effective? Does it prevent disease? It doesn’t matter. It is an essential part of the development and continuation of the doctor patient relationship.The annual physical exam is a form of benchmarking. It allows the doctor and patient to review all the pertinent aspects of your health history ...
Why does society frown on doctors earning a reasonable living?
Recently, while jogging through my community, I had the pleasure of bumping into a former colleague and his brother who were out for their daily five mile walk.Dr. G. had attended a local medical school, finished near the top of his class, and had gone on to do his internship and residency at the premier private hospital in Miami Beach, Florida. After completing his residency ...
A boxing fight physician experience
I received a phone call from the Broward Sheriff’s Office Police Athletic League Youth Boxing Program asking if I would help them out and be the fight physician at their upcoming youth boxing tournament.Their usual physician, a member of the Boxing Hall of Fame, had another commitment. However, he was willing to train me in advance and show me the ropes on the day of the event.State law and the ...
Free health screening: A service to our community’s health
Last weekend I had the privilege of supervising University of Miami Miller School of Medicine students at a free public health screening in Pompano Beach, Florida. The screening was sponsored by the medical school, with the assistance of community leaders, and held in a local public school. The program organization, recruitment of student and faculty volunteers and management of the program was undertaken and implemented by the students. It is ...
Patient advocacy is essential in health insurance appeals
An active 61 year female, who has been in my practice for 30 years, developed strange aches and pains and abdominal symptoms. My evaluation turned up nothing.I then asked for help at the University of Miami rheumatology and gastroenterology divisions. With the help of a brilliant local gastroenterologist and rheumatologist, and after a trip to Johns Hopkins Medical Center and the Mayo Clinic, collagenous ...
A better system is needed to migrate to electronic health records
Five years ago my associate and I invested sixty thousand dollars to purchase and set up an electronic health record system and eliminate extensive paper use.We researched all available systems and decided upon MediNotes because it was a large company with an excellent record of service and their system met all the national requirements for certification. We worked through our local computer vendor’s family ...
