Monday, May 25, 2009

Fw: The time has come: Medicare for all, and now!

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From: Health Justice
Date: Sun, 24 May 2009 20:06:38 -0600 (MDT)
To: <rich@drschoor.com>; <fax@health-justice.org>
Subject: (Fax Receipt) I WANT EXPANDED AND IMPROVED MEDICARE NOW

TO: The White House Office of Health Reform, Senator Edward Kennedy, Senator Max Baucus, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Harry Reid.

I WANT EXPANDED AND IMPROVED MEDICARE NOW

Dear President Obama and Legislators:

You want a "uniquely American solution" to the health care crisis. So do I. Fortunately, we already have a uniquely American solution. It works. It saves money. It's called Medicare. It's the most popular social program in history.

I want expanded and improved Medicare now. For me. For everybody. Just like in Rep. Conyers' bill, HR 676.

Health insurance is not the same as health care. Insurance is for accidents. Health care is not an accident. I want health CARE, not health insurance.

Insurance company flacks and high-paid lobbyists twist the truth about Medicare. It's not "socialized medicine." Medicare is publicly financed, privately delivered health CARE. I have heard the nonsense about "government bureaucrats practicing medicine." The insurance companies paid Harry and Louise to twist the truth in 1994 and spout half-baked "facts" to defeat the Clinton plan. That tactic won't fool me again.

Medicare works for Americans over 65. It will work even better for healthier younger people. Quit looking for a solution that gives the insurance companies more money. Use what works. Give Americans under 65 the same right that seniors have - the right to guaranteed affordable health care with free choice.

Medicare for me. Medicare For All. Everybody In, Nobody Out. Now.

Please do the right thing for our kids, our nation, our economy, and vote for expanded Medicare for all.

Sincerely,

Richard Schoor , rich@drschoor.com, zip code 11787

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Beyond the call of duty

Waiting in line to buy dance recital tickets, some people got here at 5AM.
Is it me or is it them?
I have an idea, sell the tickets online.
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Friday, May 15, 2009

Have a nice weekend

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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day

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Saturday, May 09, 2009

A picture is worth 1000 words

The easiest way to teach your medical assistant how to set up for a vasectomy or any other procedure is to show her a picture.
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Thursday, May 07, 2009

A reason to get involved

I used to shun service on committees. I saw it as a waste of time. Now I volunteer for them. I've come to view this type of service as valuable on many levels.

Currently I serve as my hospital's PI committee. PI stands for Performance Improvement. We review adverse events and try to learn from them in order to become better. One tool we use is the RCA: the root cause analysis.

I've started to apply lessons I have learned in PI to processes in my own practice. I am now in the process of developing a repeatable system of PI, based on the hospital's, for my own office. When lab's don't make the chart or a patient is upset over a delayed returned phone call, I do an RCA. So far the initial results have been encouraging.

I'll keep you posted.
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Sunday, May 03, 2009

Five ways to decrease call-backs

In a medical practice, phone calls are money pits, essential though they are. Doctors don't get paid for phone calls and the more calls a practice gets, the higher the costs. However, missing calls is even more costly, so the key is call management. Practices that manage phone calls well can benefit. Here are somes things you can do:

1: Track when calls come in and staff accordingly.
2: Track why calls are made and adjust operations accordingly.
3: Decrease call demand by use of e-Rx, printed materials, and an instructive website.
4: Manage patient expectations.
5: Use a patient web-portal.

While employing some or all of these tactics may not eliminate repeat calls, it will reduce them by 10 to 20 percent and free your time for more productive and pleasant pursuits.