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Hospitals Must Post Procedure Costs. That Rarely Happens

Despite a federal regulation that became effective more than a year ago, few hospitals are disclosing the costs of their routine operations online. The goal of the Hospital Price Transparency Law is to inform people about the upfront expenses of treatments like colonoscopies, medical testing, and X-rays before they visit the hospital.

However, new evidence suggesting hospitals are generally disobeying the rule was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

According to the regulation, hospitals are required to post the cash costs of procedures on their websites in two formats: one that is user-friendly for consumers and includes a cost estimator for the 300 most popular services; and another that is machine-readable, or essentially a spreadsheet. Patients can compare the discounted cash pricing with the costs they would pay if they used insurance thanks to this ability to know exactly what to expect to pay.

Only 300 hospitals, or less than 6%, were fully compliant with the law, meaning they had rendered machine-readable data and independent price estimators for shoppable commodities publicly available, according to the report’s analysis of 5,000 hospitals nationally. Although many hospitals were only partially in compliance, 50% lacked one of the two essential elements.

By excluding outpatient surgery clinics and rehabilitation facilities, the researchers focused on just over 2,700 acute care hospitals. Hospitals with lower revenue, those in metropolitan regions, and those in areas with few health clinics or other hospitals were judged to be more transparent. The new analysis highlights a fundamental flaw in a regulation designed to protect patients from confusing medical prices and unforeseen medical bills. Patients rarely know how much a procedure will cost until they receive the bill because hospitals and health insurers determine their own prices.

Xavier Becerra, the Health and Human Services Secretary, stated in a previous interview that Americans deserve not only to get good rates when they go into a hospital, but to know what they are going to spend.

Patients are kept in the dark by hospitals

When Jason Dean of Dellrose, Tennessee, cut his knee in May 2021, he should have been able to look up the cost of six sutures online according to the hospital transparency rule, which was implemented on January 1, 2021. Because the local doctors’ offices were closed, Dean, 50, travelled almost an hour from his house to a hospital emergency department.

Dean enquired about the cost of the operation. Dean was shocked to get a $6,500 bill after hospital staff assured him the stitches would be covered by his insurance.

He assumed it to be a prank. Dean, a construction worker, stated, it was astounding when he opened the invoice for $6,500 for a 1-inch simple stitch operation. Insurance paid for some of it, but Dean was still responsible for paying well over $3,000 out of pocket.

In early 2022, 99.5% of hospitals controlled by the three largest hospital systems in the nationโ€”HCA Healthcare, CommonSpirit Health, and Ascensionโ€”were found to be in violation of the new regulation, according to a recent audit that included 1,000 randomly chosen facilities. By the beginning of 2022, no hospital inside HCA Healthcare, the biggest system in the nation, was in compliance.

However, several significant hospital networks are publishing costs. According to spokespeople at Kaiser Permanente, Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo Clinic, the hospital networks all follow the law.

Patients get time to shop around and compare costs because many hospital operations are elective or arranged in advance. According to the founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, Cynthia Fisher, the company that carried out the audit, the statute is meant to spur competition and lower healthcare costs for patients.

According to Fisher, hospitals have indeed been capable of keeping patients in the dark and outsmarting them with wildly exorbitant medical bills. By being free to ignore this restriction, hospital administrators are putting money before people.

A Basic Guide To Healthcare Consulting

A Basic Guide To Healthcare Consulting

The healthcare sector is as complex as it is vast. And it’s never perfect, as in most countries in the world. As it evolves, healthcare consultants continue to enjoy opportunities to improve the sector across all aspects.

From logistics and supply chain to information technology (IT), biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and other related companies, there’s always a position waiting for specialists in any medical-related field.ย 

If starting a career in healthcare consulting seems an exciting proposition, read on as we present the basics. You’ll learn more about healthcare consulting and how it works and even discover how to break into the industry.ย 

Understanding Healthcare Consultingย ย ย 

As mentioned, the healthcare sector not only covers the medical industry, such as biotech and pharmaceutical companies. It includes a vast area of related sectors, including allied services such as healthcare IT consulting, health insurance for private and government settings, and medical facilities. Healthcare consulting encompasses all activities that improve the products and the delivery of services.ย 

Delivery-driven healthcare projects study the complexities of choosing the channels where patients and end-users access healthcare services and the payment platforms involved.ย ย 

Meanwhile, healthcare consulting projects that aim to improve products aren’t limited to manufacturing. Companies in this field seek input from specialists regarding production processes, operational workflows, and distribution. Thus, healthcare consultants are also often asked for expert tips for marketing medical devices and equipment.ย 

Which Companies Hire Healthcare Consultants?

Whether a startup or an established company, organizations can benefit from the relevant and valuable inputs from experts in the field. Healthcare consultants work with the following companies to optimize operations:ย 

  • Biotech and pharmaceutical companiesย 
  • Healthcare facilities with clinical activitiesย 
  • Government and private health agenciesย 
  • Non-government and public healthcare insurance companies
  • Medical facilities and physician associations
  • Medical device manufacturers
  • Healthcare logistics providers
  • Payment channels

What Does A Healthcare Consultant Do?

Like consultants from other fields, healthcare experts are typically employed for several months to work on improving processes or eliminating challenges that medical and allied companies face. They can also act as part of damage-mitigating groups, addressing severe issues afflicting healthcare companies. Consultants are tasked to identify the challenges and work on addressing them within a certain period. These problems can be internal or external, such as medical supply chain issues.ย 

Healthcare consultants can fix and improve several processes within the companies mentioned earlier, including:ย 

  • Enhancing operational capabilities
  • Investments in proper research and development activities
  • Functional and business strategies, including strategic pricing of products and services
  • Managing health programs
  • Administration and management of claims and payments
  • Technological applications in the medical field, including data protection
  • Consumer relations
  • Effective communication strategies

Healthcare consulting firms can employ several advisers considered experts in the field. They can either become generalist companies, aiming to improve many or all of the subjects above, or choose any specialization. Similarly, these specialist organizations may focus on products or delivery systems.ย 

Breaking Into Healthcare Consulting

Like other professions, you need to possess the relevant skills, education, and qualifications to secure a position in this vast industry. Even if the opportunities seem endless, you must go through the following steps.

  1. Obtain An Advanced Degreeย ย 

    Aspiring healthcare consultants must earn education pertinent to their future practice. Medical and allied courses, such as nursing, medical technology, pharmacology, and public health, are the best options. However, non-medical degrees, for instance, in business administration, communication, information technology, and office management may also be considered.ย 

    To increase your chances of getting into the sector, you must have a master’s or doctorate.ย ย 

  2. Choose Your Healthcare Consulting Pathwayย 

    Whether you’re a neophyte in the sector or an experienced worker, it helps to get a clear understanding of the path you wish to take. Choosing your niche early on will help you plan your career more effectively. If you prefer a more comprehensive knowledge base, choose a position in a generalist firm in the future. Conversely, opt for specialization if you want to focus on a subsector, for instance, marketing and distribution of medical devices. Your choice should depend on your interests, skills, and preference.ย ย ย 

  3. Earn Ample Experience And Expand Your Networkย 

    Apply for a position in companies that are more likely to hire healthcare consultants. Doing this will enable you to learn the ropes and familiarize yourself with the challenges bugging the sector. Eventually, you’ll earn insights on becoming more effective in your role while obtaining more responsibilities and linking with other industry players.ย ย ย ย 

    Keeping in touch with influential people in the industry will also give you a global picture of the sector and enhance your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.ย 

  4. Continue Learningย 

    Besides experience, consultants boast a broad knowledge of the sector’s subjects. Keeping updated on market movements, business and technological advancements, and new regulations and policies in the healthcare industry is paramount to industry experts.ย ย ย ย 

Wrap Up

Healthcare consultants have multiple entry pathways, and vast opportunities are waiting for qualified professionals eyeing to become one. While you don’t necessarily have to obtain a medical-related degree, advanced education, ample experience and knowledge in the healthcare sector are necessary to fulfill any role reserved for a subject matter expert.ย 

5 Tips For Maintaining Patient Confidentiality

Digitization has helped advance the healthcare industry and assisted healthcare professionals in numerous ways. With technology, patients and professionals can now easily connect, and health records can now be stored for a lifetime without taking too much physical footprint.ย 

But in this highly digitized world, there’s also an increasing need for patient confidentiality as cyber threats and data breaches continue to make news headlines. In this article, we’re sharing some practical tips on how to keep patient information confidential in this modern healthcare environment.ย 

1. Hire A Compliance Expert Team

Maintaining patient confidentiality and ensuring strict compliance are time-consuming processes and continuous efforts. While you can do all this in-house, it’s worth the cost to outsource an outside IT security company specializing in healthcare regulations to handle these ongoing processes.ย 

For instance, Power Consulting, an expert HIPAA compliance consulting firm, can help streamline your compliance effort and ensure your patients’ data is safe and secure. They help perform security risk assessments, ensuring that your healthcare organization complies with all the necessary information regulations and rules.

Outsourcing an IT expert team allows you to gain a deeper insight into your technologies and provide you with adequate reports that can help in creating an improvement strategy.ย 

2. Establish A Culture Of Security

While technology has made things easier and more convenient in your organization, it’s actually the people using it who make a greater impact. After all, even the most advanced technology is useless without human input.ย 

So, to protect your patients’ confidentiality is to focus on the people involved. Doctors, nurses, lab technicians, managers, office staff, stakeholders, and every other employee in your organization must all commit to data security best practices.ย 

Awareness and compliance should start at the top. You need to encourage management to embrace compliance and better security practices. This makes it easier to convince staff at lower levels to comply.

You also want to provide regular training for the employees directly interacting with patient data, including doctors and nurses. Help them understand what data security means to patients, why it’s critical and mandatory and how it affects the organization as a whole. Besides being a mandatory HIPAA requirement, regular training sessions serve as a refresher course on employee duty and what’s expected of them.ย 

Helping everyone understand the importance of patient data confidentiality and privacy and ensuring everyone is on the same page can help build a culture of compliance and security.ย 

5 Tips For Maintaining Patient Confidentiality

3. Check Third-Party Security

Like any other business, healthcare organizations also have partners providing supporting services. For instance, a hospital may use external legal or accounting services. If you’re sharing patient data with these third-party vendors, then you need to vet their security standards to help comply with HIPAA standards.ย 

Third parties, also known as business associates, should be responsible for protecting patient data privacy and confidentiality, just like any healthcare organization would be. In general, you and your partner will sign an agreement specifying each party’s responsibility in terms of handling and protecting patient data.ย 

4. Formulate A Device Security Policy

While most hospitals still use paper files, digitization has pushed physicians and healthcare workers to use mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones for better connectivity, easier access, ensuring updated information, and ultimate convenience.

That said, you also need to be aware of these additional endpoints and the security risks they bring. Mobile devices may get stolen, lost, or worse, get infected with malware and viruses that may access and spread across your organization’s network.

Thus, if your organization is leveraging these mobile devices, you want to create security policies and proper handling and management of these devices. It’s recommended to have a written security policy to guide mobile users on the proper use of these devices. Also, you should consider investing in mobile device management (MDM) software that can help monitor and manage each device. The best MDM software also offers useful cybersecurity tools like remote data wiping from a stolen or lost device.ย 

5. Always Encrypt Data

Encryption is a cybersecurity best practice that should be implemented in your organization. Even if a hacker stole your patients’ database, it would be useless without the encryption key if it’s encrypted. In short, encryption makes it more difficult or virtually impossible for attackers or hackers to take advantage of patients’ data.ย 

Data encryption should be implemented all the time, whether at-rest or in-transit (whether from an app to a server or from your servers to a partner’s systems).ย 

Take Away

As the healthcare industry adopts a more digitized process and collects a growing amount of patient data, healthcare professionals are faced with a growing issue of taking care of patient confidentiality and data privacy.

Thus, understanding how to protect your patient’s health information is critical. Not only is it required by the law, but protecting patient confidentiality is also in your best interest. When patients know that their personal data is safe in your hands, they’re more likely to stay loyal. So, make sure to follow the above tips to protect your patients’ data and confidentiality.

Bharat Biotech Phase III COVID-19 Nasal Vaccine Trial Done

The clinical phase III trials of the COVID-19 nasal vaccination have been finished, according to the Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, Dr. Krishna Ella, who stated the company will submit its data to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) next month. If all goes well, they will be able to introduce the vaccine, which will be the world’s first clinically confirmed nasal COVID-19 vaccine. India was selected country of the year at Viva Technology 2022 in Paris, where Krishna spoke.

In January of this year, India’s drug controller gave Bharat Biotech permission to conduct independent phase III trials on its COVID-19 nasal vaccination. According to Ella, immunity is gained by taking a booster dose of the vaccine. For every immunisation, he usually suggests the booster dosage is a miracle shot. Even in youngsters, two doses do not provide much resistance, but the third dose gives the child an astounding response. Adults too, according to him, are in the same boat. For adults, the third dose is critical. COVID-19 cannot be completely removed. He stated that it will be there, and we must learn to live with it, manage it, and govern it more sensibly.

An intranasal vaccination produces a wide immune system response, negating IgG, mucosal IgA, and T cell reactions and creates an innate immunity at the site important for inhibiting both infection and transmission of COVID-19, according to Bharat Biotech’s website. According to reports, the intranasal vaccines have the potential to inhibit transmission of novel COVID-19 forms like Omicron.

What Should You Do If You Get Bitten By A Dog? Find Out Here

What Should You Do If You Get Bitten By A Dog? Find Out Here

If you get bitten by a dog, the first thing you should do is protect yourself. Dog bites can cause serious injuries, so it’s important to take action right away. In this blog post, we will discuss what you should do if you are bitten by a dog. We will also talk about your legal rights and how to file a claim against the owner of the dog. Keep reading for more information!

Seek medical attention right away

Dog bites can cause serious infections, so itโ€™s important to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Even if the bite doesnโ€™t seem severe, you should still see a doctor to make sure that there are no complications. For example, a dogโ€™s mouth is full of bacteria that can cause an infection. If you donโ€™t get treatment right away, the infection could spread and become life-threatening. Also, if you wait too long to see a doctor, the insurance company may deny your claim.

If you are bitten by a dog, staying safe should be your priority. There are a few things you can do to protect yourself from further injury.

  1. Try to remain calm. Dog bites can be scary, but itโ€™s important to stay calm and avoid further confrontation.
  2. Protect your head and neck. Dog bites often happen on the face or neck, so itโ€™s important to protect these areas if you can.

If a dog is attacking you, do your best to โ€œbe a tree.โ€ This means standing still with your hands at your sides and avoiding eye contact with the dog. Once the dog loses interest, slowly walk away.

Get the contact information of the dogโ€™s owner

If you were bitten by a dog, you will need to get the contact information of the owner. This is important for two reasons. First, you will need to provide this information to your doctor so they can treat you properly. Second, you will need to have this information if you decide to file a claim against the owner.

File a police report

If you were bitten by a dog, you should also file a police report. This will create a record of the incident and will be important if you decide to take legal action against the owner. The police report will also help your insurance company process your claim. Furthermore, if the dogโ€™s owner is not cooperative, the police may be able to help you find them and get their contact information.

Hire a dog bite lawyer

If you have been bitten by a dog, it is important to seek legal help. If you are in Vegas, a Las Vegas dog bite lawyer can help you file a claim against the owner of the dog and can help you get the compensation you deserve. Also, a lawyer can help you navigate the legal system and can protect your rights.

Take photos of your injuries

If you have been bitten by a dog, it is important to take photos of your injuries. This will be helpful when you are filing a claim against the owner of the dog. The photos will show the extent of your injuries and will help support your claim. In addition, the photos will be helpful if you decide to take legal action against the owner. This is important because you will need to prove that you were injured in order to get compensated.

Keep all of your medical records

If you have been bitten by a dog, it is important to keep all of your medical records. This includes everything from your initial doctorโ€™s visit to any surgeries or treatments you may have had. This documentation will be important if you decide to file a claim against the owner of the dog. Your medical records will show the extent of your injuries and will help support your claim. For example, if you had to miss work or incur any other expenses because of your injuries, the medical records will help show this.

Get witnessesโ€™ contact information

If there are any witnesses to the incident, you should get their contact information. This will be important if you need to prove what happened. The witness statements will also be helpful to your insurance company or lawyer. This is also important if the dogโ€™s owner is not cooperative and you need to find them.

Do not approach the dog

If you have been bitten by a dog, it is important that you do not approach the dog. This is because the dog may be aggressive and may bite you again. In addition, if you approach the dog, the owner may not be cooperative and may not give you their contact information.

If you have been the victim of a dog bite, it is important to take action right away. Seek medical attention, get the contact information of the dogโ€™s owner, and file a police report. You should also consider hiring a lawyer and taking photos of your injuries. Keep all of your medical records and get a witness statement if possible. Do not approach the dog as they may be aggressive. By taking these steps, you will be protecting your legal rights and ensuring that you get the compensation you deserve.

What Is Stem Cell Therapy And How Beneficial It Is For You? Find Out Here

What Is Stem Cell Therapy And How Beneficial It Is For You? Find Out Here

What is stem cell therapy? You may have heard about it in the news, or seen it as a topic of discussion on social media. But what does it actually mean? In this blog post, we will discuss everything you need to know about stem cell therapy. We will talk about what it is, how it works, and who can benefit from it. So if you’re curious about this cutting-edge medical treatment, keep reading!

1. What is stem cell therapy and what are its benefits

To put it simply, stem cell therapy is the process of using stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. In the past, stem cell therapy has been used to successfully treat leukemia and other blood disorders. More recently, stem cell therapy is being studied as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

There are many potential benefits of stem cell therapy. One of the most promising benefits is its ability to repair tissue damage. In theory, stem cell therapy could be used to regenerate any damaged tissue in the body, including the heart, brain, and lungs. Additionally, stem cell therapy has the potential to be used to treat conditions that are currently considered incurable, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

2. How does stem cell therapy work

When it comes to stem cell therapy, there are many different ways that it can be used to help people. One of the most common ways that it is used is to help repair tissue damage. This is because stem cells have the ability to divide and change into different types of cells. This means that they can be used to replace damaged cells or even create new ones.

Another way that stem cell therapy can be used is to help with the regeneration of organs. This is because stem cells have the ability to grow and divide into different types of cells. This means that they can be used to create new tissue or even whole organs.

Lastly, stem cell therapy can also be used to help with the treatment of diseases. This is because stem cells have the ability to change into different types of cells. This means that they can be used to replace damaged cells or even create new ones.

3. Who can benefit from stem cell therapy

If you have been diagnosed with a degenerative disease, you may be a candidate for stem cell therapy. Degenerative diseases are those where the cells in your body break down faster than they can be replaced. This causes the function of that tissue to decline over time.

Some examples of degenerative diseases that could potentially be treated with stem cell therapy include:

-Alzheimer’s disease

-Parkinson’s disease

-Multiple sclerosis

-Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

-Heart failure

-Stroke

-Cancer

While stem cell therapy is still considered to be in the early stages of research, there have been some promising results in animal studies and small human trials. Larger, more definitive studies are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of this promising treatment option.

If you think you may be a candidate for stem cell therapy, talk to your doctor about whether this treatment is right for you. Clinical trials are also an option for those who wish to participate in cutting-edge research.

Stem cell therapy is a beneficial treatment option for those suffering from various medical conditions. It has the potential to improve the quality of life and provide hope for those who have lost all hope. If you or someone you know is considering stem cell therapy, be sure to do your research and consult with a qualified physician to ensure that it is the right decision for you.

7 Jobs That Are Always In High Demand In Growing States

7 Jobs That Are Always In High Demand In Growing States

As the United States population continues to grow, so does the demand for certain types of jobs. If you’re looking for stability and opportunities for advancement, here are seven occupations that will always be in high demand in growing states.

Dentistry

Dentist jobs are always in high demand in growing states. This is because as the population grows, so does the need for dental care. There are many reasons why people move to other states, but one of the main reasons is for work. And, when people move to a new state, they often need to find a new dentist. This means that there are more dentist job openings in these states. Dentists are responsible for providing dental care to patients. They often work in private practices, but they can also work in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities.

If you’re looking for a job that is always in high demand, then becoming a dentist is a great option. Not only will you have plenty of job opportunities, but you’ll also be able to help people maintain their oral health.

Nursing

Nursing is one of the most important and in-demand professions in the world. Nurses provide vital care and support to patients in hospitals, clinics, and other health care settings. They also play a key role in public health, conducting research and providing education on health topics. There is a high demand for nurses in growing states such as California, Florida, and Texas. These states have large populations and many hospitals and clinics. They also have a lot of retirees, who often need more medical care than younger people. Nurses are needed to care for these patients and to help them recover from illness or injury. Nurses also work in hospices, home health care agencies, and other settings. They may provide direct patient care, or they may supervise other health care workers.

Chefs

In most states, the culinary arts are one of the more in-demand professions. There are many reasons for this, but chief among them is that people love to eat! No matter where you go in the country, you’re bound to find some great restaurants, and each one of those restaurants is going to need a chef. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the demand for chefs will grow by more than 9% in the next decade. That’s faster than the average for all other occupations!. And, considering that the median salary for a chef is more than $50,000 per year, it’s not hard to see why this is such a popular profession.

Chefs are responsible for creating and preparing food in restaurants. They often work long hours, but they also have a lot of creative freedom to express their culinary artistry. If you’re passionate about food and cooking, consider becoming a chef. You’ll have the opportunity to create delicious dishes and make a good salary.

Retail Workers

There are always more retail workers needed in growing states. This is because more people are moving to these states and more businesses are opening. Retail workers include cashiers, stockers, salespeople, customer service representatives, and more. If you’re friendly and outgoing, have a good work ethic, and enjoy working with the public, then a job in retail might be perfect for you. Some of the best states for retail workers include Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and Arizona. These states have a growing population and a lot of businesses. They also have a low cost of living, which makes them more attractive to people looking for jobs.

Construction Workers

In the United States, the construction industry is booming. more Americans are moving to states with strong economies and job prospects, which means more construction workers are needed to build homes and businesses. Some of the most in-demand jobs in the construction industry are Construction Managers, Project Managers, and General Contractors. Other jobs that are always in high demand include electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and masons. If you’re looking for a stable career with good pay and benefits, consider a job in the construction industry. Construction workers are responsible for building and maintaining structures such as bridges, roads, and buildings. They use a variety of tools and machines to complete their tasks, and they often work in teams to get the job done more efficiently.

IT Professionals

The technology sector is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the United States. This industry is responsible for developing and bringing to market new products and services that make our lives easier and more efficient.ย  As the technology sector continues to grow, so does the demand for qualified workers to fill these positions. You can find technology jobs in a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and retail. Some of the most in-demand jobs in this field include software developers, computer systems analysts, and information security analysts.

Teachers

Teachers are always in high demand in growing states. With more people moving to these states, there is a need for more teachers. Some of the teaching jobs include elementary school teacher, middle school teacher, high school teacher, and special education teacher. There is also a need for more assistant teachers and substitute teachers. In addition, there is a demand for more school counselors and administrators. With more students attending school in these states, there is a need for more educators.

The demand for workers in growing states is always changing. However, there are some jobs that are always in demand. These include jobs in the construction industry, the culinary arts, retail, and technology. If you’re looking for a stable career with good pay and benefits, consider one of these in-demand professions.

Australia Creates Digital Tool Allowing Pre-Surgery Practice

Australia Creates Digital Tool Allowing Pre-Surgery Practice

The University of Sydney’s School of Aerospace, Mechanical, and Mechatronic Engineering is creating a surgical planning tool to help surgeons plan difficult jawbone repair treatments using new generation technologies.

The instrument creates a digital twin of the patient using CT scan data and advanced computer technology and decision-making algorithms. It then quickly models various implant designs before 3-D manufacturing the ultimate ideal design, allowing doctors to undertake a digital rehearsal before going into surgery.

Jawbone reconstruction, also known as orthognathic surgery, is a difficult medical treatment that involves treating a person’s jaw after substantial damage, such as a car accident or a gunshot wound, or illnesses such as mouth cancer.

The surgical planning software integrates CAD tools with elevated computer-aided modeling software and optimization algorithms to properly replicate the medical device under physiological strain.Chair of Head and Neck Cancer Reconstructive Surgery at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Professor Jonathan Clark AM, has recently teamed up with the scientists to try to translate the new technology into a clinical reality

Medical Service Pricing in India – The Current Status

Medical Service Pricing in India - The Current Status

The Indian healthcare system is in a conundrum on many accords, be it in terms of the deliverables or achieving desirable patient outcomes. Achieving access, affordability, and cost containment are the major battles to be waged, just like in many other countries; striking a balance in the triple aim of healthcare. Healthcare industry in India amalgamates various disparate services like hospitals, pharmaceutical, medical devices, and the health insurance sector. A major chunk of it constitutes hospitals; both public and private. While public hospitals are stifled with paucity of funds to boost infrastructure and human resources, the private hospitals remain defiant to rising costs, price-setting, new and advanced technologies, and rising physician and nursing remuneration. Pricing for medical services have remained contentious and remains the most neglected phenomenon in India. To digress, it seems policy makers and leaders dodge the topic of pricing policies for medical care because of the complexities involved in it. Reckless pricing has had its own repercussion from causing appalling poverty levels to disrupting the normal functioning of middle class families. With all this, equity and quality in healthcare service is not guaranteed. Much has been talked about the urgency of hospital pricing in the country, to reignite the whimsical pricing by hospital, but still remains unattainable.

Pricing practices for medical services in hospitals do not hold common grounds with pricing for non-healthcare products and other service types. This is because hospital services are ill defined, variable, uncertain, and involve third party payments like insurers. This distinctive facet of hospital services should have drawn greater attention of policy makers, academicians, and activists towards hospital pricing policies. But has failed to do so.

In the Indian context, healthcare services are pre-dominantly provided by private for-profit and non-profit hospitals. While the two categories of hospitals have significant contribution in healthcare in India, of primary concern is the private hospital, especially the corporate. That is, in terms of the prices charged and if the prices speak quality. Because private hospitals are dominant players in India, pricing for services at private hospitals has warranted scrutiny in their price-setting practices. Patients and caregivers have borne the brunt of unacceptable and exorbitant prices from private for-profit hospitals convoying headlines across India. Multiple reasons have been floated for such unreasonable prices for medical services – poor pricing practices, poor governmental interventions, advent of new and modern medical technologies, rising fuel prices, physicians graduating with foreign degrees, and lack of healthy competition among hospitals. Soaring prices are exclusionary, causing poor accessibility to quality healthcare services for the middle and low income families creating an environment of inequitable healthcare system.

Indian hospitals lack robust pricing policies, unlike their western counterparts. Economic literature attests that many pricing policies are suitable for products and services other than hospitals. Limited focus has been accorded to pricing policies for private hospitals in India. Pricing strategies such as cost plus pricing, competition focused pricing, demand based/consumer based pricing may be relevant in the hospital sector as well. Within the Indian context, health economic researchers have developed costing databases to inform pricing decisions and help develop policies. To what extent consumer inputs have been taken for determining pricing in private hospitals is unclear. Competition among hospitals play a vital role in lowering the prices for medical services. Even if hospitals are engaging in market research activities to determine the actions of their competitors, very little or nothing has been done to study market concentration or jot in the form of peer-review evidence. Pricing studies in the U.S have utilized Herfindahl โ€“ Hirschman index to assess market concentration for hospitals and their implications for service pricing. Evidence from scholarly literature on pricing for hospitals subscribes to the use of combination of pricing policies in hospitals. However, developed countries have abandoned the use of traditional cost-plus pricing and have adopted prospective payments like Diagnosis Related Groups. It is not clear whether high prices for hospital services are due to an implicit formation of cartel. There needs to be greater level of understanding on how these policies can be implemented into our health systems.

Private tertiary care hospitals in India had a dubious distinction of charging exorbitant prices for both critical and non-critical care, during the covid-19 pandemic. Hospital pricing was disregarded during ordinary times. Therefore, hospitals found it convenient to raise their prices incessantly during the pandemic. This escalated patient and caregiver dissatisfaction, causing rising anger among the masses leading to government intervention.

Lack of trust among patients, private hospitals, and governments continue to persist. Enhancing price transparency can reduce mis-trust among patients. Maintaining a charge master of prices, like it is done in U.S, can also raise price transparency levels reducing distress for patients and help them prepare for their out of pocket expenses. Astute understanding of negotiating practices of hospitals with insurers will be bring greater clarity on medical service pricing in India. The pricing research of private hospital pricing is beset with owing to the institutional complexities and regulatory repugnance.

Five Important Steps for Recovering from a Difficult or Traumatic Birth

Five Important Steps for Recovering from a Difficult or Traumatic Birth

Image source: Pixabay

Youโ€™re sure to feel a range of emotions and find things challenging after youโ€™ve experienced a difficult or traumatic birth.

But over time and with the right approach, you can recover and move on with your new life.

Here are five important steps you should take to recover from a difficult or traumatic birth.

1. Seek Emotional Support and Talk Things Through

One thing you shouldnโ€™t do is bottle up your feelings and keep them to yourself. After a difficult or traumatic birth, itโ€™s important that you seek out emotional support from the empathic people around you that you love and trust.

In addition, if youโ€™re finding youโ€™re not getting better, talk to a professional about your feelings. You may not want to relive your birth experience, but by articulating and contextualizing what happened, you can gain more insight into why and how things happened the way they did.

In turn, that can bring a sense of relief and reduce the likelihood of you continuing to carry unpleasant feelings around with you.

Many maternity units provide debriefing services to assist women with birth-related trauma, so thatโ€™s a good place to start. You may also wish to consider getting counseling or therapy from a professional.ย 

You could seek professional assistance days, weeks, or even months after the birth.ย 

2. Acknowledge Your Feelings Toward Your Baby

Sometimes, experiencing a difficult or traumatic birth can lead to mothers feeling detached from their babies or having negative feelings toward their babies.

Thatโ€™s quite normal.

If you experience such feelings, try to view the feelings in the context of what has occurred. Itโ€™s completely understandable that you could feel that way and over time, you will feel differently.ย 

So, donโ€™t give yourself a hard time if you have negative feelings towards your baby, but do give yourself time.

3. Be Gentle with Yourself

Whether you have negative feelings towards your baby or not, itโ€™s important that you remember to be gentle with yourself.

Youโ€™re already experiencing a hard time, so donโ€™t make it worse by blaming yourself or feeling guilty.

Any feelings that you go through after a difficult or traumatic birth are understandable, so be kind and gentle to yourself.

4. Be Aware of How the Difficult Birth Has Impacted Your Relationship

Your partner could also be traumatized after a difficult birth. That means the pair of you could be feeling confused, sad, angry, and a whole other range of emotions.

In turn, you could feel distant from your partner. You could even feel angry toward your partner.

In such situations, give it time. If things donโ€™t improve after a few weeks, seek relationship counseling thatโ€™s tailored to couples in your position.

In the meantime, actively find ways to respond to each other in supportive and loving ways.ย 

5. Make a Formal Complaint and Contact a Lawyer

Lastly, sometimes difficult or traumatic births are due to inadequate care by healthcare professionals. If medical negligence or malpractice caused or contributed to your difficult birth, you should consider filing a formal complaint and pursuing compensation.

By doing so, you legitimize your experience and you can become more empowered. Perhaps most importantly, you can bring those responsible for the negligence to account.

Make a formal complaint to the relevant professional body. Then, contact an experienced and specialist law firm, like The Birth Injury Attorney, that can help you pursue compensation from the healthcare provider, doctor, or another healthcare professional thatโ€™s responsible.

In turn, you could use the compensation to help with your childโ€™s medical costs.ย 

Hopefully, digital healthcare can contribute to reducing medical neglect in the future. You can find out more about digital healthcare in this insightful article.

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