Physicians/Healthcare Blog

WELCOME TO THE PHYSICIAN/HEALTHCARE BLOG

Posted January 25, 2010

Author: John Alan Lewis

A significant part of my practice deals with regulatory and business issues facing physicians and physician groups.  One reason to start this journal is to periodically put down my thoughts regarding the national health care reform debate and how it affects physicians, both personally and from a regulatory perspective.  This purpose takes on added meaning in light of the looming health care reform bill.  Another reason to do this is to keep myself intellectually and professionally honest regarding new developments in this area of the law.  What better way to force myself to think about these issues in a systematic way than to put them down for others to read?  This strikes me as one more way to fulfill my obligations to clients and colleagues.

While my professional responsibilities are limited to a geographically small part of the United States and only one piece of a huge industry, I believe my perspective might be useful to some.  There are several reasons for this belief.  First, I am in contact with a large number of physicians and practice group administrators, both primary care and sub-specialists.  Over time we will continue to see a tension develop between these two groups as the reimbursement incentives change and primary care physicians become more of a gatekeeper for the system.  This tension will be worth writing about and explaining to others.  Second, our office location (Rogers, Arkansas) is within a couple of miles of what I think is the epicenter of health care reform – the home office of Wal-Mart stores.  Wal-Mart has done more in the last three years to change how we think about health care and health care delivery systems than anyone.  Those who do not believe Wal-Mart will continue to be a significant force in the continuing health care debate are dreaming or do not need to read any further.  Next, the physician shortages we face and the coming surge of mid-level providers is a daily issue that confronts our clients.  This issue is not going away and I predict it will be resolved in a way physicians find objectionable.

Here is my plan.  Over the coming weeks, we will look at some of the more immediate questions and challenges that physicians face.  The next posting will deal with some of the concerns regarding communications between physicians and patients over the internet and the rules physicians must adhere to.  This will be followed by a discussion regarding the breach notification rules and then a look at the “meaningful use” requirement under the HITECH Act and what that might mean to a physician in this part of the country.  Finally, the notion of how EHRs, PHRs, and HIEs are coming together and how this may work for primary care physicians as well as sub-specialists.  All of this while posing questions or commentary on the new health care bill once President Obama signs it into law.

« BACK