CHICAGO - Citing mounting health care costs, electronic note bloat, and concerns with the quality and quality of Big Data, IBM, Apple, and EPIC Systems recently announced a new initiative to totally revamp US health care by offering health care services by data plan. The health care initiative was recently discovered in a little known section of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) that changed portions of the U.S. Tax Code.
Under the new system, the brainchild of prominent Chicago physician-turned-health care entrepreneur Henry Throckmorton, MD, patients will purchase an initial 250 megabytes of data space on the EMR for all their health needs for $250 per month. “It’s cheaper than most current cell phone service," Throckmorton explained. "When patients exceed their data allotment, health care ceases until patients purchase an additional data storage plan." Expansion data plans come in Bronze (250 M Bytes), Silver (500 Mbytes), Gold (5 G Byte), and Platinum (10 GB) storage increments.
Rollover plans for family members are also offered for those nearing the end of life.
“Health care systems that promise to limit the use of macros, dot phrases and cut-and-paste tactices have a real competetive advantage over competitors insensitive to the patient's data needs!” Throckmorton explained. "This system finally puts health care incentives in the right place.”
But Roger Wilco, spokesperson for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the national trade association representing the health insurance industry, seemed less enthusiastic. "This is preposterous! Who do these flowery internet types think they are? Don't they realize there are advantages to more middle men in health care? How are we supposed to get our cut of the money?"
Dr. I.P. Knightly of Urocare Health System in Beaverton, New York, seemed less concerned about the middlemen and appreciated the improvements he's seen in patient care: “Because I document everything on the EMR, including phone calls, results and work schedules, patient are less likely to call so I get a good night’s sleep!”
Nursing and medical students seem torn, however. While some see benefits to shorter notes, some like Tim Allen, MD, a hard-working fourth-year medical student from Roanoke, VA, sees other challenges “I’m still trying to understand ortho notes that no longer contain the critical information fields like the patient’s full name, VIP status, research status, and a complete review of systems. How's a guy supposed to understand what ‘Silt @ t/s/s/sp/dp’ means?”
Market analyst Rebecca Solomon of Lock, Stock and Barrel Equity Partners noted "Apple, IBM and EPIC are quickly gaining market share from more conventional insurance policies. The concept has also resonated with the Department of Health and Human Services because of the cost savings seen from fewer data-hungry imaging studies being ordered."
Mobile partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, and T-mobile are planned in the next fiscal year.
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-Wes
P.S.: If you thought this press release might be real, even for a second, consider why.
4 comments:
Joke about it but the ACA has enabled my IM practice to
Renter compensated services to 48 new patients who otherwise would not have received it due to pre-existing conditions, inability to afford any coverage, etc. I am solo
In a rural area and those of you in the ivory towers of giant
City medicine with golden coverage provided by your academic or other employers will never understand what
how grateful these new patients are to ( many for the first time) being able to receive private non-ED medical care. Try walking in their shoes for a while.
To commenter 2 7:03: Thanks for posting. Nice to learn there are docs out there that understand the plight of the less fortunate and still want to practice medicine. Dr. Wes has lost sight of poor Americans in his zeal the protect the "oppressed physician". Cripes. Just the other day he was bemoaning the fact that underpaid residents had to pay FICA deducts just like the rest of underpaid Americans.
BAHAHA.
Solo IM practice. Concierge?! You may be the last one left. You had slots for 48 new patients in your practice and were still able to keep the doors open?! BAHAHA. Since when did the Obama trolls start coming to Dr. Wes? Let me guess the 48 new patients were all Medicaid?
Next time, check out Huffington or Salon for your comments.
BAHAHA,
Thanks for your constructive response. By the way only 21 of my new patients were medicaid . I do have a PAC and NP helping me sustain my efforts to the folks of my area who need it. Long ago the Family Physician whose practice I entered reminded me that my medical education enabled by state supported medical schools and hospitals, was estimated to have cost $4.37 million, paid by my state's taxpayers. He felt then, as I do now, that I have an obligation to accept medicaid patients. I do appreciate your expression of your constructive suggestions. Please advise where I can find out about hunt's blog, and the salon piece.
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