Posts Tagged ‘reference’
Day Medicine
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
Concierge Medicine Review – Shared Physician Appointments
Sharing a doctor to increase productivity? Sharing a doctor’s appointment to bond with other patients suffering from the same chronic condition? It is the kind of thing that concierge doctors are concerned over. Imagine paying full price, or your full co-payment, and going to a shared doctor’s appointment with 30 other patients who might be experiencing the same chronic condition that you are. Does this sound like a good idea, or a recipe for disaster?
“Shared medical appointments improve patient access, enhance patient and physician satisfaction, and increase practice productivity, all without adding more hours to a physician’s work week. There is even evidence that they promote better outcomes and lower overall costs of care.” That’s according to ManagedCareMag.com.
Lets add some insight into the previous image; imagine paying full price for a doctor’s visit, visiting with that doctor in a room full of other patients, or ‘observers,’ who are able to ‘sit-in’ on your doctor’s appointment, share ideas, discuss symptoms, and listen to every word that you are telling your doctor. Not much room for privacy, huh?
And when it comes to privacy, there are two different thoughts on the matter. One patient told NBC that his experience with the shared doctor’s appointment was not all it was cracked up to be; “One on one I can talk to the doctor and ask personal things, not that I can’t do that here but I don’t want to take up the time.”
And yet a physician told another media out let the exact opposite; “The biggest surprise was patient confidentiality,” says Rajan Bhandari, MD, chief of neurology at the Kaiser Permanente Santa Theresa Medical Center in San Jose. “They reveal more about themselves than I would ever have known about them otherwise. They seem to really blossom when they’re in a warm, empathic environment where they feel nurtured, supported, and not alone.”
While the money spent is exactly the same, the confidentiality seems to be lacking, and the overall medical treatment might be deficient, physicians say the “real benefit is that instead of pretending that patients who have been living with chronic medical conditions don’t know anything about them, you actually involve them in the care-giving process.”
According to ManagedCareMag.com, a two-year study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation showed that patients participating in the cooperative-clinic model stayed independent longer and were more satisfied with their physicians and with their understanding of their medical conditions. Physician satisfaction also increased, while hospitalization and ER use decreased by 12 and 18 percent, respectively. Cooperative-clinic participants were 2.5 times as likely to stay with their physician and with Kaiser.
This method of medicine becomes not so much about the chronic condition itself, but about the person living with the chronic condition. This bonding between patients with like conditions and the ability to help one-another out in these shared doctor appointments seems to offer an “installation of hope.” In shared doctor appointments, patients no longer feel like they’re the only ones dealing with the chronic condition. They can see others living with the condition as well, whether in a greater way or a less fortunate way.
Another aspect of shared doctor appointments is the time spent with the doctor, though it might be ‘shared’ time. A general appointment with the family physician will run from between 8 to 10 minutes, while in a shared appointment that time is extended to 90 minutes, a benefit that makes patients feel as if their getting their money’s worth.
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While it might be a little different, and may take some getting used to, it is creating a buzz in the medical community and it is getting people excited about more possibilities for healthcare. Shared doctor appointments are bringing more attention to the fact that patients are frustrated with the system, with the way they are treated in their 8 minute doctor appointments, and that they are looking for alternatives to general medicine.
About the Author
Kandice is the CEO and founder of Linwright Design, a Gilbert web design and marketing company that focuses on content marketing. Google for more information. For more information on concierge medicine, visit http://www.SigantureMD.com.
Loyola Stritch School of Medicine Match Day FLASHMOB – March 17, 2011
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Revolving Medicine Organize Storage Center Holder $19.98 Organize all your medicines, in their original containers, into one place. Holder is double-tiered for label visibility, revolves for easy access, and has a boxed medicine compartment. Stores about 21 containers and is sized to fit into a standard cabinet. Plastic; approximately 10.5″ diameter x 3.5″…. |
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7-day Contoured-bottom Pill Reminder – Size XL $2.75 The contoured pill reminder helps you remember daily medication! Easy-to-open lids indicates the day of the week by letter and braille markings. Made of translucent, durable plastic so you can tell if you took your medication without opening the lid. Extra Large individual compartments hold medication for each day of the week. Each compartment holds approximately 32 aspirin tablets. Ideal for vita… |
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Personalized Keychain or Fridge Magnet – Pharmacist – Male or Female Customize the keychain or fridge magnet picture with the pharmacist’s name, office, and a personal sentiment and you’ve created a unique gift without spending a fortune!… |
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Bon Jovi Greatest Hits: Special Edition (Standard CD + 2 Bonus Live Tracks) $10.82 Bon Jovi GREATEST HITS will be a 16-song single disc chock full of the band’s biggest chart-toppers including “Livin’ On A Prayer,” “Always,” “It’s My Life,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.” Two new songs, including lead single “What Do You Got,” round out the tracklisting on the single disc album. This special edition of Bon Jovi’s Greatest Hits contains 2 exclusive bonus… |
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Super Hits of the ’70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 10 $6.67 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
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Bon Jovi Greatest Hits – The Ultimate Collection (2 CD Set with 2 Exclusive Additional Live Bonus Tracks) $26.98 Bon Jovi GREATEST HITS – THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION will be a 28-song two disc edition made up of the GREATEST HITS CD from the standard edition and a second disc featuring beloved fan favorites including “Bed of Roses,” “Blood on Blood,” “These Days,” and “Keep The Faith” plus the third and fourth new tracks created for this project. The four new songs (“The More Things Change,” “No Apologies,” “Thi… |
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Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman – The Complete Season One [VHS] $34.95 Season one of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman captures the popular television series at its most charming and original: a gently feminist, 19th-century Western with mythic overtones, a Gunsmoke-like vision of small-town constancy, and an audacious love story that might best be described as Buckskin Bronte. British actress Jane Seymour scrubbed away her accent to play Michaela Quinn, fifth daughter of a … |
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Energy Healing with Donna Eden [VHS] This six-hour video series presents a vibrant training program in Energy Medicine. Designed to supplement Donna Eden’s book, Energy Medicine, or to stand alone, it makes the self-care program presented in the book COME ALIVE with clear instructions and vivid demonstrations. It brings Donna’s energy into your living room. The feedback we have received is that people find it extraordinarily well or… |
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Dr Lorraine Day’s Sorting Through the Maze of Alternative Medicine “Sorting Through the Maze of Alternative Medicine: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why!” “If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed when trying to understand the numerous alternative therapies available, you’re not alone. I felt the same frustration when I was dying from advanced cancer,” says Dr. Lorraine Day, “and I tried over 40 different alternative therapies myself, before I finally understood how to sor… |
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First Aid Kit With Hard Case- 326 pcs- First Aid Complete Care Kit – Exceeds OSHA & ANSI Guidelines – Ideal for the Workplace – Disaster Preparedness (Colors May Vary) $24.85 This highly organized kit provides comprehensive first aid treatment for a variety of needs. It complies or exceeds all OSHA guidelines for small business and meets ANSI types I and II requirements. The kit is fully organized for easy use and will treat many emergency situations. It can be wall mounted or stored easily. Clean: 30 Antiseptic Towelettes, 30 Alcohol Pads, 6 Sting Relief Pads, 3 Hand … |
