Bud Albers: A gifted life For Edward “Bud” Albers Jr., every day was a gift. That was true from the time he was born in 1925 to the day he died in October 2016. Albers was president and owner of Albers Drug (now AmerisourceBergen) in Knoxville, Tenn., as well as Skyland Hospital Supply (now Concordance Healthcare Solutions), also in Knoxville. He served as chairman of … [Read more...]
Next Step for Retail Clinics
By David Thill Partnerships with health systems may prove beneficial for both providers Editor’s note: Traditionally, patients had two options for seeking healthcare: the doctor’s office or the hospital. However, advances in medical research, technology, and team-based care – and the developing shift to value-based care – have left patients with a host of options for … [Read more...]
Attractive Alternatives
Many clinicians to participate in pay-for-quality programs More than 359,000 clinicians are confirmed to participate in 2017 in four alternative payment models (APMs) created by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Clinicians who participate in APMs are paid for the quality of care they give to their patients. The four programs are: Medicare Shared Savings … [Read more...]
The Next Vital Sign?
Measuring and improving cardiorespiratory fitness should become a standard part of clinical encounters: American Heart Association Blood pressure. Pulse. Cholesterol. All good barometers of measuring a person’s health. But a group of physicians and researchers believe that primary care doctors and others are leaving out the most reliable measure of all: cardiorespiratory … [Read more...]
Why Being Helpful Isn’t Just for Nice Guys (and Gals)
By Lisa Earle McLeod If I tell you someone is helpful, what image crosses your mind? Most people associate the word helpful with jobs like a crossing guard, or a traveler’s aide at the airport. Helpful people are nice to be around, but they’re rarely in charge, or so the thinking goes. When my husband and I were naming our first child, we got a book that gave the … [Read more...]
Surprising Discoveries
Life expectancy dropped in 2015 for the first time in over 20 years. The reasons for that drop are numerous and complex. American life expectancy in 2015 dropped for the first time in over two decades, according to a December 2016 Washington Post article documenting the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) “Mortality in the United States, 2015” data brief. “In … [Read more...]
A Calling
It’s no wonder Jamie Manning finds herself in healthcare grew up in healthcare. Her dad, Doug Sewell, went to nursing school after finishing a tour of duty in Vietnam with the U.S. Marine Corps. He worked in nursing administration for many years, and finished his career as a hospital administrator. Her mom, Jeanne Sewell, is an RN who worked for many years in public … [Read more...]
A Lifeline
PACE allows frail elderly to stay at home, yet under the watchful eyes of an interdisciplinary care team Andrea Logan believes she has seen a viable option for healthcare for the elderly right in southeastern Michigan. It’s a program called PACE. “It offers truly coordinated care for the senior population,” says Logan, vice president of sales, TwinMed, LLC. PACE – the … [Read more...]
Antibiotic Stewardship Begins in the Doctor’s Office
Outpatient settings remain a crucial component of antibiotic stewardship in the United States. Improving antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings is critical to combating the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. That’s because approximately 60 percent of U.S. antibiotic expenditures for humans are related to care received in outpatient settings. Educating … [Read more...]
Locking in Change
A new “Health Systems Science” textbook focuses on the changing dynamics of healthcare delivery Editor’s note: Sensing a gap between how physicians are educated and the future needs of the U.S. healthcare system, the American Medical Association in 2013 launched its “Accelerating Change in Medical Education” initiative. The association awarded grants to 11 medical schools to … [Read more...]