Med Thread

Physician Bonuses Based on Patient Satisfaction?

2012-03-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

     Basing physician compensation on patient satisfaction is not a new idea, but now more and more large medical groups are starting to embrace this new compensation structure. Here are some advantages and disadvantages to this system of compensation.

Advantages
     Physicians will now be held to a higher standard when concerning patient interactions. The goal of this idea is to make physicians more aware of their patient satisfaction levels each time a patient steps into the office. In essence, medical providers are paid consultants and patients deserve courtesy, friendliness and the latest medical expertise. Also, from a medical point of view, some delays are unavoidable which may keep patients in the waiting room longer than desired. However, maybe by basing part of a physician’s compensation on patient satisfaction, patients in the waiting room will at least receive an explanation as to why they are waiting so long. Does a patient need to be transported to another facility; did an emergency call come through? Most people would have a higher tolerance for waiting rooms if they understood why they were waiting.

Disadvantages
     Many times, patients will give negative satisfaction reviews anonymously. The problem here is that without knowing who the disgruntled patient is, physicians have no way to determine why that particular encounter was unsatisfactory. Many different factors can contribute to a patient’s overall satisfaction. Some factors that may skew a satisfaction rating which is uncontrollable by the physician in their interaction with the patient include waiting in the waiting room, cancelling appointments, cost of medical care and other insurance concerns, not getting an appointment at the time they wanted, and getting bad news regarding their health. Should a physician be punished in their compensation for issues they can’t control?
     On the other hand, some factors that may contribute to a negative satisfaction rating are unavoidable. For instance, some patients would give a negative satisfaction rating after being reprimanded by their doctor for bad health habits such as eating fast food when they are dangerously obese, or for not taking their blood pressure medicine. Isn’t this a physician’s job—to make sure they do everything in their power to keep their patients healthy? With anonymous reviews, physicians can’t determine if they can actively work on a patient’s satisfaction, or if the problem is out of their control.

     Overall, the idea of physician compensation being tied to patient satisfaction is an interesting concept. What are your thoughts on the subject? Should physician compensation depend on patient satisfaction? Is there a way to avoid the downfalls of the current system?

3 Different Types of Locum Tenens Contracts Explained

2012-02-29T14:37:00.001-08:00

     When starting in the world of locum tenens work, it can be confusing to determine the differences between the types of assignments available as well as the type of compensation to expect from each assignment. Three major assignment types are as follows:

     1.) Government contracts :
          One type of government contract out there is with military bases. These contracts can be anywhere from six months to a couple of years in length. In order for a provider to be accepted at a military base, agencies will submit what is called a bid, or the price at which a provider will work at that base. Based on this process, one would think money is the only factor when accepting a provider; however, this is not one hundred percent true. Each base will send out a practice description detailing what type of candidate they are looking for. After the quality and abilities of each candidate is reviewed, the price comes in to play. Compensation for government contracts is usually on the lower to middle section of the pay spectrum. The great thing about government work, however, is the prevalence of long term assignments. Longer assignments with lower pay usually end up being more worthwhile than a shorter contract with more money. In this case, the security of a long term paycheck usually wins out.

     2.) FQHC/Community health centers/State facilities:
          Different from hospitals and private practices, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and other state facilities offer a great way to expand your patient experience. Many locum tenens providers choose this type of setting as a way to give back to their community, and help the under-served populations. In this setting, providers will experience more Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements than in many other settings. Compensation in these types of facilities is dependent upon the budget and funding provided by the state to each individual facility. Typically, FQHC and other state supported facilities will pay less than most hospitals, but are still competitive with their rates.

     3.) Hospitals:
          Hospitals are a popular choice for many locum tenens providers because they house many specialties including (but not limited to) emergency medicine physicians, hospitalists, internal medicine physicians, cardiologists, general surgeons, etc. Also, hospitals usually have the funding capabilities to offer a wider range of pay along with a generous travel package often including hotel accommodations as well as airfare when necessary.

     When choosing which locum tenens contract is right for you, it is important to look at what is driving you to work; is it money, location, patient population, community, or overall experience? Each type of assignment discussed here has different things to offer providers, including a variety of compensation structures. If any of these types of opportunities seem appealing to you, please contact Medestar for more details.
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Laura Shirley is a Director of Account Management and Scheduling at Medestar.
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Physician Assistant Specialty Trends

2012-02-24T13:53:00.000-08:00

From its inception, the role of physician assistant was created as a way to ease the chronic shortage of primary care physicians. In fact, entry-level physician assistant training focuses on primary care with more clinical rotations in an outpatient setting than any other setting.

Despite this fact, however, more and more physician assistants are choosing to pursue careers not in primary care, but in other medical specialties such as surgery, internal medicine, and as hospitalists. Further increasing this trend, the demand for physician assistants in surgical and medical subspecialties is increasing at a greater rate than that of primary care, creating more employment opportunities for physician assistants in subspecialties.

The field of medicine has grown since physician assistants first started practicing. Because of this growth, physician assistants are branching out of the primary care specialty as the need for extra assistance in other specialties increases.

3 Reasons the Need for Physical Therapists is Expected to Grow

2012-02-23T14:16:00.000-08:00

     According to the United States Department of Labor Statistics, the need for physical therapists is expected to grow, “much faster than the average for all occupations.” In fact, the need for, or jobs available for, physical therapists is expected to increase by 30% over the next ten years. Three contributing factors to this growth are as follows:

     1.) The baby-boomer generation:
          Much of the increased demand can likely be attributed to the baby-boomer generation approaching an age where they’re more susceptible to strokes, heart attacks and a number of other significant health risks. The elderly population is particularly vulnerable to chronic debilitating conditions that may require ongoing services from physical therapists.

     2.) Restrictions on reimbursement for physical therapy services by third party payers:
          Along with baby-boomers, another variable driving the increased need for physical therapists is the changes related to the restrictions on reimbursement for physical therapy services by third party payers. These changes will increase patient access to physical therapy services, thus increasing the demand for physical therapists across the nation.

     3.) Advances in medical science:
          A third factor related to the increased demand for physical therapists are advances in medical science which allow some trauma victims and newborns with birth defects to survive where survivability would have been very unlikely in the past. These survivors, however, often require rehabilitation, further fueling the demand for physical therapists.
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Belinda Bowman is a Director of Business Development at Fidelis Partners.
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Fidelis Partners and Medestar Physician Demand Indicator

2012-02-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

In May of 2011 Fidelis Partners published its first Physician Demand Indicator Map utilizing data from a leading national job bank widely accepted by many in-house physician recruitment departments. Our map includes the top 15 specialties with the highest number of advertised needs nationally, by state and by Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) region.

Comparing the data over the past three (3) quarters reveals some interesting trends shared below.

     Total advertised physician needs increased by 3% (277) from 10,322 to 10,599 nationally, indicating new postings are out-pacing the rate-to-fill and that physician demand remains very high. Most of this growth was in the Midwest and Eastern MGMA Regions. The biggest gainers and losers in the Midwest were Indiana (+48), Michigan (+46), Illinois (+42), Wisconsin (+35) and Ohio (-20). In the East were North Carolina (+43), Pennsylvania (+41), Virginia (+31), Vermont (-16) and Maine (-10). In the South were Florida (+61), Arkansas (+28), Georgia (-46), Alabama (-28) and South Carolina (-26). In the West were Arizona (+46), California (+35), Colorado (-19) and Utah (-19).

     Ten out of the top 15 Specialties also experienced growth in the number of postings lead by Emergency Medicine (+133), Family Practice (+124), Hospitalist (+95) and Internal Medicine (+45). The biggest losers were OBG (-36), Neurology (-27) and Orthopedic Surgery (-16). Family Practice, Internal Medicine and Hospitalist remain in the top 3 positions in terms of postings. General Surgery (+35) gained 3 positions to move into the top 10 and Pediatrics (-15) lost 3 positions falling out of the top 10. Psychiatry moved up into the top 5 postings.

     If you have any critical-to-fill medical staff openings due to service/patient access issues, an unexpected physician retirement, difficult location, limited internal resources or poor performance from an existing vendor, please contact Fidelis Partners for permanent placement at 866-995-6077 or Medestar for locum tenens at 877-868-5350.

The Physician Demand Indicator map is not intended to represent “all” available positions in the US as many are not advertised on the job bank selected. Rather, it is to illustrate the current demand based upon the total number of openings being advertised on a single physician job bank.
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Carl Fitch is Director of Business Development here at Fidelis Partners.
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Trends in Osteopathic Medicine

2012-02-14T14:16:00.001-08:00

Upon completion of osteopathic medical school, students decide and apply for internships and residency training programs in their specialty of choice. According to the National Matching Services, Inc. which published results for 2012, family medicine is still the largest specialty chosen by osteopathic medical students. The American Osteopathic Association’s 2011 Osteopathic Medical Profession Report shows that approximately half of all osteopathic physicians (Dos) are primary care physicians practicing family medicine or internal medicine. In 2012, of all osteopathic residencies, family medicine saw a 16 percent increase in enrollment while internal medicine increased by 21 percent. Overall, family medicine accounted for the largest number of residency positions filled with 433 physicians entering residency.

What’s the difference between DOs and MDs?

MDs and DOs are both fully licensed to prescribe medication and practice in all specialties in the United States. Both groups complete approximately 4 years of medical school before entering into hands-on training through an internship or residency program typically lasting three to eight years. DOs, however, receive extra training focused on the musculoskeletal system, giving them knowledge of how an illness or injury in one part of the body can affect another part of the body. This can be especially important for osteopathic physicians going into family practice settings or internal medicine practices, particularly in the nation’s rural and underserved populations.

Nurse Practitioners: Growing Need, Responsibilities, and Practices

2012-02-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

     With the growing primary care physician shortage discussed in last week’s articles, there is a debate emerging about whether nurse practitioners can and should step in to ease the pains of the primary care physician shortage. In part one of this two-part blog, we discussed the possible concerns that could arise with an increased role for nurse practitioners. In part two, we will be discussing ways in which nurse practitioners can be used to help patients and ease the physician shortage.

     The current shortage of primary care physicians has created an increased demand for physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners, which will only increase as the shortage continues to grow. Along with the growing demand for additional nurse practitioners and the shortage of primary care physicians, there have been a number of states which have enacted legislation which has expanded the roles of the nurse practitioners to nearly 80% of the average primary care physician. In addition, nearly half of all U.S. states have also created legislation allowing nurse practitioners to practice independently, without a supervisory primary care physician. With far fewer years of schooling and far less debt, nurse practitioners are currently entering the health care system at a rate of nearly five times that of primary care physicians.

     To recap, there are three major advantages of having nurse practitioners step in to help ease the primary care physician shortage. First, they are able to accomplish eighty percent of what primary care physicians can which means many patients can have their clinical needs met without seeing a physician at all. Second, nurse practitioners are able to practice on their own in 22 states thus reducing the number of primary care physicians needed in those states. And finally, they are entering the work force much faster than primary care physicians which would allow them to impact the healthcare workforce faster than primary care physicians could and ease the pain of the shortage.

     The growing shortage of primary care physicians is sure to continue to drive the need for an increased number of nurse practitioners. After reading both sides of the argument, where do you stand on this issue?
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Belinda Bowman is Director of Business Development at Fidelis Partners.
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Nurse Practitioners: Growing Need, Responsibilities, and Practices

2012-02-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

With the growing primary care physician shortage discussed in last week’s articles, there is a debate emerging about whether nurse practitioners can and should step in to ease the pains of the primary care physician shortage. In this two-part blog, we will be discussing the way in which nurse practitioners can be used to help patients and ease the physician shortage as well as the possible concerns that may arise if nurse practitioners step into this role.

     Three concerns associated with having nurse practitioners practice without a supervising physician include:

     1. The amount of clinical hands-on training done prior to entering practice.
         When nurse practitioners reach the point of certification, they have acquired between 500 and 1,500 hours of clinic training while a family physician, newly graduated, has more than 15,000 hours of hands-on clinical training in addition to 4 years of medical school. Furthermore, a 2004 survey published in the Journal of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners concluded that nurse practitioners do not feel ready for solo practice after the formal certification process.

     2. The degree of education and ability to handle complex cases.
         Nurse practitioners are trained to recognize and treat common health problems such as strep throat and ear infections as well as to monitor certain chronic conditions such as hypertension. They also often educate patients about chronic conditions, medications, nutrition and exercise. However, primary care physicians are trained to diagnose and treat more complex and difficult cases. Physicians receive training and education beyond that of nurse practitioners, thus giving them the ability to spot more difficult and complex cases.

     3. The price of a nurse practitioners can be deceiving for the healthcare industry as a whole.
         On the surface, it seems as though nurse practitioners are lower cost than physicians because they are paid less and fees paid by third-party payers are lower for nurse practitioners than their physician counterparts. However, often, nurse practitioners will order more tests and consult with specialists more often than resident physicians and attending physicians as found by a study in the journal, Efficient Clinical Practice. A less knowledgeable clinician will order more tests or consult with specialists more because of their uncertainty. The increased fee for tests and consultations offset the amount saved by using nurse practitioners as opposed to physicians.

     Tune in Friday, February 10th for the second part of this blog discussing the many ways nurse practitioners can help ease the burden of the primary care physician shortage.

Possible Solutions to the Primary Care Physician Shortage

2012-02-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

     Although the entire nation will feel the pains of a primary care physician shortage, one state, New Jersey, is taking matters into their own hands to come up with solutions before the shortages becomes dire. New Jersey already has a chronic physician shortage problem which is expected to worsen as a majority of patients grow older and more ill and as the federal healthcare reform brings broader coverage for the uninsured. To help ease or reverse the shortage, the state has approved a bill requiring the state Commissioner of Health and Senior Services to hold a planning summit to address the issue and possible solutions. The summit will include state agencies and boards as well as representatives of medical schools and teaching hospitals.

     How is New Jersey planning on enticing primary care physicians to practice within their state borders? One idea, proposed by the Council of Teaching Hospitals, is a seven-year exemption from taxes on incomes up to $200,000 a year, which would equate to about $10,000 annually to help doctors either repay student loans or invest in setting up new practices.

     Two other ideas include expanding the number of training slots for graduate medical education, or making some modest reforms to the medical liability system similar to the reforms that have been achieved in Texas, to attract physicians.

Do you think any of these possible solutions could work on either the state or national level? What are your ideas for enticing medical students to become primary care physicians?

Where Have All the American Medical Grads in Primary Care Gone?

2012-02-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

     Allergy, cardiology, nephrology, gastroenterology and pulmonary medicine are just a few of the fellowships available to internal medicine residents after the completion of their training. Medical students today also have the option of forgoing a full primary care residency all together to pursue a residency in radiology, anesthesiology, general surgery, etc. All of these options coupled with the fact that specialists on average earn more than primary care providers, have created a huge shortage of primary care physicians in the United States. Further, the shortage of American medical graduates that are pursuing primary care is even more dire. A study conducted by U.S. News revealed that in 2008 only 264 American medical graduates chose residency training in primary care/internal medicine, compared to 575 in 1999. The number has dramatically decreased and is almost guaranteed to continue to decrease in the coming years.

     The irony is that, while the number of primary care physicians continues to drop, the number of primary care opportunities continues to steadily increase, with smaller, more rural communities most in need. To worsen the situation for small, rural communities, well qualified physicians who do pursue careers in primary care often chose opportunities in larger, urban areas, leaving a minimal amount of primary care physicians for rural communities. The solution suggested by U.S. News? Pay primary care providers more money. Why do many physicians choose to specialize? Because the potential for making money is greater if they specialize than if they stay in primary care. Paying primary care physicians more may seem simple, but this solution would encourage American medical graduates to at least consider becoming part of a medical niche which is becoming more and more needed with each passing day. A pay increase for primary care physicians is at least worth consideration.

     Read more about the debate to increase primary care pay here.
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Rebecca is a Senior Search Consultant for Fidelis Partners
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Three Ways Social Media is Transforming the Doctor-Patient Relationship

2012-01-27T14:50:00.000-08:00

     To wrap up January and our month dedicated to social media in the healthcare industry, it is important to highlight “Three Ways Social Media is Transforming the Doctor-Patient Relationship.” Social media is changing the way doctors and patients interact with one another. Historically, healthcare has been physician-centric; however, because of technology’s impact (including social media) on our world, patients are beginning to play a more active role in their health care. At its core, social media promotes two-way continuous communication between patients and health care providers thus creating a more patient-centered health care experience. According to healthcare technology expert Chris Foster, Principal at Booz Allen Hamilton, three significant ways social media is transforming the health care industry and what it means for the future of patient care are:

     1.) Patient Empowerment
               Patients are using social media to discuss health conditions, seek out information about diseases and treatment options. In addition, social media allows patients to shop around and compare care options—made easy by websites such as PatientsLikeMe.com. Social media puts more control in patients’ hands by giving them access to expansive information, allowing them to be informed and educated advocates of their own care.

     2.) Real-Time Information and Instantaneous Feedback
               We touched on this idea in our earlier blog article, “5 Advantages of Social Media for Physicians in Practice.” This is an important feature of social media because it allows patients to have constant access to care via social networks and live chats. For instance, if a medication is recalled or an outbreak detected, physicians can push this information to their patients within seconds.

     3.) Improved Doctor/Patient Relationships
               The dialogue created by social media is helping to break down the barrier previously held between physicians and patients. A documentary was recently developed by Discovery Communication Health titled “Health IT—Advancing Care, Empowering Patients” which highlights Dr. Bruce Hopper, Jr. who texts, sends instant messages to, and video chats with his patients as much as possible. He also reaches out via Facebook and Twitter to share the latest health care information. When physicians increase their own availability and access, some patients feel closer to their physicians and feel as though their input is more valued leading them to feel as though they are part of a treatment plan.

     Social media is still a very new medium for physicians and patients alike, and we still have one important challenge to address: regulation of content. With the internet making information so readily available, concerns about patient privacy and ethics have come to the forefront of many discussions regarding the topic of social media and the health care industry. For example, is it ok for a patient to “friend” their physician on Facebook? Should physicians have two Facebook accounts—one for personal use and a second one for purely professional use? What about those physicians licensed in New York who are posting treatment information directed at patients in California?

     Despite this challenge, social media is allowing patients and health care professional to collaborate and generate customized solutions to individual patient health problems like never before. Social media is fresh and it’s changing the way we think about managing our health care. In the coming years, we will no doubt see more health related phone apps, health blogs, and web-based technologies to enhance conventional health care.

Social Media-Proceed with Caution

2012-01-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks we have had several entries discussing the value of social media. Social media can be used to build a positive image; however, it may also unknowingly be used to destroy it. When using social media it is important to proceed with caution. You may think only your friends can see what you post, when in reality, you never know who is looking at your information. Once something hits the internet, there is no turning back. Examples of images being shattered via social media include Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Rashard Mendenhall’s tweet regarding the death of Osama bin Laden. Former Congressman Anthony Weiner will not be remembered for his legislative accomplishments, instead he will be known for the career destroying photo he published on Twitter. The lesson here is if you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see it or read it, don’t upload it, post it or tweet it!

It is also important to remember that your opinion may not be shared by everyone. In fact some people may find it offensive. It is necessary to show restraint in certain areas, implement a filter, consider your audience and proceed with caution. In my daily activity I’ve even seen it have a negative impact on providers getting interviews. What better place to take something out of context than a social media outlet that displays pictures or quotes? Political preferences, religious views and a hand full of other opinions have cost people jobs and relationships. There is a fine line between freedom of speech and showing respect for all views. Offending people isn’t hard, especially when you have such a saturated mix of audience via social media. The lesson here is when in doubt, leave it out!

Although it is important to remember to filter while using social media, don’t let it deter you from utilizing the many social networking sites. It is an effective outlet for both professional and personal networking, just remember:

Proceed with caution.
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This article was written by: Stephen Fish, Director of Business Development for Fidelis Partners.
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Can Online Scheduling Increase Patient Satisfaction?

2012-01-20T14:28:00.000-08:00

Take Care Health Systems, a subsidiary of Walgreens, have introduced online scheduling into their care clinics. Take Care Clinics are in select Walgreens stores throughout the country and provide primary care to patients. The online scheduling option at Take Care Clinics allows patients to review the available appoint times, as well as actually book their appointment on the internet or through an in-store kiosk. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), about 20% of Family Practice physicians offer the opportunity for patients to request appointment times online, however, they still need to call to actually set the appointments.

Even though Take Care Clinics tend to have quick, less complex appointments than other specialties, the technology is worth consideration. Online scheduling provides another avenue to engage patients through technology. It gives patients the autonomy to decide what time best fits their busy lifestyles and increases patient satisfaction.

YouTube in Healthcare

2012-01-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

     Everyone has gone on YouTube to watch the single ladies dancing baby, the double rainbow guy and that cute sneezing panda, but the site isn't just for entertainment. YouTube is the 3rd most visited website behind Google and Facebook and it’s already being used for patient education and healthcare marketing.

     Several people are using YouTube to self-diagnose and self-treat. You’ll find videos of people with no medical training performing at-home remedies or do-it-yourself procedures and the viewers take this advice to heart. “I don’t have the money to have a doctor remove my cyst, but this guy on YouTube removed his, so it can’t be that hard.”

     Healthcare professionals can do their part by providing free access to accurate information on health related topics. Children’s Hospital in Boston has over 1,000 videos on their YouTube Channel. Several of their videos are targeted towards patient education with topics ranging from Eating Out with Celiac Disease to Putting Contact Lenses in Young Children. By inserting themselves into the YouTube community, they are ensuring their customers have a reliable source for healthcare advice.

     Aside from acting as a source for patient education, if used correctly, YouTube can be a very useful business tool. Carolinas Healthcare System uses YouTube to broadcast a weekly news segment to market their facilities. They talk about current events in healthcare and they make sure to highlight new site openings and cutting-edge technology at their locations. Several facilities like Altoona Regional Healthcare System and University of Maryland Medical System have even turned to YouTube to help with their recruiting efforts. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be even better!

     YouTube also provides free analytical tools that help measure the success of videos. The “Insight” feature tracks viewer demographics, shows when people stop watching your video and even how much time viewers spend on each part of your video. With all these features available for free, taking advantage of them as a business should be a no-brainer.

     Social Media outlets like YouTube are contributing to the establishment of online reputations of healthcare companies and providers. That trend is only forecasted to continue, so it behooves hospitals and doctors to proactively establish a social media presence.

     Of course, the entertainment side is not going away, but there’s plenty of healthcare entertainment out there as well!

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Lindsay Harris is the Director of Business Development at Medestar.
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Social Media as a Way to Track Epidemics

2012-01-13T14:36:00.000-08:00

     According to an article on the Voice of America website, Harvard Medical School in association with Children’s Hospital Boston found that social media and news reports can accurately track the growth of epidemics such as the cholera outbreak in Haiti in 2010, while also delivering data faster than government agencies.

     When epidemics begin, hospitals and clinics begin sending official reports to agencies such as the Ministry of Public Health, while at the same time stories concerning the epidemics are relayed on news reports as well as social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter. As Rumi Chunara confirms in her official research published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the informal media—meaning Facebook, Twitter, and news sources—do a fairly reliable job of tracking official reports. For instance, as the official number of reported cases of an epidemic rises, so does the amount of informal media coverage; and when the official number of reported cases of an epidemic falls, so does the amount of informal media coverage.

     We can’t solely rely on informal media reports to keep us informed about official epidemic coverage, however. Official statistics reported to agencies such as the Ministry of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are carefully validated and go through a rigorous evaluation process. In contrast, news and social media reports don’t have a validation process, however they are available more quickly. Each has its place—informal media to indicate a general understanding of epidemiological patterns in real time giving the ability to deploy control measures faster and official statistics as a way to accurately track the spread, official cases, and (hopefully) eradication of any given epidemic.

Top 3 Uses of Twitter in Healthcare

2012-01-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

     In 2011, the social networking service, Twitter had over 300 million users, and the numbers are growing. Over the years, I have advised our employees and clients on the changes in social media from Friendster (remember that?!) to MySpace to Facebook; blogging and now the growing use of Twitter to reach a broader audience. The question I frequently get and continue to research is how Twitter can be beneficial to a healthcare audience –both professionals and patients. Here is a roundup of successful uses of this social media platform:

1. Community Marketing
     The basic purpose of the any healthcare institution is the facilitation of care – care for the community. What better way to share local developments and news than quick, easily referenced updates. Whether it’s welcoming a new physician on staff, announcing the opening of a new hospital wing, or congratulating local sports on the win – the updates are simple ways to let your patient population know you care. Typically, this information was calendared on a website or sent out in press releases, but now the news can be spread in real time. For some great examples of community marketing via Twitter, check out @SierraVistaRMC @StMarysReno @sharphealthcare

2. Sharing Informational Content
     The sharing of informational content is probably the most obvious use of Twitter, but it’s still important to highlight. Some of the top medical publications, blogs and government institutions have adopted twitter for this main purpose, and it works. Take a look at @PhysicianPract for an example of a medical blog successfully using the Twitter platform to share information and interact with its readers. The sharing of content through Twitter also personalizes a lot of what would normally be faceless information. Take a look at @Farzad_ONC – the official twitter of the National Coordinator for HealthIT, Farzad Mostashari, M.D.

3. Networking
     Some might argue that a 140-character limit leaves a lot to be desired in a social interaction, but I disagree. There are many ways to network with colleagues and patients through Twitter. First, you can follow others who have similar interests and reply to tweets, or my favorite, learn about the use of hashtags. As a recruitment firm, we frequently attend conferences in hopes of creating new contacts. By following the hashtag or keyword for the conference, we can see who is discussing the sessions of the day or where the next meet-up will be. Check out the hashtag for Healthcare social media to see what people are saying about this topic - #hcsm.

     Are you new to Twitter? Did I convince you to get started? Here are some additional resources for those looking to start an account:
Twitter Basics
Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media – Articles about Twitter

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Sepi Ansar is the Marketing and Resourcing Director for Fidelis Partners and Medestar.
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5 Advantages of Social Media for Physicians in Practice

2012-01-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

Using social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, blogging, and Four Square as a business tool offers practicing physicians multiple opportunities to connect with patients and grow their practice. Here is a roundup of some of the advantages of social media for your practice.

     1.) Low cost
          Using traditional advertising strategies such as radio, TV, newspapers, billboards, or internet banner ads can cost a small fortune and are out of reach for smaller hospitals or practices. One of the greatest benefits of social media networks is that they effectively reach a wide range of consumers free of cost. As a physician, you can dive into the social media culture by utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In. Increase your competitive advantage and market your skills, knowledge, and services to potential patients, all for free!

     2.) Builds Credibility
          Social media allows your current patients to express their satisfaction with your knowledge and clinical skill while also allowing potential patients to read these reviews and chose you over the doctor down the street. With the internet readily available, use it to be more accessible to your patients with advice and healthcare news thus proving you are a better resource than WebMD and therefore driving patients to you.

     3.) Increase Patient Pool
          The base of social networking is human connections. When you connect with your patients, it indirectly connects you to their friends and followers who in turn can become new patients. When someone visits your Facebook page and sees five of their friends are a fan of you, they are more likely to pick up the phone and make an appointment with you.

     4.) Up-to-Date Information
          Practices change daily and so can social media. It can easily and quickly inform and keep current and potential patients involved in your practice by informing them of business hour changes, flu shot specials, and anything else happening in your practice.

     5.) Fast and Reliable Feedback
          Social media allows you to gather and interpret patient feedback directly from the patients themselves much faster than any other means. You can see exactly what your patients are saying about you and your practice and obtain an improved understanding of what patients want. For instance, if multiple patients ask you similar questions about the flu shot each fall, you can proactively post/tweet an article that addresses their concerns.

It is important to remember to always maintain a professional persona on all social networking sites. People are looking for information online; let them look to you for answers.

Who Can See Your Personal Information?

2012-01-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

     Apps can have access to your various social media accounts; do you know which apps have access to which accounts? Chances are, probably not. Allowing apps to have access to your accounts is simple task done when you first create an account, we don't even think about it anymore. The tricky part is, however, remembering which apps have access to which accounts, and remembering when to disconnect these apps from your personal information. The good news is there is a fast, easy solution: mypermissions.org. This site lists eight major social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Flickr.

     Does it sound like just another app to grant permission to? Well it’s not! It is simply a list of handy links to help you check your own permissions as well as a service to remind you to clean up your permissions once monthly (if you choose). The site’s main purpose, above all else, is to be an aggregator and a way to make sure you are aware of who can see the personal information you are sharing online through social media sites.

Nurses to Stage a One-Day Strike in California

2011-12-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

     More than 6,000 registered nurses in the Bay Area of California will be staging a one-day strike on December 22, 2011 at their respective hospitals of employment-8 hospitals in all will be affected by this strike. The strike is a direct result of stalled contract negotiations, cuts in their healthcare coverage, and above all patient care issues.
     Union members of the eight hospitals said elimination of sick time and healthcare benefits are a major concern for many of the nurses who plan to strike on Thursday.
     Their number one concern, however, is how patient care seems to be a secondary concern, less important than the bottom line. Due to cost cutting measures and a “speed up” attitude apparent in their hospitals, nurses are tired of fighting daily to protect their patients. They feel it is harder and harder to give the appropriate quality of care to their patients when they feel their employer is only focused on the bottom line. Many nurses feel the current hospital working environment is inhibiting and undermining their ability to deliver safe patient care to all—they stand by the idea that patients are more important than the bottom line. There has been little progress between the nurses and their hospitals because the hospitals continue to press for cuts that the nurses feel would erode safety standards which will ultimately harm patients.
     With the economy these days, it is easy for hospitals to get caught up in the numbers and the financial side of hospital business. But are they losing sight of what hospitals are really meant to do—care for the sick, cure those they can, and comfort those they can’t. After all, isn’t caring for people and helping them get better the reason most people go into healthcare to begin with? What will happen if all healthcare providers care only about the bottom line, and lose sight of patient needs?

Is there a Cure for the Physician Shortage?

2011-12-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

Last week, we came across an article that shed some hope on the physician and nurse shortage issue in America. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, we are expecting a shortage of as many as 92,000 physicians by 2020 - a statistic that has patients and healthcare providers worried about the state of healthcare in the future. In the article published by ABC News and titled "Doctor, nurse shortages unlikely, new research finds," the author cites higher enrollment in medical training programs as a sign of hope.

"At the nation's 135 accredited medical schools, the number of first-time applicants increased to an all-time high this year, with nearly 33,000 students and just under 44,000 applicants," writes Lee Bowman. He also cites that more and more physicians are less likely to retire in their sixties and are instead, opting to work well into their seventies. The same positive shift can be seen in the allied field, where the enrollment in training programs is also up.

We asked our experienced consultants to weigh in. Could it be true? No more health care provider shortage?

Senior Search Consultant at Fidelis Partners, John Czorniak points out "Allied healthcare enrollment is counter cyclical with the economy. In past periods of economic recessions and growth, Allied enrollment escalated and declined respectively. But, while some Allied fields remain flushed with a viable pool of candidates (PA’s, NP’, RT’s, etc.) others remain in short demand due to lengthy and often increased training curriculum." He feels the shortage will still affect several specialties in the physician and allied services.

Another concern that is not addressed in the article is the growing trend of physicians sub-specializing. Although there is growth in training enrollment, how many of those physicians will actually move into a primary care role? Daniel Jones of Fidelis Partners reacted, "it would be interesting to see these enrollment numbers translated into physicians by specialty and per population categories."

Lori Vickers focused on the effect on small towns. The article mentions “that the new crop of nurses may not be as evenly distributed as might be desirable, particularly for patients in rural areas.” She comments, "It is great to hear that medical school applications have increased; however, physicians are not evenly distributed throughout the country and there is more need for them in small towns, and especially in rural areas."

Primary Care - Virtual Health Care

2011-12-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

     Virtual Health, a virtual service provider that supplements home health amenities to seniors and caregivers, announced today that its subscription-based service is available nationwide to assist seniors to live independently at home, while also assisting family caregivers. In addition to expanding their reach nationwide, Virtual Health has partnered with multiple healthcare providers. Tom Blue, the Executive Director of the American Academy of Private Physicians, a new partner of Virtual Health, explained the importance of technology in health care today. He stated, "The healthcare landscape is changing dramatically, and primary care physicians need to find innovative services which leverage technology, differentiate our services and offer opportunities for revenue enhancement for non-covered services."

     Tom Blue makes an interesting call to action for primary care physicians. With increased technology use, physicians need to provide services to entice patients to seek their care. According to a recent study by an New York University research team, 26% of children in the United States did not see a general health care provider in 2008, which proves it is wise for primary care physicians to implement innovative ways to connect with patients through the use of technology. With healthcare resources at their fingertips, many patients may choose to "Google" their symptoms as opposed to going to the doctor’s office. Creating value in technological services, like what Virtual Health is attempting, it is possible for primary care physicians to increase their client base and effectiveness of providing care.

     What are ways in which you use technology in your own practices?

     As patients, what would you like to see more from a technology perspective?

Get to Know Fidelis Partners and Medestar!

2011-12-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

Rebecca Ander

Career:

     • Rebecca is a Senior Search Consultant and has been with Fidelis Partners since its founding in 2009. She most enjoys being an integral part of helping her clients fulfill staffing needs that they wouldn’t have been able to fill on their own. She also enjoys helping candidates make life altering changes to increase their quality of living.
     • One of Rebecca’s biggest professional strengths is her ability to tailor her services for each individual client and candidate, making sure each has a beneficial and fulfilling experience with Fidelis Partners. She also has a great ability to make others feel comfortable which helps her guide her candidates and clients in the right direction when it comes to their professional needs.
     • Rebecca had an outstanding year in 2010 and was recognized as the Recruiter of the Year!

Personal:

Background Information:

     • Rebecca grew up in Fremont, California, located in the Bay Area.
     • She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from UC Irvine where she studied sociology and management.

In Her Free Time:
     • In her free time, Rebecca enjoys reading and being with her family.
     • Rebecca is a sports enthusiast and greatly enjoys watching football, basketball, and baseball.

Interesting Things You Probably Didn’t Know:
• Rebecca has lived in California her whole life-starting in the Bay Area until she was 16, then moving to San Diego until her Freshman year in college when she moved to attend UC Irvine.
• Rebecca has been in physician recruiting since her senior year in college when she started as an intern, and has since moved her way up to Senior Search Consultant!

Contact Rebecca For:
     - Permanent placement opportunities
Connect with Rebecca:
     - Apply to jobs
     - Email Rebecca

What Does the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Mean for Private Practices?

2011-12-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

     If the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act goes into effect as planned in January of 2014, here is a quick breakdown of what it means for small businesses including private practices.
     If you are a one person operation, your situation will be much like that of individuals and the most important mandate is the one that will require all U.S. citizens and legal residents to have health coverage or pay a penalty. As an individual, you would be able to secure health insurance through your individual state’s benefits exchange. The top penalty for noncompliance-going without health insurance altogether-is either $695 or 2.5% of your income where you would be responsible for paying whichever amount is higher. There are two exemptions to this mandate including persons of certain religious backgrounds and those who qualify for the “hardship exemption.” If the annual healthcare premium exceeds 8% of the total household income, individuals will be categorized under the “hardship exemption.”
     Currently, small businesses-companies with fewer than 25 full time equivalent (the number of full time employees plus the number of part-time schedules converted to a full-time basis) employees are eligible for a tax break if they cover at least half the cost of health insurance. With the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, small businesses will have the state-based Small Business Health Options Program Exchanges. Companies who chose to get insurance through these exchanges could get a tax break of up to 50% of the contribution to employee’s healthcare, up from the current 35%. However, this tax credit will only be available for a maximum of two years once the exchanges are up and running.
     Firms will not be required to provide health insurance coverage, however only the smallest businesses will be exempt from paying a penalty if they do not offer it. The penalty will start when a company reaches 50 full-time equivalent employees with no health care coverage offered for employees who average 30 or more hours per week. The penalty will be $2,000 per full-time employee in excess of 30 full-time employees, with no penalties if part-time employees are not offered coverage. One loop hole or caveat to the penalty is that the penalty starts when 50 full-time equivalent employees are counted, however the penalty only applies to full-time employees over 30 who are not offered coverage-meaning some companies could end up paying no penalty at all. Example: Say your company has 20 full-time employees and 55 part-time employees who, combined, equal 30 full-time employees. Although your full-time equivalents equals 50, you only have 20 full-time employees. Since the penalty starts at full-time employee number 31, your company would not be expected to pay a penalty.
     Important things to keep in mind: the insurance you offer must qualify as “minimum essential”-covering 60% of the actuarial value of the cost of benefits-and “affordable”-a premium for the individual cannot exceed 9.5% of the employee’s household income. If the health care you offer qualifies as unaffordable, qualifying employees can get subsidized coverage through the tax credit on the state exchanges. In this case, the employer will pay the lesser penalty of either $3,000 per subsidized full-time employee or the $2,000 per employee after 30 full-time employees.
     These changes can be overwhelming and the difficulties of owning a private practice will no doubt increase with the passing of this act. Maybe it’s time you consider giving up your private practice and contact Medestar and Fidelis Partners to help find your next opportunity, free of the stresses of small business ownership.

Another Benefit of a Diet Including Fish

2011-11-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

     A new study released supports the idea that fish, especially those rich in omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial for the brain and brain functions. Experts have long speculated that omega 3 fatty acids may reduce the inflammation of the brain and play a role in brain development and nerve cell regeneration and have other brain-boosting effects. This new study from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, however, takes this hypothesis one step further by surmising that consuming non-fried (baked or broiled) fish can battle against the brain shrinkage and cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s.
     To arrive at this conclusion, researchers tracked 260 adults with normal cognitive function for a time of ten years. They used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure brain volume and memory function of each of the 260 participants both at the beginning and end of the analysis. Based on responses from a questionnaire, 163 of the participants consumed fish on a weekly basis, with the majority of the 163 eating fish one to four times each week.
     The findings showed subjects who consumed more fish had better memory function and larger brain areas, including the posterior cingulated cortex and the orbital frontal cortex, as well as the hippocampus even when considering other factors such as education, age, gender and physical activity. These results are especially important because the hippocampus is known to shrink in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
     Furthermore, it seems as though people with larger brain volume saw risk for Alzheimer’s decrease by fivefold within five years after the brain scans in this study took place. Not a fish lover?—No problem as the benefit was seen among those who only consumed fish as little as one to four times a week!
     According to the president of the Campaign to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease by 2020, the study results do lend support to the idea that there is a “possible beneficial effect of diet rich in fish ingredients, ” however, as promising as the results may be, it is important to remember these finding don’t definitively prove that eating fish will prevent Alzheimer’s.

Get to Know Fidelis Partners and Medestar!

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Lori Vickers

Career:
     • Lori began her career in physician recruiting in 2006 as an associate to our CEO, Arthur. She worked directly with him for 18 months before venturing out on her own to handle her own account load. When Arthur, Michael and Vince founded Fidelis Partners, Lori made the transition with them, and is now a Senior Search Consultant.
     • Throughout her years in the industry, Lori has formed close relationships and friendships with the clients and hospitals she serves, and her favorite part of her job is being able to satisfy her client’s recruitment goals and bringing physicians to their communities.
     • Because of the strong bonds she has formed with her clients, Lori has received the “Recruiter of the Quarter” award here at Fidelis Partners.
     • Lori uses her many personal and professional strengths daily to serve her clients and physicians. She is a big picture person and operates from a place of longevity and long term growth allowing her to truly consult both client and candidate throughout the recruitment process. She is positive, understanding, and expects the very best from those around her. This attitude not only helps her clients and physicians, but also her peers at Fidelis Partners.

Personal Information:

Background information:

     • Lori was born in American Samoa; however, she grew up in the San Diego area after moving to California at age 5.
     • Lori graduated from UCLA with a major in English and a minor in Education. Growing up, Lori always thought she would be a teacher! Now she uses her background and love of teaching to volunteer at college fairs where she works with high school students to help get them to college by reading their scholarship essays.

In Her Free Time:

     • In her free time, Lori enjoys spending time with her husband and one year old son, Ryan.
     • Lori has a strong interest in politics, and enjoys traveling and reading in her free time.

Interesting Things You Probably Didn’t Know:

     • After Lori graduated from college, she drove her Ford Ranger pick-up truck across the country to Washington, D.C. where she worked for the U.S. House of Representatives for four years. Washington, D.C. is still her favorite city because of how fast paced it is and because of the people who live and work there. She enjoys how the city is jam packed with some of the most determined and motivated people who are out to conquer the world.
     • Lori has Security Clearance from the U.S. Department of Defense from when she worked on Capitol Hill in 2002.
     • Lori’s first language was Samoan, but when she moved to the U.S. she only spoke English in her household, so she no longer remembers how to speak Samoan.
     • Lori’s favorite quote is by Marianne Williamson: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”

Contact Lori For:
     - Permanent placement opportunities.
Connect with Lori:
     - LinkedIn profile
     - Apply to jobs
     - Email Lori