Risk Watch e-column
June 2005
A monthly update of risk management news, issues and items of interest
Study Finds Quality Efforts Lagging
A new study has found that most physicians are not taking steps to improve the quality of the care they deliver, and most do not even know how they are doing.
The Commonwealth Fund surveyed more than 1,800 physicians nationwide and found the following:
- One-third of physicians responding to the survey have been involved in redesign efforts to improve the system of care in which they practice.
- Of the one-third who said they collect quality-of-care data, most gather it from patient surveys and 25% from insurers and health plans.
- Nearly half of physicians in large medical groups (50 or more) receive feedback on quality, but only 20% of solo physicians do.
The study was published in the May/June issue of Health Affairs. For more information, go to www.healthaffairs.org or www.cmwf.org.
(Sources: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, Commonwealth Fund, Health Affairs)
New Online Medical Record Program Launched
Patients and their physicians can now access medical records on the Internet through a new website launched on May 10.
The website, www.iHealthRecord.org, enables patients to enter detailed information about their medical history, prescriptions, health insurance coverage and physicians. Patients can manage their online records and control who has access to their files.
The online service is free to patients, but healthcare providers pay up to $25 per month per patient for the system, plus a charge for each e-mail consultation.
The site is provided by Medem, Inc., an online medical services company founded in 1999 by several medical societies, including the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Pediatrics.
For more information, go to www.ihealthrecord.org.
(Source: Reuters)
Physicians Work to End Disparities in Healthcare
Many of the nation's physicians are working to eliminate racial and ethnic healthcare disparities, according to a survey released April 25.
The national survey, conducted by the American Medical Association's Institute for Ethics, found that 55% of physicians believe that minority patients generally receive lower quality care, and many are working to provide better care for minority patients.
Other findings of the survey included the following:
- 54% of physicians have read a journal article to learn more about improving care for minority patients in the past six months
- 32% of physicians have discussed strategies to address the specific healthcare needs of minority patients with their colleagues within the past month
- 19% of physicians have attended an educational seminar on healthcare delivery to minority patients within the past six months.
(Source: AMA)
