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More physicians are being given revocations, reprimands or suspensions than ever before, over 5500 in 2004. There was a 19% rise in actions between 2003 and 2004. The major cause was drug abuse, unprofessional conduct and controlled substance violations. In 2004 the states took over 135,000 actions of some kind against 46,000 practitioners.
Over 100 physicians in the Portland, Oregon area are upset with Providence Health, who has its own hospital and insurance plan. The hospital is opening imaging centers and the plan has stopped contracting with the new imaging plans competitors. The old imaging centers are suing for antitrust and have asked for an injunction. The remaining physicians who are against the switch should make sure their patients have an out of plan benefit and make sure they don't send patients to Providence. Providence is known to only listen to money and occasionally the law. Top
I don't know what I will do if King/Drew actually does the right thing and closes. Until that happens, I will continue to lead off the Hospital section with their ineptitudes. It is wonderful that they have dedicated individuals working there such as Dr. Harold A Tate. Dr. Tate, a radiologist, has been working 20 hours a day at he hospital and the temporary agency, Reliable Health Care, has received $1.3 million for the physician's services over the past year. Dr. Tate states he never left the hospital and that his time cards are correct. He ate and showered at the hospital. Too bad he no longer works at the hospital, but now lives in Los Vegas. The Department Chairs all signed off on the 22-24 hour days put in by Dr. Tate. Dr. Tate received about $1 million for the year he put in working day and night at the hospital. He never slept for that year since the hospital only paid him for the time worked.
Yet another physician from that esteemed institution has been accused of padding the books. Dr. Lawrence Robinson was being paid by Drew/King while he was also working in private pediatric practice 83 miles away. He resigned this past week under pressure. He was the acting Chair of Peds at the hospital. He was being paid a stipend of $152,000 for his full time work at the hospital and medical school. He as Dr. Tate above will be sued for the recovery of a portion of the money.
The famed LA Board of Supervisors are continuing to look for the scapegoat for their lack of oversight of the hospital. they have settled on Dr. Gaithwaite, the chief of the Department of Health. First, they ordered him to move his office to the hospital and now they are considering firing him. In the meantime back at the ranch, a psychiatric patient under constant watch disappeared from the ED. This happened the day Dr. Gaithwaite was to move to the hospital. The head honcho of the Board of Supervisors connected with the "Hospital" said she will "not lt it close, no matter how bad the problems were." This is terrible for the patients but good for my column. She is obviously looking to stay in office no matter what the cost of human life.
The Arizona Surgical Hospital in Phoenix was closing until there are now a group of 10 physicians negotiating for the purchase. The hospitals would be turned into a specialty hospital for orthopedic procedures. This would get around the building moratorium on specialty hospitals. The hospital is accredited for two more years. They hope to do many spine surgeries at the hospital.
Sometimes the law works is strange ways. A man was shot in Miami, Florida, and then dropped off at the front entrance to Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was found but was not close enough for the emergency room personnel to get him. Instead, the paramedics were called, bandaged him and took him around the corner to the ED.
Thomas Hospital in West Virginia has hired via an agency two surgeons to become full time surgilists to cover the ED full time. This relieves all the surgeons in the community from ED call and helps the hospital recruit new surgeons to the area. The hospital pays the company that has the surgeons about $700,000 per year less what the surgeons bill the patients. The company also pays for all the malpractice and collecting fees for the two physicians. The hospital states the reason the program has worked so well is the personalities of the hired surgeons. The company is so happy they are doing this with other specialists such as OB, Ortho and Peds.
Believe it or not hospitals are again buying physicians. Some hospitals are losing their physicians so are purchasing practices to keep the physicians tied to the hospital. I guess this is easier than trying to find out why the doctors are leaving and rectifying those problems. Top
Brown and Toland, a San Francisco IPA has negotiated with the FTC their ability to negotiate for their physicians PPO contracts. This was originally removed from them by the FTC for price fixing charges. Top
In South Carolina, the physician are waiting for the new limits on malpractice non economic damages to kick in and to see their premiums go down. Of course, it has been all of a month since the Governor signed the law.
In Ohio the med mal reform seems to be doing some good. Increases in med mal premiums have slowed in the past two years of the law. The committee that studied the effect also recommended a medical error reporting system. Top
DISCLAIMER: Although this article is updated periodically, it reflects the author's point of view at the time of publication. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. Readers should consult with their own legal counsel before acting on any of the information presented.