In an interview last week, Larry Cohen — CEO of Health 2047, the American Medical Association’s venture studio — noted that digital health programs have proven to do a good job of improving patient outcomes — but only for certain groups. As technology continues to advance, he urged healthcare leaders not to underestimate the effectiveness of engaging patients by having boots on the ground.
The Medicare physician pay cuts that went into effect January 1 is a "disaster for the profession," said Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, president of the AMA, during an interview at CES 2024. Getting the pay cut reversed is a top priority for the organization.
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Some healthcare organizations have reduced health equity to a buzzword, using the phrase superficially without a true commitment to dismantling systemic barriers. During a webinar, two industry leaders — AMA President Jesse Ehrenfeld and Emory Healthcare Chief Transformation Officer Amaka Eneanya — discussed why this approach must be avoided and explored how leaders can do better.
Nearly half of physicians are equally excited and concerned about the use of AI in their field, according to a new AMA survey. Those who felt optimistic about AI cited reduced administrative burden as the number one benefit they’re seeking. Patient privacy and the impact to the patient-physician relationship were the most common reasons physicians cited for having reservations about AI.
CMS finalized updates to its physician fee schedule for 2024, as well as finalized the rule for next year’s Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). Provider groups are displeased with the updated rules, arguing that both physicians and provider organizations need more monetary relief than what the agency is offering.
At HLTH 2023, I had dozens of conversations with providers, digital health investors, startup CEOs and other players in the healthcare industry. When I got home, I compiled seven refreshingly honest takes I heard from them while at the conference.
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
To address the growing physician shortage, some people argue that the scope of practice should be expanded for skilled healthcare professionals like nurse practitioners and pharmacists. American Medical Association President Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld said this is a “terrible idea.” He argued that throwing other professionals into physicians' roles will have poor ramifications of patient safety. In his view, the industry should focus on uplifting strong interprofessional care teams.
Over the past decade, a significant percentage of the country’s physicians have shifted from working in private practices (defined as those owned wholly by physicians) to working in bigger, health system-owned practices. The ability to negotiate higher payment rates with insurers when working at a larger practice is a crucial factor causing this trend, according to a new AMA analysis.
CMS recently revealed its proposals to raise reimbursement rates for hospital outpatient departments and cut payments for physicians. Next year, the agency is planning to decrease physicians’ pay by 1.25% and increase outpatient payment rates by 2.8%. Provider groups are unhappy with the news — AMA President Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld said the new physician fee schedule will be “almost biblical in its impact.”
Providers often have a checklist of requirements they use to determine whether they should bring new technology into their organization. Digital health startups would be wise to learn about these criteria when taking their products to market, said Meg Barron, the AMA's vice president of digital health strategy, at a recent conference. That way, startups can build their products around meeting providers' needs.
We will highlight Build My Health's revenue practice management tools, which could help physician practices add up to $250,000 to their practices.
The AMA believes physicians should still be the main prescribers, while advocates for provider status for pharmacists say it's a win for health equity and will expand treatment access.
The director of psychological services at Amwell said that the report from the American Medical Association entitled "Accelerating and Enhancing Behavioral Health Integration Through Digitally Enabled Care: Opportunities and Challenges" represent a solid starting point for engaging multiple stakeholders in this effort.
About 73% of health insurance markets are highly concentrated, and in 46% of markets, one insurer had a share of 50% or more, a new report from the American Medical Association shows. The report comes a few months after President Joe Biden directed federal agencies to ramp up oversight of healthcare consolidation.
The government's proposed changes to HIPAA aim to provide guardrails against data breaches and misuse, but some of the modifications may not work as intended. Three healthcare experts delved into the ways in which certain proposals could provide inappropriate access to health data during a recent panel discussion.
Recent efforts to improve transparency haven't made much of a difference, one author noted. But earlier reforms made a dent the "most egregious" practices.