When doctors meet with hospital administrators…

The meeting was remarkable. It’s not normal to get nine cardiologists to sit down with this many important hospital people. There was a CEO and CFO, two vice presidents, and a ‘consultant,’ a man who sported a nice suit but said no words. We gathered to discuss major issues in healthcare, things like budgets, pro forma estimates, physician recruitment, declining reimbursement, and yes, the electrophysiology situation. It goes without saying that I can’t offer details. I can, however, share four big-picture things: First…This stuff is really hard. Healthcare delivery I mean. It’s hard on people. As a regular observer of inflamed overworked people (AF patients), it was easy for me to spot the tension. It’s in the body language and faces. And this is no surprise. Tension and healthcare delivery go together. The layers of complexity boggle the mind. The only certainty is uncertainty. In that conference room were people I’ve known for more than a decade, friends and colleagues. Many have worked only here. Yes, dollars and cents are important, but self-esteem is attached as well. Ours is not a big or famous hospital, but it’s been a local success for more than 50 years. Second…There is a major disconnect between a hospital’s financial success and good medical practice. Dr. Atul Gawande and colleagues published a telling study in JAMA last April. His team showed many US hospitals make more when patients have surgical complica...
Source: Dr John M - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: blogs