Log In

3 articles were found on your search of:
Issue Date: May 2007

Patients Getting More Engaged in Care
Patients are getting more involved in their care. Health plans are recognizing that patients who are emotionally and intellectually involved in their care are likely to be more loyal than other patients. In other words, engaged patients are worth the investment needed to educate them.

Patients invested in their care are helping to propel consumer-driven care
by visiting such Web sites as Mayoclinic.com, WebMD.com, and Revolutionhealth.com. They also are interested in viewing educational videos online on surgical procedures and diseases. In some cases, medical Web sites allow patients to watch surgery being performed live. For many patients, it is easier to learn by viewing than it is by other means.

Biomarker Predicts Future Complications
A new study indicates that a blood test measuring natriuretic peptide levels could help predict the risk of cardiovascular events or mortality in patients with existing coronary heart disease.

The study, which was published in JAMA Jan. 10, examined the predictive value of the amino terminal fragment of the prohormone brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a physiologic marker of increased pressure and volume in the heart. The authors concluded that plasma NT-proBNP level adds new information that clinicians can use in conjunction with other prognostic indicators to risk stratify heart disease patients. The prognostic indicators include traditional clinical risk factors, left ventricular ejection fraction, diastolic dysfunction, left ventricular hypertrophy, and measures of ischemia.

Key Solutions to Design Problems
Given that many specialists are likely to be intensely interested in the clinical or business aspects of practice, it may be easy to overlook some of the more mundane issues related to office space. This situation raises a question: how can one acquire functional office space that is inviting for patients and useful for physicians and staff? All physicians should consider several design elements before any building starts.

One of the first questions to answer involves whether you’ll rent, buy, or build. Check with the real estate experts in your area before you begin your search. If you consider renting space or buying a building, you may find the latter makes more sense depending on your situation. These are issues to address with your tax professional and financial planner. Once you decide to proceed with construction in the office, here are some of the more difficult questions you will face.