Patients want to collaborate with physicians, but are reluctant to do so

By on May 9, 2012 in Behavior change, Health Consumers, Health engagement, Health literacy, Health social networks, Hospitals, Internet and Health, Personalized medicine, Physicians, Primary care, Public health, Seniors and health, Trust

“Knowing they may need to return at some later time, patients felt they were vulnerable and dependent on the good will of their physicians. Thus, deference to authority instead of genuine partnership appeared to be the participants’ mode of working,” asserts a study into physician-patient relationships published this week in Health Affairs. The study’s title [...]

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It’s the prices and the technology, stupid: why U.S. health costs are higher than anywhere in the world

By on May 7, 2012 in Health Consumers, Health Economics, Health politics, Health Quality, Health reform, Health social networks, Heart health, Hospital finance, Hospitals, medical home, Medical technology, Pharmaceutical, Pharmacy, Physicians, Prevention and wellness, Primary care, Safety net and health

The price of physician services, proliferation of clinical technology and the cost of obesity are the key drivers of higher health spending in the U.S., according to The Commonwealth Fund‘s latest analysis in their Issues of International Health Policy titled, Explaining High Health Care Spending in the United States: An International Comparison of Supply, Utilization, [...]

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For consumers, time is money and life when it comes to health care

By on May 3, 2012 in Health at home, Health Consumers, Health engagement, Health social networks, Internet and Health, Medical innovation, Physicians, Retail health, Telehealth, Telemedicine

Once upon a time, patient satisfaction with visits to doctors’ offices used to be a function of bedside (exam room) manner, demeanor and responsiveness of the reception and insurance staff, and the age of magazines in the waiting room. Today, waiting time is a key factor, and social media is raising expectations around response time in health [...]

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Employers who offer more flexibility yield healthier workforces

By on May 2, 2012 in Business and health, Corporate wellness, Employers, Health Consumers, Health Economics, Health engagement, Health insurance, Health Plans, Prevention and wellness

The most flexible workplaces are good for worker’s health: they yield the most engaged workforces, greater job satisfaction, increased commitment to the firm, better mental health and lower indicators of depression. But not all firms are all that flexible, which is the top line of the Family and Work Institute‘s 2012 National Study of Employers (NSE), funded by [...]

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Your doctor’s appointment on your phone: out of beta and into your pocket

By on May 1, 2012 in Chronic care, Connected health, Employers, Health at home, Health care information technology, Health Consumers, Health Economics, Health Plans, Medication adherence, mHealth, Mobile health, Physicians, Remote health monitoring, Telehealth, Telemedicine

You can now carry a doctor with you in your pocket. Two top telehealth companies that support online physician-patient visits have gone mobile. This upgrade was announced this week at the 2012 American Telemedicine Association conference, being held in San Jose, CA. In enabling mobile physician visits, American Well and Consult A Doctor join Myca, which has offered mobile [...]

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