July 8, 2021 | Pandemic impact: 48,400 physicians made a move

INDUSTRY NEWS

Pandemic impact: 48,400 physicians made a move

The pandemic accelerated the exodus from private practice to corporate medicine, Fierce Healthcare reports. Between Jan. 1, 2019, and Jan. 1, 2021, hospitals, payers and other corporate entities acquired 20,900 physician practices, according to the Physicians Advocacy Institute. During that period, 48,400 physicians left independent practice to work for a larger employer. About half of those increases occurred between July 1, 2020, and Jan. 1, 2021. As of Jan. 1, 2021, nearly half of all U.S. practices were owned by hospitals or corporate entities, and 70% of physicians were employed by them. (Fierce Healthcare)

Associations neutral on vax mandates

Hospitals and health systems have been mandating vaccines, but associations such as the AMA and the American Hospital Association haven’t been lending their weight to the effort. Most associations have put out strong statements in favor of vaccination efforts, but they’ve shied away from recommending actual mandates—except for the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.” (Modern Healthcare*)

INNOVATION & TRANSFORMATION

Telehealth reduces ED visits for palliative care patients

Telehealth for hospice care has reduced 911 calls and emergency department visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hospice News reports. Among a group of 44 hospice patients, emergency department visits and 911 calls dropped to 4.5% for those who received a telehealth intervention, down from 54%, according to a study published in the journal Computers Informatics Nursing. “A telemedicine hospice care application may benefit a palliative and hospice organization by enhancing patient clinical outcomes and decreasing emergency department visit rates,” researchers concluded. (Hospice News; Computers Informatics Nursing)

U.S. News updates best hospitals criteria

U.S. News & World Report has made a few adjustments to its annual best hospitals list, which comes out later this month. For example, it will measure health equity; however, that won’t be factored into this year’s rankings and ratings. Transparency will be incorporated into three of this year’s ratings—heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Overuse will be factored into the back surgery/spinal fusion category. It will rank hospitals on seven new procedures and conditions: heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, diabetes, kidney failure, hip fracture and back surgery/spinal fusion. (Healthcare Dive; U.S. News and World Report)

CONSUMERS & PROVIDERS

Not just clinicians: Workforce shortage looms

We often read about the looming shortage of physicians and nurses, but we should be equally concerned about shortages in the rest of the workforce, including medical assistants, pharmacy techs and administrative staff, STAT News reports. The post-pandemic spike in demand for health care services will exacerbate the problem. Roughly 50,000 jobs have been added to the health care sector since January, but it will take 500,000 jobs to get back to pre-pandemic levels. (STAT News)

No-surprise-billing rule moves forward

Soon, patients will no longer receive surprise medical bills for emergency treatment and certain other health care services from out-of-network providers under a new HHS rule. The rule also bars policies that let insurers retroactively deny emergency department claims. The interim final rule starts the process of rolling out the No Surprises Act, enacted under the previous administration. The rule is the first of several needed to implement the law. (CNN; Fierce Healthcare)

NEW & NOTED

Breast cancer screening down: Breast cancer screenings dropped 87% during the initial days of the pandemic, according to CDC data released last week. The declines were particularly pronounced among low-income populations and women of color.“ (Radiology Business; prepared statement)

Intermittent fasting data: Time-restricted eating may produce a modest weight loss, even without cutting calories, early studies in humans suggest. (Medscape Medical News)

Two Americas: Dr. Anthony Fauci warns there could soon be "two Americas"—one where most people are vaccinated and another where low vaccination rates could lead to spikes in cases. (CNN)

MULTI-MEDIA

Walmart to launch private-label insulin

Walmart will start selling its own private brand of analog insulin. It will cost $72.88 per vial and $85.88 per FlexPen, which the company said reflects prices that are between 58% to 75% lower than other insulin products on the market. (CBS News)

MARKETVOICES...QUOTES WORTH READING

"Professional societies' positions have not come into play honestly. Not many have staked out a position. It's not that it didn't matter. We would have liked to have them on board.”—Dr. Patrick Brennan, chief medical officer and senior vice president of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which is part of Penn Medicine, quoted in Modern Healthcare. Penn Medicine issued its vaccine mandate on May 19.