Sensing Savvy

When you chose to become a surgeon, what made you want to pursue the occupation? Was it the opportunity to help others? Your interest in medicine? Maybe someone recommended the profession to you?

In February, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 was signed into law, expanding Medicare reimbursement for a small list of telehealth services, including home dialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), according to the Clinical Journal of American Society of Nephrology. 

DaVita’s Medical Group Division to Pay $270 Million Over Inflated Charges

The division, which is being sold to UnitedHealth Group, agreed to pay the sum to settle claims it provided inaccurate information on patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, which led to overpayment from Medicare.

Source: Nephrology News & Issues

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death. Currently, more than 1 in 3 adults (85.6 million) live with one or more types of cardiovascular disease. Together, heart disease and stroke, along with other cardiovascular diseases, are among the most widespread and costly health problems facing the nation, accounting for approximately $320 billion in health care and related expenditures annually. Fortunately, they are also among the most preventable. Leading controllable risk factors for heart disease and stroke are:

For nearly 50 years, since 1969, the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) has been dedicated to improving the quality of life for kidney patients through education advocacy, patient engagement and the fostering of patient communities. It is a recognized leader in patient-centered education, continually developing high quality, professionally written, edited and reviewed educational pieces covering every level of kidney disease.

Clotting and bleeding are major causes of mortality and morbidity during high risk ECMO therapy that treats the “sickest of the sick” by infusing patients with oxygen-rich blood drawn from an ECMO circuit. One key component of an ECMO circuit is the oxygenator. As a clot develops in the oxygenator over time, the volume of oxygenated blood decreases and less oxygen-rich blood is delivered to the critically ill patient. If the clot gets large enough, the oxygenator will need to be switched out by the perfusionist as quickly as possible and replaced by one that will continue to oxygenate the blood.

The decision to attend medical school can involve many factors. Medscape spoke with 2,400 residents about what made them want to study medicine as well as their experiences during their education. Here is a look at five interesting stats from Medscape’s Medical Student Life & Education Report.

When you hear the word “bullying,” you probably imagine school-age children taunting each other in class, or young adults maligning each other behind the mask of social media. The last thing you’d consider is
the treatment of medical students completing hospital rounds—but
residency bullying is all too real, and it’s more widespread than you may think. 
A surprising 42 percent of U.S. medical students in their final year of school reported experiencing harassment, and 84 percent reported being belittled, according to a study published by the British Medical Journal.

Will private practices become obsolete?

It’s not impossible, according to a report from the Health Care Cost Institute. Data show visits to primary care physician practices declined 18 percent between 2012 to 2016. And with rising business costs, changes to reimbursement plans and evolving regulations, not to mention patients flocking to urgent care centers and clinics, it's no surprise medical practice owners are concerned.

Think of someone you consider a great leader. Maybe a former manager, coach, mentor or just someone in your social circles who always seems to take charge naturally.
What about this person makes them the right fit for a leadership role? Generally, it’s not one thing, but a collection of attributes that primes someone to lead.