[Histonet] Pa Leeeze

Tue Nov 20 16:17:38 CST 2012

True, things will change and despite all the angst probably for the better for medical care overall. 

Listen to these two podcasts from the Commonwealth Club of California for some REAL insight into the current state of medicine (or get the book of the first speaker)....

1) http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2012-03-19/dr-david-healy-eclipse-medical-care
Dr. Otis Brawley: Fighting Patient Mistreatment in America  [and by mistreatment he does not mean LACK of treatment!!]

Otis Brawley, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, American Cancer Society; Co-author, How We Do Harm: A Doctor Breaks Ranks About Being Sick in America

Finance, Brawley asserts, is inextricably linked to health care in America's current system. Even the very procedures patients undergo, he says, are frequently determined more by doctors' expected payment for performing them than their actual appropriateness in mitigating the ailment with which the patient is afflicted. Brawley will discuss the extent of this problem as well as possible solutions.

2) http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2012-03-19/dr-david-healy-eclipse-medical-care
Dr. David Healy: Eclipse of Medical Care

David Healy, MD, Cardiff University

We live in an evidence-based medicine world. Healy sees increasing signs of a mismatch between what is passing as evidence and the real data from studies. As a result, patients and doctors are both increasingly invisible in the clinical encounter, and doctors are losing the ability to care for patients. Join us as Healy explains his theories behind this flawed system and the actions that he believes must be taken to right the problems we are facing.

Tim Morken
UCSF Medical Center

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Davide Costanzo
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 1:03 PM
To: O'Donnell, Bill
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Bruce Gapinski
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Pa Leeeze

Well put. I do think too many are panic stricken over losing a job. The work will still be there, but it might be at a different location.
Physicians are not going to stop doing biopsies because the pay has been cut to the lab. The only thing that may cost a few jobs is if over-utilization is curbed. However, in my opinion that is not a large enough number to cause widespread panic among lab employees.

If POL's begin closing, the work will return elsewhere. Those techs are free to apply for those jobs, and there will likely be a new job elsewhere for every one cut at your current practice.

In my personal opinion, I think PA's should be far more concerned than techs. We could see a surge in the number of "grossing techs" out there, and a decline in the use of NAACLS trained PA's where the biopsy rate is high. So for all those techs that are worried, think positively - you may just experience a surge in job opportunities, and jobs with more attractive shifts.

David

On Tue, Nov 20, 2012 at 12:25 PM, O'Donnell, Bill < billodonnell <@t> catholichealth.net> wrote:

> Like it or not, politics played a part in the cut of 88305. So did 
> POLs, CAP and a host of other factors. Finger pointing in time of 
> uncertainty somehow makes us all feel better, but  it doesn't give us 
> concrete ways of addressing the problem. Histology has enjoyed a 
> fairly long period of great reimbursement, reasonable per-test costs, 
> and a certain amount of security in that what we do is unique.
>
> That is all changing, but was likely to change at least some no matter 
> who was elected to do whatever. Remember the panic when DRG's first 
> arrived?
>
> There is no doubt that labs are going to have to get leaner, but this 
> was already a trend. Find reasonable ways to cut costs. I know. We've 
> been doing this for years.... But it needs to go further.
>
> Some people will lose their jobs. I may well be one of them and I 
> don't like it, but it is a reality. If I go down, it will not be for 
> lack of trying to maintain.
>
> 88305 cuts are big but there are a lot of clinical services getting 
> cuts as well. Hospitals need to do what they can to keep the doors 
> open for the benefit of the patient. Pay cuts, bonuses+/-, benefits, 
> hiring freezes, capital freezes are all looming on the horizon. If at 
> all possible, fight them, but do not exhaust yourselves. It's a new 
> world - and it will sometimes be ugly. Blame the Democrats or the 
> Republicans, Wall Street or Main Street, but figure out how to adapt.
>
> OK. So.... What can we do to ride out the storm?
>
> 1. Find a marketing advantage. POLs and certain smaller private labs 
> cannot remain the "bargain" they once were. My lab is expectiing to 
> get back some of what we lost to them a few years back. We are the 
> only game in our town.... Why are we losing business to labs in other 
> areas? It should all be staying here.
>
> 2. Become politically active. Demand better from your elected 
> officials and from your professional organizations that are 
> lobbyists(sp). If they can't do the job, use your vote or your 
> membership fees to fire them OR run for office yourself. Become an 
> activist in your professional organization.
>
> 3. Maintain high standards. Cut-backs and performance improvement need 
> not automatically equate to less quality. I hate it when people assume 
> that shaving a couple of minutes must necessitate poor cutting. How 
> close to borderline is your current quality if this is your attitude.
> Yes, that was snarky, but think about it.
>
> 4. Remember the mantra of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe: DON'T 
> PANIC. When you are caught up in a panic mentality, thinking and 
> problem solving suffer. We need our heads in the game if we are going 
> to come out on top.
> (How's that for my best Zig Zigler impersonation)?
>
> Above all - have a nice day and thank you for letting me vent a bit.
>
> Bill
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Bruce 
> Gapinski
> Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 10:37 AM
> To: 'histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu'
> Subject: [Histonet] Pa Leeeze
>
> Wow,
>                 How disappointing. Looking for constructive ways to 
> keep my lab open and I get political stuff. Did you all go crazy in 
> the 80's with Ronald Ray-gun and the DRG's? Too young?
>
>
> Bruce Gapinsk HT (ASCP)
> Chief Histologist
> Marin Medical Laboratories
> PathGroup SF
>
>
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--
*David Costanzo, MHS, PA (ASCP)*
Project Manager
*Blufrog Path Lab Solutions*
9401 Wilshire Blvd. Ste 650
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
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