July 2003
The concept is not new, and there might not be total truth in advertising, but it is rapidly gaining acceptance as a technique to control costs and disease progression.
Health plans know that getting along with physicians is important, and many are trying new initiatives. Here are some successes.
Some plans swear by the benefits of obtaining an "excellent." Others say that customers care much more about cost.
Change comes slowly, says this public policy expert whose work over the last two decades has helped frame the health care debate. She'd like to see greater efforts in the public and private sectors to reward quality.
Continuous subcutaneous terbutaline infusion shows improved clinical outcomes and decreased nursery costs compared with oral tocolytics in women with recurrent preterm labor.
Departments
Viewpoint
Mentors and support groups can help you avoid being fired. And if the worst does happen, they can facilitate your comeback.
Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
Legislation & Regulation
Have drug companies lost the incentive to develop products for small populations? What's managed care's stake?
John Carroll
Ethics
The current debate over a single payer system calls to mind the parable of the blind men describing an elephant.
Michael S. Victoroff, MD
Compensation Monitor
Tomorrow's Medicine
By reducing restenosis, these devices will save managed care money.
Thomas Morrow, MD
Managed Care Outlook