The PMD Critical List: Are Hillary Clinton's Health Concerns Serious?

The majority of physicians partaking in an online survey said that Hillary Clinton’s, Democratic presidential candidate, health concerns are serious. What do you think? That story tops this week’s PMD Critical List. Also making the list: reevaluating the 15-minute doctor visit, TV’s best fake doctors, and new Medicare flexibility.

• Most Doctors Say Clinton's Health Concerns Serious (PR Newswire)

Even before her NYC weekend health scare: “Concerns about Hillary Clinton's health are "serious and could be disqualifying for the position of US President,” say nearly 71% of physicians in an informal internet survey by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.

• Time to Change the 15-Minute Limit for Doctor Visits (Forbes)

“How exactly did 15 minutes become the typical doctor’s visit length and why isn’t this number being questioned more? The reason is insurance reimbursement, which dictates a lot of what is done in medicine. Times have changed, and it’s time to re-evaluate the length of doctors’ visits.”

• Hospitals Now Employ 38% of All Physicians (Health Leaders Media)

“Hospitals have gone on a physician feeding frenzy, with the number of practices owned by hospitals and health systems rising 86% from 2012-15, a study from the Physicians Advocacy Institute shows. The acquisitions are occurring in all regions of the country and one-in-four medical practices are now owned by a hospital or health system.”

• British Hospitals Nearing Collapse (The Guardian)

“The body that represents hospitals across England has issued a startling warning that the NHS is close to breaking point because of its escalating cash crisis.” The chief executive of NHS Providers says it’s “impossible to provide the right quality of service and meet performance targets on the funding available. Something has to give.”

• Doctors Struggle to Modernize Hospital ICUs (STAT)

“ICUs are one of the most crucial departments of any hospital — heroic places with devoted staff who pull the sickest of patients from death. But many ICU physicians say they’re also woefully – and often dangerously—out of date.” Fighting the “the alarms race.”

• Doctor Breaks Down Language and Cultural Barriers to Healthcare (Washington Post)

This is a compelling profile of Dr. Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, the director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health. The Cuban—born physician wants to “establish a greater depth and credibility and acceptance of the science of minority health and health disparities.”

• TVs Best Fake Doctors Want You to See a Real Doctor (Advertising Age)

In an effort to get Americans to do more annual check-ups from real doctors, health insurancer Cigna is bringing together an all-star team of fake doctors. The new TV commercial includes: Alan Alda (MASH's Dr. Pierce), Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy’s Dr. Shepherd), Donald Faison (Scrubs' Dr. Turk), Noah Wyle (ER's Dr. Carter) and Lisa Edelstein (House's Dr. Cuddy).

• Who Will Heal the Doctors? (Los Angeles Review of Books)

A physician-writer reviews the new book, “The Finest Traditions of My Calling: One Physician’s Search for the Renewal of Medicine” by Dr. Abraham M. Nussbaum. “Doctors’ fixation on ‘observing and measuring’ has derailed medicine, and hurt doctors, too.”

• Doctors Get Flexibility in New Medicare Payment System (The Hill)

Physicians worried about new 2017 Medicare payment rules can relax some after the CMS granted new options for participating in the program. There are now four options (rather than two) for Medicare doctors complying with the new requirements instituted under last year’s MACRA.

• Health Care Providers Scramble to Meet New Disaster Readiness Rule (The New York Times)

“An estimated 72,315 American health care providers and suppliers — from hospitals and nursing homes to dialysis facilities and care homes for those with intellectual disabilities – will have a little over a year to meet new federal disaster preparedness requirements. The need for patient care doesn’t stop because streets are flooded or trees are down.”