Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Report Says 7 In 10 US Doctors Now Work Outside Of Private Practice
Philadelphia Inquirer: Doctors Flee Administrative Headaches Of Private Practice
The days of the stalwart solo physician, hanging out a shingle and seeing patients as he or she sees fit, are rapidly drawing to a close. Consulting firm Avalere Health reports that almost 70% of physicians in the United States now work as employees of a hospital, health system, or private corporation. That’s a 12% increase over just two years ago, and is likely to accelerate after the COVID-19 pandemic. The report is “a stunning document” that shows just how much the profession of medicine is changing, said Richard Baron, president of the American Board of Internal Medicine, the Philadelphia-based group that certifies the expertise of internists. (Field, 8/7)
In other health care industry news —
Modern Healthcare: Hospital-At-Home Program Boosted Inpatient Capacity, Access, Study Finds
Brigham and Women's Hospital boosted inpatient capacity and access to care when providers treated acute patients at home, new research shows. The Boston-based facility's hospital-at-home program treated 65 acutely ill patients over a three-month span during the COVID-19 pandemic, which freed up 419 inpatient beds, according to a Brigham and Women's study published Friday in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Home hospital patients dealing with infections or complications associated with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma received daily in-home or remote visits from attending general internists, two daily in-home visits from registered nurses and they had access to 24-hour physician coverage and remote monitoring tools. (Kacik, 8/6)
Modern Healthcare: Honor Technology Acquires Home Instead
Honor Technology has acquired Home Instead, the company said. The acquisition will allow the companies to pair home care provider Home Instead's network with San Francisco-based Honor Technology's home care technology and operations platform. Combined, the two organizations generate more than $2.1 billion in annual home care services revenue. The companies did not disclose the terms of the deal, which took effect Friday. The Home Instead acquisition will serve "as a foundation for a dramatic increase in innovation to benefit caregivers and clients through expanded offerings," Honor Technology said in a news release. (Christ, 8/6)
Modern Healthcare: Returning Patients, Ongoing COVID Wave Behind Kaiser's Slim Q2 Margin
More of Kaiser Permanente's 12.5 million members returned for healthcare services once COVID-19 cases waned in the spring and early summer, contributing to an unusually slim operating margin in the second quarter of 2021. Typically, higher patient volumes would boost a health system's bottom line, but Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser operates differently than most. As an integrated system, its patients are also its health plan members, so Kaiser foots the bill for their care. The system's operating margin was just 1.5% in the quarter ended June 30, down significantly from 9.4% in the prior year period. (Bannow, 8/6)
The Washington Post: Howard University To Build Center To Research Health Disparities
Howard University and several development partners will begin construction in 2023 on a new center dedicated to researching health disparities, school officials announced Thursday. The aim of the National Research Center for Health Disparities — which will be next to the school’s college of medicine — is to attract pharmaceutical companies and biomedical research organizations that are focused on treating chronic illnesses, especially those that affect communities of color. The project, which will take up 260,000 square feet, will include a laboratory and an office building. (Fadulu, 8/5)
Stat: As HIMSS Approaches, Conference Plans Clash With Covid-19 Concerns
It was supposed to be a coming out party for the digital health industry after a huge year of business. But one of the sector’s biggest annual gatherings is shaping up to be a microcosm of another distressing moment in the pandemic, when an overwhelming desire for normalcy is again clashing with an imperative for caution. The conference of the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is scheduled to begin Monday in Las Vegas. But the weeklong event, to be held in person, is unfolding against the backdrop of a rising wave of Covid-19 cases and fear over the spread of the especially contagious Delta variant of the virus. (Ross, 8/6)
Stat: In The Feeding Frenzy Of Health Tech Dealmaking, The Little Fish Wield Power
The fickle market only lets executives at health care startups control so much, but for companies ready to take the big step of cashing out, the timing’s never been better. “If you’re exiting as a business right now, God bless you, you hit the window perfectly,” said Steve Tolle, a partner at HLM Venture Partners. “You’re going to get a high valuation, and your shareholders are going to be very happy.” (Aguilar, 8/9)
San Francisco Chronicle: Whistle-Blower Allegations Result In $11.4 Million Settlement By San Mateo County Medical Center
The San Mateo Medical Center and San Mateo County have agreed to pay $11.4 million after federal officials alleged the hospital submitted false Medicare claims for patients not covered by the federal health care program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced on Friday. The settlement resolves allegations initially leveled in 2016 by whistle-blower Felix Levy, the former director of resource management at the hospital. (Cassidy and Hosseini, 8/7)
