Prior Authorization: A State-Level Perspective
Grassroots advocacy has played a crucial role in addressing the burdensome and increasingly complex prior authorization processes that have frustrated neurosurgery patients, leading to unnecessary delays in care, worsening neurological deficits, and denial of essential services. Neurosurgeons have faced overwhelming administrative tasks that are both time-consuming and require additional staffing, significantly increasing overhead costs. State […]
Cross-Post: Physician Pay Cuts Are Another Threat to Independent Practices
From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other places when we believe they hit the mark on an issue. Today’s post originally appeared in The Hill on Nov. 13, 2021. In the op-ed titled “Physician pay cuts are another threat to independent practices,” Richard Menger, MD, MPA, […]
Prior Authorization Burdens March On, Even During COVID-19
For much of 2020, as COVID-19 case surges threatened to overwhelm the U.S. health system, physicians faced onerous, business-as-usual insurer policies on top of a public health emergency. In December, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data showed daily new COVID-19 cases reaching the once unthinkable total of 200,000, the American Medical […]
Burnout Among Physicians: A System Issue
The prevalence of physician distress has been well documented in recent years, and data suggests that 44% of U.S. physicians experience symptoms of burnout. A recent study titled, “Resilience and Burnout Among Physicians and the General US Working Population,” published in JAMA Network Open — a journal of the American Medical Association (AMA) — evaluated […]
Reflecting on COVID19, the Death of George Floyd and the Need for Change
“I want to touch the world.” George Perry Floyd, Jr. We are living in trying and turbulent times in our country. A global pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 100,000 people across America and has threatened to overwhelm our health care systems in some of the worst affected areas. On top of this […]
Vital Signs: Physicians Keep the Economy Healthy
David O. Barbe, MD President, American Medical Association Mountain Grove, MO As physicians, we carry tremendous responsibility as trusted confidants, patient advocates and leaders of the health care team. But our positive impact extends far beyond the exam room. We keep the economy healthy too. This year, the American Medical Association (AMA) published a study […]
The Nation’s Opioid Epidemic — Continued Advocacy Needed to Turn the Tide
Guest Post from Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA Chair, AMA Opioid Task Force Atlanta, GA It is a basic tenet of physician leadership that we run toward an emergency. We evaluate the situation, make an initial diagnosis, and pursue interventions consistent with our education and training. This is as true for clinical practice as it […]
AMA Honors Katie O. Orrico with Lifetime Achievement Award
From time to time you will see us promote items on Neurosurgery Blog in order to spotlight some great things which are born out of the many individuals who work on behalf of organized neurosurgery. For our post today we would like to highlight that earlier this week, the American Medical Association awarded Katie O. […]
Cross Post – Using Neurosurgical Solutions to Manage Chronic Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common ailments patients with chronic pain face. For some, a neurosurgical approach can offer much relief and may be an alternative to long-term opioid therapy. Today’s post originally appeared in the AMA Wire, which is published by the American Medical Association (AMA). Jennifer A. Sweet, MD, Assistant Professor, […]
Cross Post – Neurosurgery Makes Pain Management Curricular Breakthroughs
From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other publications when we believe they hit the mark on an issue. Today’s post originally appeared in the AMA Wire, which is published by the American Medical Association (AMA). Christopher J. Winfree, MD, FAANS, a neurosurgeon from Columbia […]