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Physician's Viewpoint
Author: | Thursday November 30, 2006
Looking at the best practices and implementing them could solve some problems.
Physician's Viewpoint
Insurers Have Power
To Improve Patient
Care in Work Comp
With the changes in the workers' compensation law in Florida the pendulum has swung, giving more power to control treatment of injured workers to insurers. As one physician sees it, this is an opportunity for insurers to lower their costs, not by withholding care, but by helping injured workers get better more quickly.
Raul Aparicio, M.D., of Lauderdale Orthopaedic Surgeons, has worked in the health care system for many years and he understands it. What he sometimes doesn't understand is why treatment is delayed when all evidence and documented research proves the efficiency of early intervention.
"Unfortunately, in some cases, it is becoming more adversarial to get treatment for patients," Dr. Aparicio told the Voice during a recent interview. "The primary goal I have, as a doctor, is to resolve the patient's injury through diagnosis and treatment. If that becomes the primary goal for all parties, everyone would be happy," he concluded.
Dr. Aparicio referred to a recent documentary aired on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) which reported on hospitals which took a new look at their systems and decided to put the patient first. The hospitals soon found they dramatically cut their costs while delivering better care to patients. Using the so-called "Toyota model" employed by the car company to focus on customer satisfaction rather than only seeking ways to cut costs, the hospitals "healed themselves" of their financial problems.
"I am not naive," Dr. Aparicio continued, "I know that there are some people who try to take advantage of the system, but it isn't fair to the truly injured person to paint them with the same broad brush stroke."
The physician said that now is the time to implement a philosophy that focuses on early diagnosis and quality patient care. "This is where the physician comes in. Our job is to make the right medical call and get a treatment plan in place. With the support of the payer sources, we can get our job done," Dr. Aparicio said.
Ed. Note: Raul Aparico, M.D. is part of the team of physicians at Lauderdale Orthopaedic Surgeons providing non-surgical and surgical treatment of injured workers. Visit www.lauderdaleortho.com.
For information on the Toyota Model refer to a June 21 column by Cal Thomas in the Washington Times. "Good News, How Hospitals Heal Themselves" is shown on Public Broadcasting.
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