Steve Berkowitz
Posted on January 11, 2016 by
Steve Berkowitz
“Some look at things that are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were and ask why not?”? George Bernard Shaw Health care costs are out of control. Health care will soon comprise 20% of the GNP and although there have been some signs of “bending the cost curve”, there have been no… Continue Reading >>
Steve Berkowitz
Posted on March 23, 2015 by
Steve Berkowitz
Earlier in the week I read an article that said the city of Houston has now become a major medical tourism destination and will be getting 20,000 patients from abroad in the next year. Most of these patients come from Mexico and Saudi Arabia and most will be receiving high margin specialty interventions. These are… Continue Reading >>
Steve Berkowitz
Posted on February 2, 2015 by
Steve Berkowitz
The New Health Literacy Transparency goes into Overdrive We are seeing an inexorable rise in what is now called “Health Literacy”. In my February newsletter, I am addressing the issues of health literacy and what hospitals and physicians need to do to prosper in this new environment. Health literacy is not simply patient education, but… Continue Reading >>
Steve Berkowitz
Posted on July 9, 2014 by
Steve Berkowitz
I love working with Trustees. They are a very successful, dedicated group of individuals who devote a great deal of time and energy in service to their hospital. According to most bylaws, the Board is ultimately responsible for the quality of the institution. This can be a daunting responsibility for Trustees… most of which are… Continue Reading >>
Steve Berkowitz
Posted on June 30, 2014 by
Steve Berkowitz
The Physician Sunshine Act, a component of the ACA, has been in place since October of last year. It requires pharmaceutical companies to collect and track all financial relationships with physicians and teaching hospitals. The goal of the law is to enhance patient safety by increasing the transparency of financial relationships between health care providers… Continue Reading >>
Steve Berkowitz
Posted on May 30, 2014 by
Steve Berkowitz
Price Transparency… the train has left the station Five Guidelines for Smart Transparency As we proceed toward Pay for Performance and value enhancement, we have seen a huge rise in transparency in medicine. The effect has been unprecedented in terms of improving results. Regarding clinical performance improvement, I have stated in a previous blog that… Continue Reading >>
Steve Berkowitz
Posted on December 9, 2013 by
Steve Berkowitz
Last month I reported in my blog that two big game changers for 2014 will be data transparency and the high health insurance deductibles. The more I am watching the consumer response to the ACA, Website and otherwise, the more I am starting to realize that the issue of high insurance deductibles may be changing… Continue Reading >>
Steve Berkowitz
Posted on November 14, 2013 by
Steve Berkowitz
No one argues the beneficial effect of fluorides in the water supply. I am the first to concede that testimonials are one of the lower forms of evidence. On the other hand, six years ago I found out that I had asymptomatic left main coronary disease requiring an immediate cardiac bypass. True, I had mild… Continue Reading >>
Steve Berkowitz
Posted on November 6, 2013 by
Steve Berkowitz
High Deductibles– The BIG game changer. What’s REALLY controlling costs !! Good news! A recent article in the NEJM stated that we are finally starting to see a fall in the medical cost curve. A major contributor to this cost containment is the insidious rise in high deductible insurance. Patients are making decisions NOT to… Continue Reading >>
