yadkin

Also, under Obamacare, with the new computer health records required, Big Brother can log in from the Gridlock Capital of the World look at your medical records and decide which Medicare or Medicaid Patients are to be saved or disposed of. Both Republicans and Democrats are at fault here for centeralizing as much as possilbe in D. C.

The record keeping is complex and time consuming and medical providers staffs are having problems entering the data, It took three folks at my doctors to enter the data after the nurse gave up. Wonder just how accurate the data is that they are using to make life and death decisions?????

Advocatefortruth (view profile)

Posted 11:05 am, 01/13/2015

Sorry, It is not due to the GOP, New goverment regulations on record keeping for patients, medicare and medicad patients in particular are why the private practices are joining up with larger organizations like Novant Health. My doctor had to join the Novant organization because he could not afford the computer system and record keeping requirements place on him. This has happened under the Democrats and Obama in the past 6 years. Obama Care is a large part of the issue, don't forget that. Also with all the lawsuits going on over every little thing, single doctor organizations cannot afford the insurance to cover themselves. Unrealistic expecations are a large part of this. Obama Care is the biggest fraud pulled on the American Public in years.

Well stated but remember demonrats can't take the blame for anything bad that happens out of their decisions and forcing of laws on citizens, but take credit for good things, remember nothing is ever their fault. I thought that miraculous ACA was suppose to make sure everyone had insurance and affordable insurance? I know the same people without insurance that were uninsured before the law and still uninsured why? Because premiums are outrageous even with a subsidy. The only ones being helped by the ACA are the insurance companies. But because king obama said it's miraculous then everyone of his obamabots believe it. They wouldn't say a bad word against that demon even if he was gutting children live on tv. They would be rooting him on.

Local hospital - $1500 for an MRI

Free Standing Imaging Center - $500.

If I didn't have insurance? What to do? How can I decide? Oh, this math thing is sooo hard.

sparkling, next time you need an emergency CT due to an accident go on down to a free standing imaging center and let them take a look. Try to obtain services from a free standing center if you don't have insurance, it is not going to happen. Ask to see the centers Federal State and Voluntary quality and safety inspections, Oh they don't have them cause they don't have to. Feel better now?

A lot of the problem is payment. It costs A LOT of money to find your own practice. With the reimbursement rate dwindling and less people paying their bills, MDs are forced into larger practices. MDs don't want to see patients for every little complaint, because they don't have time. Most are expected to see 5 or more patients an hour- yes, they are held to a quota, or production. If I were an MD, I would welcome a buyout. They have lives too.

I read that article in the Elkin paper. It looks like the hospital is competing with local doctors. People still need a choice.

I know a guy who is specialist in Winston and his practice is under the Novant umbrella. He said he went in with Novant because they handle all the records, computer systems, compliance issues, etc for him. He only has to concentrate on taking care of his patients. For him having all the legal and IT hassles off of him works better. That may be a similar reason you see the doctors going with Hugh Chatham and goes right along with what advocate was saying. The only difference is I don't know when this doctor went with Novant so I couldn't say if it was because of Obamacare or not. I haven't known him that long.

It is for certain that if you need an MRI or a CT scan that you will save big bucks at places like Piedmont Imaging in Winston-Salem.

This really sucks.

HCMH is the most expensive hospitals around. Even the employees (I was one) go out of town, especially for procedures like scans. It prices, I guess, are to pay for all the upgrades!

Advocate hit the nail on the head. Medicare requirements for everything being electronic, and payment cuts has priced the cost of doing business in a small practice out of reach

This new clinic is actually being staffed by some of the private Dr's in the HCMC system, my daughters doctor being one of them. It's going to be very similar to urgent care, however they will still take appointments for their regulars.

Absolutely agree......

Sorry,

It is not due to the GOP, New goverment regulations on record keeping for patients, medicare and medicad patients in particular are why the private practices are joining up with larger organizations like Novant Health.

My doctor had to join the Novant organization because he could not afford the computer system and record keeping requirements place on him. This has happened under the Democrats and Obama in the past 6 years. Obama Care is a large part of the issue, don't forget that.

Also with all the lawsuits going on over every little thing, single doctor organizations cannot afford the insurance to cover themselves. Unrealistic expecations are a large part of this.

Obama Care is the biggest fraud pulled on the American Public in years.

Its all about the money,they all charge you a 200% over charge for anything they do [thanks too the GOP giving them power too get what they ask for] now its about getting you in and out ,they Deal with profit not the Patients,

Hugh Chatham USED to be great and now they just seem to be a Band-Aid station like another hospital I will not mention. They are too getting a bad reputation recently.

When I had my knees replaced at HCMH 5 years ago my primary care came in to see me every day and managed my medical issues. I don't believe he billed for it, at least I didn't see a bill but I was "his" patient. On my last visit he told me he would no longer be allowed to care for me if I was admitted. The times they are a changing, but I have no intention of going to the hospital. After a career in healthcare I now avoid them like the plaque.

Osmosis, if your mother-in-law is a Medicare beneficiary HCMH did not benefit financially from that method of admission. For standard hospitals any services they provide within 72 hours of an admission is included in the fixed reimbursement they receive from medicare for that patient. The physicians get paid for any services they provide, but even that is a little complicated with Medicare.

Actually, quick treatment sounds good to me...compared to waiting 30+ minutes in the waiting room only to receive less then 5 minutes of actual treatment in the room. Either way, there are very few Dr's that take the time that is needed, so maybe a little more competition is good.

My mother-in-law goes to a doctor down in Elkin that has a big practice. We took her last year for a visit and he told us she needed a short hospital stay. Instead of just taking and admiting her at HCMH we had to take her to the emergency room . We were told all patients can no longer just be referred and placed in a room. They all had to go through the emergency room first. I guess they do that so they can put extra charges on your bill. Big corporations are taking over medicine. I think we can look for the whole show to deteriorate.