News & Trends – Page 14 – Physician Factor

At Physician Factor, we're passionate about supporting the knowledge transfer and shared expertise among physicians to drive improvements across healthcare, as well as career development. Here we spotlight news and trends of interest to physicians in our network.

What is Physician Factor? This knowledge exchange network is a dedicated portal for physicians seeking opportunities to contribute their expertise and input in exchange for compensation and supplemental income.

08Nov 2021

Telehealth and the Rise of Contextual Care

In recent years, clinicians have been able to get a “behind the scenes look” into their patient’s environment during telehealth visits. This can help them identify contextual clues, like background noises or living conditions, that could indicate particular impacts on a patient’s health and help determine a diagnosis or course of care. This has led to a new phenomenon in health care that organizations are just beginning to explore: contextual care.

01Nov 2021

Physician Dispensing: Is It Right for Your Practice?

In the United States, physicians have the right under their medical license to diagnose, prescribe, and dispense pharmacologic agents. Physician dispensing refers to this legal right of physicians to supply their own patients with medication directly at the point of care instead of having to write a prescription that gets filled at a pharmacy. However, there are several points to keep in mind before considering whether physician dispensing is right for you or your practice.

25Oct 2021

Switching Jobs? Here's What Every Doctor Should Know

If you're among those doctors seeking a new job, there's much to consider. Failure to ask the right questions, research prospective communities, and scrutinize a new contract can lead to unhappiness for you and your family, and unintended consequences for your earnings and career. Here are some important considerations for physicians weighing a job search, based on information gleaned from the AMA and other healthcare sources.

18Oct 2021

Healthcare Organizations Remain At Risk Despite Proper HIPAA Compliance

Patients expect their healthcare providers to meet compliance regulations and keep their valuable information safe. Though, if you are HIPAA compliant, it doesn’t necessarily mean your data is secure. This article discusses the details of proper email security when it comes to HIPAA compliance.

11Oct 2021

Preparing For The Next Phase Of Telehealth: What Physician Practices Need To Consider

Patient preferences and needs have changed, and physician practices will need to level up their virtual care offerings to accommodate them.

04Oct 2021

Which Healthcare Sectors Are Predicted to See Revenue Growth in 2022?

According to a comprehensive report from Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), “US Staffing Industry Forecast: September 2021 Update,” US staffing revenue will grow by 16% to reach a record $157.4 billion this year. Healthcare staffing outpaces even this increase thanks to a 40% expansion in the travel nurse segment, with a projected 24% year-over-year growth in 2021 to reach $24.7 billion.

06Sep 2021

Pushing Health App Data to Doctors: A Burden or an Asset?

Apple announced recently, it will enable doctors to monitor health data from their patients’ phones and watches between visits, part of the push into health care that Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, has declared will constitute the company’s greatest contribution to mankind. Since 2014, health systems around the country have partnered with Apple to tap into the mountains of data the company’s devices generate from patients. But most are still experimenting with these tools. While some doctors appreciate seeing records of home-monitored blood pressure, exercise, and the like between visits, for others the data is more of a burden than an asset. Over 100 types of data are available in Apple’s health app through iPhone, Apple Watch, and third-party apps. In June, Apple said patients whose doctors work with one of the six electronic medical record companies participating in the new feature will be able to send them tracked data like heart rate, sleep hours, exercise minutes, steps, falls, or menstrual cycle history. Some see great promise in building “pipes” between a patient’s phone and the health records viewed by their clinicians. Apple is “democratizing the flow of health data” between doctors and patients, said Anil Sethi, a former Apple health director and current CEO of Ciitizen, a startup that manages health data for cancer patients.

30Aug 2021

Is the Demise of the Doctor's White Coat Near?

Your doctor walks into the exam room wearing a white coat. Or perhaps your physician has on a fleece or softshell jacket. Does it make a difference? Yes, according to a survey that sought public perceptions on doctor attire and professionalism in the United States. The lay public still appears to associate the traditional white coat with experience and professionalism, said study author Dr. Jordan Steinberg. The study was conducted as the white coat has come under scrutiny lately, with the association of germ transmission between patients, the increase in casual wear, and the relaxation of appearances of elitism or hierarchy as health care moves to a more team-based approach, according to the authors.

23Aug 2021

Expect the Unexpected: Why Young Physicians Need a Financial Plan

If you build your five-year plan, the answers to all your questions will fall into place. If you take time to plan for the unexpected, you’ll ensure nothing stands in the way of where you are going. If you understand your employment contract, benefits, limitations, and uncertainties, you’ll be closer to reaching your financial goals. If you’re conservative and realistic when considering your future income – like avoiding inserting a rosy scenario into your plan if that’s not practical – you’ll be able to set and reach certain expectations.

17Aug 2021

Our Patients Are Using More Supplements: Here’s How We Can Guide Them

Among the less-noted consequences of COVID-19, many Americans have become more health-conscious than ever and more aware of the value of self-care. A new national survey by The Harris Poll shows that since the pandemic, nearly 3 in 10 Americans have initiated or increased their use of supplements, bringing the percentage of daily supplement users to more than 75 percent of the adult population. But the poll also revealed an alarming level of misinformation and ignorance about the benefits and dangers of these nutritional supplements, a finding that should be a signal to physicians that we need to do a better job in monitoring their use as part of our commitment to promoting the health of our patients.

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