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The Jackson & Coker Industry Report is a compendium of healthcare news,
commentary, and other important information for busy physicians and hospital /
practice administrators. The monthly newsletter incorporates original research
and studies supplied to Jackson & Coker by a nationally recognized research
firm.
Welcoming a New Year and Publication!
With the start of a new year, we proudly present a new online publication geared
toward busy physicians and hospital / practice administrators: Jackson
& Coker Industry Report.
Our monthly newsletter offers timely information related to the healthcare
industry at large and physician staffing in particular. Each edition will
contain hard-hitting medical news along with informative articles that discuss
employment and compensation trends, recruitment and staffing solutions, career
development, medical technology, payer and reimbursement issues, provider
credentialing, and legal affairs.
We’re also planning to regularly publish industry surveys focusing on physician
recruitment, relocation, compensation and similar concerns. The lead feature in
our inaugural issue is an updated “Willing to Relocate Survey.” First
commissioned by Jackson & Coker 20 years ago, the survey findings compare the
principal motivating factors--then and now--that influence why doctors opt to
make a career change involving relocation.
Future issues of the Jackson & Coker Industry Report will
spotlight special reports on “hot topics” within the healthcare industry that
are of particular interest to our readers. We appreciate reader feedback and
look forward to providing a valuable service and resource to career-minded
physicians and hospital / practice administrators who want to be more effective
in their roles.
Cordially,
Calvin Bruce
Managing Editor
Exclusive Survey-Expenses: Rising Costs Hit All Physicians
Source: Medical Economics
Date: 12/07/2007
According to a survey issued by Medical Economics, the cost of running a medical practice continues to escalate due to increases in general expenditures like payroll, energy costs, office facilities, and malpractice and healthcare premiums. Other line item expenses vary depending on the type of practice. The following indicates the median annual cost for primary care practices, excluding bonuses or retirement/profit sharing contributions:
Family practitioners: $235,000
General practitioners: $180,000
Internists: $200,000
Ob/gyns: $360,100
Pediatricians: $266,300
All primary care: $240,000
Ob/gyns and pediatricians, the two physician groups with the highest costs, generally use midlevel providers more frequently than their internist colleagues, thereby increasing their payroll expenses. With regard to pediatrician practices, immunizations are largely responsible for the high operating costs. Pediatricians’ median drug supply costs are $82,800 according to MGMA, compared to internists, who pay just over $8,000. Low reimbursement rates coupled with storage costs on vaccines mean that pediatric practices sometimes fail to break even on immunization costs.
With regard to location, inner city physicians spend less and make less compared to their urban, suburban and rural peers. Conversely, suburban practices, with generally higher expenses, have to rely on higher patient volumes to offset more expensive facilities and higher rental rates. Suburban practices also add to their expenses by keeping longer hours to satisfy the schedules of commuting families.
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Limits Weighed on Physician-Owned Hospitals
Source: The Washington Post
Date: 12/09/2007
The recent debate surrounding Medicare pay reductions has reignited political interest in the politically contentious topic of physician-owned hospitals; namely, the question of whether physicians should be able to own the hospitals to which they send their patients.
Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee supports the reforms due to the allegedly negative effect that physician-owned “specialty hospitals” have on community hospitals. According to the senator, specialty hospitals “pass the buck” on emergency care and “cherry-pick based on profits rather than patient needs.” Traditional hospitals complain of lost business and conflict of interest, while the backers of physician-owned hospitals say they promote competition and improve the quality of care.
Congress imposed a temporary moratorium in 2004 on establishing new physician-owned hospitals amidst lobbying pressure from both sides. The moratorium has since expired, and interest in the topic reemerged in August when the House passed a Democrat-sponsored measure that would limit physician investment in existing doctor-owned hospitals to 40 percent, and individual stakes to no more than 2 percent, while banning the creation of new physician-owned hospitals. The issue is unlikely to receive congressional action before the New Year.
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FDA Approves Fewest Drugs Since 1983
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Date: 01/08/2008
Business and financial outlet Bloomberg recently reported that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved only 19 new drugs for all of last year, the lowest total since 1983. These recent numbers confirm the struggles and difficulty of drug companies to come up with new products. Of the 19 newly FDA approved drugs, 17 of them are molecular entities, meaning they are entirely different and innovative drugs. The other two approved drugs were biotech drugs. The companies with most approvals this past year were Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline, each receiving two approvals a piece.
Many industry insiders blame the decreased approvals on tougher regulations and standards by the FDA. The FDA, however, defends its standards and claims that they have not altered their requirements at all. There are many hypotheses within the industry as to why there has been such a decrease in drug approval rates recently but none that are widely agreed upon or seemingly accurate.
One of the more popular arguments from doctors is that the pharmacy industry has become too overpopulated and bloated as well as too bureaucratic and risk averse. It is also possible that the industry has shifted its efforts away from novel drugs and more towards modifying pre-existing medicines in order to fully maximize sales during this apparent research drought. It is also probable that the majority of the more simplistic drugs have already been found and that drug researchers will need a major scientific discovery or breakthrough before they can come up with any fresh and relevant drugs.
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