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    April 23, 2021
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Business Insight Presented by Arlington Dermatology Healthcare system and administrative waste I know I am going to discuss a hot and very controversial topic today. And I know many of you may have different opinions and views. That is just fine. Still, presenting my perspective, I will be talking about what I see and experience every day. And it troubles me. When I see a new patient with extensive medical history, I must collect information verbally. I could request medical records but they would have to come from several different sources and more than likely I would have to wait for them for weeks, In other words, I totally depend on what the patient or the family remembers and is aware of. Often, patients use a non-medical language to describe their medical history and medication; ...my legs swell and I take this small white pill for that every morning.. This is what a patient might say and we have two choices: we can call the primary doctor or we can request the records. In either case, information will not come until later and we need a decision during the visit. Some patients just bring the records, often long pages. This is a great solution as we can review the notes and make more educated thousands of people to stay uninsured and with no access to healthcare at all. No human being should judge if or if not decisions. But in a paperless environment of today's medicine, there is plenty of paper. another human being can see a doctor when And it is wasted. If I do not have the records and I must make a decision of treatment fast, I may order some testing. Some medications require checking the general health status and possibility of infection. Had I had access to the previous records I might have found that these tests were already done. What a they get sick. It should be accessible to all. No patient should go to the emergency room to get a prescription for a throat infection. It should be accessible to all to see a doctor or another healthcare provider to do that. Waste costs money. We could save millions by folowing some simple common sense rules. If we could only agree on what they are. Basic healthcare is a given benefit in almost all countries around the world, Please, read it again, I mean basic healthcare. In 1965, President Johnson established a public and universal insurance for seniors, Medicare. Can you imagine our country without it now? Just ask any senior. Medicare does not cover everything and it has some limits, but it never leaves the seniors unattended when they get sick. The concept of Medicare has been the same for years and its only problem is the fact that our population got older and sicker, and Medicare covers those who are the oldest and the sickest. If we only extended it to those who are a bit younger and healthier, we may very well find out Medicare could become an option for the basic healthcare for all. waste. From time to time, I see new patients who clearly are not healthy but they have not seen any medical professional for years. They are not insured so their only option is to either go to the emergency room or not see a doctor at all. Going to the emergency room with an itching rash is a waste of time, resources, and taxpayer money but, uninsured patients do not have much more of a choice. Huge waste. American healthcare system in general is the most expensive creature in the world. Yet, our health is not in such good shape. The system and industry waste millions of dollars on administrative cost of lack of communication among healthcare providers, running duplicate tests, creating insurance rules that are not understandable to customers, and, most of all, allowing Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight Presented by Arlington Dermatology Healthcare system and administrative waste I know I am going to discuss a hot and very controversial topic today. And I know many of you may have different opinions and views. That is just fine. Still, presenting my perspective, I will be talking about what I see and experience every day. And it troubles me. When I see a new patient with extensive medical history, I must collect information verbally. I could request medical records but they would have to come from several different sources and more than likely I would have to wait for them for weeks, In other words, I totally depend on what the patient or the family remembers and is aware of. Often, patients use a non-medical language to describe their medical history and medication; ...my legs swell and I take this small white pill for that every morning.. This is what a patient might say and we have two choices: we can call the primary doctor or we can request the records. In either case, information will not come until later and we need a decision during the visit. Some patients just bring the records, often long pages. This is a great solution as we can review the notes and make more educated thousands of people to stay uninsured and with no access to healthcare at all. No human being should judge if or if not decisions. But in a paperless environment of today's medicine, there is plenty of paper. another human being can see a doctor when And it is wasted. If I do not have the records and I must make a decision of treatment fast, I may order some testing. Some medications require checking the general health status and possibility of infection. Had I had access to the previous records I might have found that these tests were already done. What a they get sick. It should be accessible to all. No patient should go to the emergency room to get a prescription for a throat infection. It should be accessible to all to see a doctor or another healthcare provider to do that. Waste costs money. We could save millions by folowing some simple common sense rules. If we could only agree on what they are. Basic healthcare is a given benefit in almost all countries around the world, Please, read it again, I mean basic healthcare. In 1965, President Johnson established a public and universal insurance for seniors, Medicare. Can you imagine our country without it now? Just ask any senior. Medicare does not cover everything and it has some limits, but it never leaves the seniors unattended when they get sick. The concept of Medicare has been the same for years and its only problem is the fact that our population got older and sicker, and Medicare covers those who are the oldest and the sickest. If we only extended it to those who are a bit younger and healthier, we may very well find out Medicare could become an option for the basic healthcare for all. waste. From time to time, I see new patients who clearly are not healthy but they have not seen any medical professional for years. They are not insured so their only option is to either go to the emergency room or not see a doctor at all. Going to the emergency room with an itching rash is a waste of time, resources, and taxpayer money but, uninsured patients do not have much more of a choice. Huge waste. American healthcare system in general is the most expensive creature in the world. Yet, our health is not in such good shape. The system and industry waste millions of dollars on administrative cost of lack of communication among healthcare providers, running duplicate tests, creating insurance rules that are not understandable to customers, and, most of all, allowing Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net