Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology What is happening to healthcare? It has been really challenging to be a patient or a doctor these days. First of all, everything keeps changing daily. New insurance companies pop out, new rules for patients and for doctors are announced over and over, clinics close due to lack of money to operate, some others merge with larger institutions or hospitals and become a part of a large corporate machine. Patients cannot keep up with changes and end up with bills. This is a very short and simplified summary of how our healthcare market looks from outside for both those who provide care and those who receive it. It does not look well. We just heard that, due to the massive tax cuts this year, the premium for insurances will dramatically go up this year. That is even worse. Small employers cannot afford premiums for their employees and their employees cannot pay for their share either. There are several factors in the challenges we face: there are more and more older patients who tend to need more medical care and many younger patients who seem to get sick more frequently, especially with chronic illnesses related to their immune system. And there are technology and inventions, new and better medical tools and medications that are very helpful but very expensive. Put it all together and you get quite a difficult puzzle to solve. Now, add the fact that 75% of healthcare clinics or institutions are owned by the financial market rather than medical professionals. Private equity or other financial owners do not really pay attention to the needs of patients. They focus on profits. Getting larger profits means delivering less care and benefits. Sometimes, it is random denials of care and sometimes it is a premeditated system of administrative burden leading to patients giving up or simply not following complexity of rules established exactly for the purpose of giving up. Most financial institutions buy out individual doctors' clinics and promise new technology and smooth ride. In reality, due to poor and careless management, the staff turnover increases, quality of care drops down, and patients feel helpless. Dema Our clinic is an independent institution, working outside of the financial system. We own all we have. We outsource almost nothing. Lucky, we have been able to retain our staff members for many years, so they know how we operate, and they know our patients. We make our own decisions clinically and business-wise. And, with reflection and careful thinking, we act and move fast with our decisions. We create our own schedules and open the clinic at hours designated by ourselves. This all sounds great, right? It is great, but we deal with some other problems that bother our daily life. We receive requests for appointments from hundreds of patients, new and old. It is borderline impossible to provide all with a reasonable time of visits; we would have to work 16 hours a day to meet these expectations. Trying our best, sometimes we have to rush, even with our most dear patients. Sometimes, we have to re-schedule another biopsy or excision for another visit. Certainly, we have less and less time for chats that we so love and enjoy. Our choices are difficult: we can see more patients who need us, or we can make it more pleasant for others. How can you make that choice? 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 What is happening to healthcare ? It has been really challenging to be a patient or a doctor these days . First of all , everything keeps changing daily . New insurance companies pop out , new rules for patients and for doctors are announced over and over , clinics close due to lack of money to operate , some others merge with larger institutions or hospitals and become a part of a large corporate machine . Patients cannot keep up with changes and end up with bills . This is a very short and simplified summary of how our healthcare market looks from outside for both those who provide care and those who receive it . It does not look well . We just heard that , due to the massive tax cuts this year , the premium for insurances will dramatically go up this year . That is even worse . Small employers cannot afford premiums for their employees and their employees cannot pay for their share either . There are several factors in the challenges we face : there are more and more older patients who tend to need more medical care and many younger patients who seem to get sick more frequently , especially with chronic illnesses related to their immune system . And there are technology and inventions , new and better medical tools and medications that are very helpful but very expensive . Put it all together and you get quite a difficult puzzle to solve . Now , add the fact that 75 % of healthcare clinics or institutions are owned by the financial market rather than medical professionals . Private equity or other financial owners do not really pay attention to the needs of patients . They focus on profits . Getting larger profits means delivering less care and benefits . Sometimes , it is random denials of care and sometimes it is a premeditated system of administrative burden leading to patients giving up or simply not following complexity of rules established exactly for the purpose of giving up . Most financial institutions buy out individual doctors ' clinics and promise new technology and smooth ride . In reality , due to poor and careless management , the staff turnover increases , quality of care drops down , and patients feel helpless . Dema Our clinic is an independent institution , working outside of the financial system . We own all we have . We outsource almost nothing . Lucky , we have been able to retain our staff members for many years , so they know how we operate , and they know our patients . We make our own decisions clinically and business - wise . And , with reflection and careful thinking , we act and move fast with our decisions . We create our own schedules and open the clinic at hours designated by ourselves . This all sounds great , right ? It is great , but we deal with some other problems that bother our daily life . We receive requests for appointments from hundreds of patients , new and old . It is borderline impossible to provide all with a reasonable time of visits ; we would have to work 16 hours a day to meet these expectations . Trying our best , sometimes we have to rush , even with our most dear patients . Sometimes , we have to re - schedule another biopsy or excision for another visit . Certainly , we have less and less time for chats that we so love and enjoy . Our choices are difficult : we can see more patients who need us , or we can make it more pleasant for others . How can you make that choice ? Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net