Volume III, Issue 33

Aug. 15, 2016
Exciting implications of the neuro-immune link no one is talking about
WH
Keith Pochick, MD, in an August 13, 2016 KevinMD post comments on a recent research paper from the University of Virginia which "may pound the final nail into the coffin of the long-standing medical dogma which rigidly labels diseases as organic or psychiatric".

According to Dr. Pochick:

...The researchers and reviewers of this paper assert that the immune system exerts effects on the brain...what if the reverse is also true?

...After nearly four decades on this Earth and a decade and a half in clinical medicine, I am absolutely certain that the brain influences the health of the body, and the body influences the health of the brain. Every health problem is an organic one. Every health problem is a psychiatric one.

WIM
The author queries:

...What if the dopamine and endorphins released after a challenging exercise session are making you even healthier than we thought? What if the serotonin and dopamine released while you eat a meal lovingly prepared by a family member are exerting beneficial effects on your immune system? What if the serotonin released when you perform an act of kindness makes you more likely to fight off infections? What if the dopamine and oxytocin released during satisfying sex with someone you love helps your immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells?

...Couldn't this discovery (and my creative daydreaming) help explain why happy people are generally healthier, and why depression can bring physical illness?
Healthcare technology costs top $32,500 per physician
WH
In a press release posted 8.10.16 by the Medical Group Management Association, the organization reports on the results of their latest survey:

According to new data from Medical Group Management Association, physician-owned multispecialty practices spent more than $32,500 per full-time physician on information technology equipment, staff, maintenance, and other related expenses in 2015.

WIM
"While technology plays a crucial role in helping healthcare organizations evolve to provide higher-quality, value-based care, this transition is becoming increasingly expensive," said Halee Fischer-Wright, MD, MMM, FAAP, CMPE, President and CEO of the Medical Group Management Association. "We remain concerned that far too much of a practice's IT investment is tied directly to complying with the ever-increasing number of federal requirements, rather than to providing better patient care. Unless we see significant changes in the final MIPS/APM rule, practice IT costs will continue to rise without a corresponding improvement in the care delivery process."
DOJ to Take on the Big Payers Shortly After Election Season  
WH
Reuters reports on the huge pending health insurer mergers in two separate posts last week:
WIM
The same government that created the ACA, a large driver of payer consolidation, now seeks to block the subsequent mergers. The Justice Department argues that the deals would reduce competition, raise prices for consumers and stifle innovation if the number of large, national insurers fell from five to three.  

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About Us
Florida Health Industry Week in Review is published every Monday by FHIcommunications

Each Monday morning we share the top healthcare headlines of the previous week and summarize What Happened (WH) and Why It Matters (WIM).

To learn how you can join our team of editorial contributors, contact Jeffrey Herschler.

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