Three weeks after their old contract expired, Piedmont Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare remain far apart in trying to reach a new one. Since July 1, five Piedmont hospitals, as well as health system doctors, have been “out of network” to tens of thousands of United members. Those patients now face higher out-of-pocket costs if they choose…
The AJC on Wednesday began publishing a series of articles on patient sexual abuse by doctors. These are startling – and terrifying – stories of physician misconduct. The Atlanta newspaper reviewed more than 100,000 public documents from all 50 states, analyzing thousands of individual cases and interviewing patients, doctors and advocates across the country. The reporters found more…
The word “opioid” is not new, and neither are the drugs it describes. But what was once mostly a clinical term is now frighteningly familiar to average people as America grapples with an epidemic of opioid addiction. In a new GHN Doctor’s Column, Dr. Michael Fishman notes that Georgia’s overdose deaths from opioids are higher…
Just a few years ago, the words “opioid epidemic” would have raised moderate public concern at best. Now, not a day goes by without news reports citing the latest statistics on overdose deaths and the most recent political initiative to combat the raging trend in drug abuse. The numbers are staggering. Opioid-related overdose deaths –…
Georgia ranks among the bottom 10 states in the number of primary care physicians per 100,000 population. And low payments for these doctors nationally led to a smaller percentage of general medicine residents choosing to practice primary care last year, notes Dr. Deep Shah, who’s about to begin a primary care practice here in his…
I grew up in Georgia and always dreamed of playing high school football. Unfortunately, neither my DNA nor my mom shared that vision. But now, I’ll finally have my chance to play quarterback. This month, I will complete my medical training and begin practicing as a primary care physician (PCP) in Gwinnett County. A good…
Just a week ago, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, which has a suburban Atlanta campus, announced a $5 million venture capital fund aimed to spark innovation in primary care. In just seven days, the PCOM fund has fielded more than 10 queries, PCOM officials told GHN. “We’re really focused on primary care innovation –…
Stratus Healthcare, an alliance of hospital systems, said Wednesday that it’s entering partnership talks with a large physician organization in Central Georgia. The talks between Stratus and Central Georgia Health Network could lead to forming a “clinically integrated network’’ to treat patients in South and Middle Georgia. Such integrated provider networks are an increasing trend…
This is the fifth in a series of articles about health care in Southwest Georgia, an area of the state that has great health needs and challenges, but also some innovative approaches to such problems. The series is the product of a collaboration between Georgia Health News and the health and medical journalism graduate program at UGA…
At a minimum, two pending mergers of giant insurance companies will shake up Georgia’s health care marketplace. Proponents of the deals say the effect will be beneficial. But the Medical Association of Georgia says the mergers will be “disastrous’’ for the state, raising prices and lowering consumer choice. If consummated, the Aetna/Humana and Anthem/Cigna mergers…