All Patients
How to make sure your COVID test isn’t fake
Finding an at-home COVID-19 test is tricky at the moment, and fraudulent tests are now making the rounds. Here’s how to spot a fake. By Kim Wong-Shing, CNET, Jan. 13, 2022. The beginning of 2022… Read More
Unnecessary hospital tests and procedures put hundreds of thousands at risk, new analysis reveals
By Aaron Toleos, May 4, 2021. U.S. hospital ranking identifies best and worst hospitals at avoiding overuse of hysterectomy, coronary stents, back surgery, and more BROOKLINE, Mass. — Every 80 seconds, a hospital in the
Map of Hospitals that are Being Fined for Harming Patients
From Advisory.com, Feb.23, 2021. The HAC program, which launched in October 2014, evaluates hospitals based on their rates of several avoidable complications, including bed sores, blood clots, central line infections, falls, and infection from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)… Read More
Double-Dipping, Copay Accumulators and Maximizers Threaten Patients
By NBPAS, August 10, 2021. A recent article in the American Journal of Managed Care shed light on copay maximizer strategies among generics manufacturers. But not many patients understand how drug manufacturers are incorporating copay… Read More
The DEA Is Warning Of A Rise In Overdose Deaths From Fake Drugs Laced With Fentanyl
By Brian Mann and Scott Neuman, from NPR All Things Considered, updated September 27, 2021. A patch containing the active ingredient fentanyl is shown by a pharmacist. The painkiller fentanyl, which can be up to… Read More
Fake patient reviews are making it increasingly hard to seek medical help on Google, Yelp and other directory sites
Article Summary: Patients are finding it difficult to trust online reviews of health care providers as they are becoming increasingly fake with no signs of an imminent crackdown. By Laura Sydell, The Washington Post, June… Read More
Profits Over Patients – Insurers are Refusing or Delaying Prior Authorization
Summary: Prior authorization requirements have caused a disruption in the continuity of care and resulted in adverse events and hospitalization. Instead of prior authorization, insurers should go back to the old ‘pay-and-chase’ model. By Steve… Read More
The App That Hospitals Don’t Want You to Know About
The Patient’s Hospital Safety Guide app was developed by APRA in co-operation with leading medical professionals to help patients protect themselves from being harmed by a medical error while being treated in a hospital, the… Read More
U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective, 2019: Higher Spending, Worse Outcomes
The U.S. spends more on health care than any other high-income country but has the lowest life expectancy. The U.S. has the highest suicide rate among wealthy nations. By Roosa Tikkanen and Melinda K. Abrams,