Saturday, August 30, 2014

One emerging and successful healthcare model post 'Obamacare'

It's thriving specifically because of Obamacare - unintentionally. This may be the good news of the failing Affordable Care Act (aka 'Obamacare') that it may pave the way for models that are sustainable (Xeniagazette):

The Surgery Center of Oklahoma (SCO) has been open for 17 years, but 5 years ago decided to publish online the fees charged for various operations. Drs. Keith Smith and Steven Lantier, both anesthesiologists, felt the need to provide quality healthcare at reasonable prices. They contact local specialists and negotiate the fees charged. They include a reasonable fee for their services and add in a fair profit."

There are no hidden fees or charges.

They do not accept government funding for anything; your medical history and information are therefore not available online to the federal government – or anyone else. Most doctors agreed to computerize patient medical records and make them available online to the federal government, in return for reimbursements of the approximately $100,000 it cost them to do so.

Best of all, SCO’s maintains a zero or near-zero infection rate. Dr. Smith, CEO and managing partner of SCO believes their unbelievable low infection rate is due to their near-zero turnover rate in personnel. He commented, “Many of the people – in fact all of the people that worked for me 17 years ago – are either [still] working here, or they’re completely retired…. They just feel like it’s the best job they’ve ever had. People that are working in the same environment every day know the routine.”

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