Welcome to the MCOL Blog
Please join the discussion with our panel of experts, as we cover a wide range of important topics shaping the business and future of health care.
The Truth Is Out There –Are You?
By Laurie Gelb, July 28, 2010
Health care surveys still ask “analog questions” in a digital world, limiting the impact of disease management, marketing initiatives and even transactional communiqués like EOBs. Besides evoking “socially acceptable” responses (who wouldn’t want to be healthily skeptical and savvy, unless you wanted to be stubborn and oppositional?), surveys in 2010 often still rest on “service as product” and “product = attribute bundle” paradigms, which apply poorly to medicine............Click to continue
Change in VBAC Guideline
By Clive Riddle, July 14, 2010
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have just issued new guidelines for a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Doctor Richard Waldman, president of The College tells us, "the current cesarean rate is undeniably high and absolutely concerns us as ob-gyns............Click to continue
Much Ado about Peer Review
By Clive Riddle, July 14, 2010
JAMA’s current issue features the article: Physicians' Perceptions, Preparedness for reporting, and Experiences Related to Impaired and Incompetent Colleagues, by Catherine M. DesRoches, DrPH et.al. [JAMA. 2010;304(2):187-193. doi:10.1001/jama.2010.921]. The article presents survey results regarding physician peer monitoring and reporting............Click to continue
MCOL’s LinkedIn Group
by Claire Thayer, July 9, 2010
The Managed Care On-Line LinkedIn Group provides member networking, discussions and other resources, with the comfort of knowing that all members of the Group are professionals affiliated exclusively through their MCOL membership. Join over 1,138 MCOL Members............Click to continue
The Power of Data & Applied Clinical Analytics: Achieving Success in a Transformed Healthcare System
by Claire Thayer, July 2, 2010
MCOL’s Healthcare Web Summit announces a new complimentary webinar event sponsored by MEDai: The Power of Data & Applied Clinical Analytics: Achieving Success in a Transformed Healthcare System. Please join us on Wednesday, September 1, 2010............Click to continue
Primary Care Access During this Decade
by William J. DeMarco MA CMC, President, Pendelum Health Corporation, July 1, 2010
In the current issue of MCOL’s Thought Leaders newsletter, I was asked: How big of an issue will primary care access become during this decade- what are its implications- and what initiatives (such as medical homes, retail clinics, employer on site clinics, etc) if any, do you think will bring about improvement?" Here is what I replied: .............Click to continue
Behind the Numbers: 2011 Medical Cost Trends
by Claire Thayer, June 24, 2010
MCOL’s Healthcare Web Summit announces a new webinar event: Behind the Numbers: 2011 Medical Cost Trend. Please join us on Tuesday, July 27 at 1PM Eastern as experts from PricewaterhouseCoopers discuss research findings from their new Behind the Numbers report, and offer a thorough discussion of implications for employers and others with respect to health benefit and services decision-making.............Click to continue
196 Pages of the Patient’s Bill of Rights
by Clive Riddle, June 24, 2010
This week, HHS, Department of Labor, and Department of The Treasury issued regulations to implement the Patient’s Bill of Rights referenced under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A Fact Sheet summarizing these regulations was posted on healthreform.gov .............Click to continue
An interview with Brian C. Smith on Prospective Overpayment and Fraud Prevention
by Clive Riddle, June 18, 2010
This week, MCOL conducted a podcast interview with Brian C. Smith, an Executive Vice President with HealthCare Insight as a part of the 2010 Predictive Modeling Web Summit. Brian addressed a predictive approach to health care fraud and abuse .............Click to continue
Health Reform: Prospering in a Post Reform World
by Claire Thayer, June 11, 2010
MCOL’s Healthcare Web Summit announces a new webinar event: Health Reform: Prospering in a Post Reform World. Please join us on Thursday, July 15 .............Click to continue
Health Systems Organizing Themselves Around Individuals
by Clive Riddle, June 11, 2010
This week Benjamin Isgur, Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute gave a presentation in the Healthcare Web Summit event, Healthcare in the Decade Ahead: HealthCast: The Customization of Diagnosis, Care and Cure.
In Ben’s words.............Click to continue
How Brokers See the Recession’s Impact on Employee Benefits
by Clive Riddle, June 4, 2010
Survey data on employee benefit trends and implications surrounding such drivers as the recession typically focus on data from large employers. Large employers, of course, represent the clientele of the major benefit consulting firms that produce the majority of such studies.
Thus it is interesting to consider perspectives from the broker population.............Click to continue
Employer Benefits: Focus on Incentives and Penalties
by Claire Thayer, May 28, 2010
MCOL’s Healthcare Web Summit announces a new webinar event: Employer Benefits: Focus on Incentives and Penalties. Please join us on Wednesday, August 25.............Click to continue
The Center for Health Value Innovation on Value Based Design
by Clive Riddle, May 27, 2010
This week, Cyndy Nayer, M.A., President, CEO and co-founder of the Center for Health Value Innovation and Michael S. Jacobs R. Ph., Principal and National Clinical Practice Leader, Buck Consultants, LLC (also a board member at the Center) spoke in the HealthcareWebSummit event Leveraging Health: Current Impact of Value Based Design.
What’s going on with Value Based Design initiatives right now? Glad you asked.............Click to continue
Getting One’s Head Around the Physician EHR Marketplace
by Clive Riddle, May 21, 2010
In the midst of health reform and stimulus initiatives to drive EHR adoption, I’ve been trying to get my head around the physician Electronic Health Record marketplace. What is the total size, what is the current level of adoption, who are the major vendors, and what is their market share?............Click to continue
MCOL Free Member Website Completely Updated!
Check out the new look in the MCOLFree Member web site. Go to www.mcol.com, under the Member/Subscriber section, press MCOLFree member, then enter your access information. Once inside you’ll find a thoroughly revamped site that includes access to MCOL Blog, Conferences, Daily News, Dictionary, Hot Topics, Job Listings, LinkedIn, Podcasts, Publications, and more. Not a free member? Check it out at www.mcol.com ............Click to continue
Accountable Care Organizations: Core Competencies and Critical Success Factors
MCOL’s Healthcare Web Summit announces a new webinar event: ACOs: Core Competencies and Critical Success Factors. Please join us on Wednesday, July 28............Click to continue
MCOLBlog Team
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William DeMarco |
Laurie Gelb |
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Lindsay Resnick |
Clive Riddle |
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Claire Thayer |






