Jeff Brooks | 1/1/2008

The Trends Continuing problem with uninsured patients (estimated at one in four patients under 65 in Florida) Rising emergency room visits — up to 7.3 million in 2005 Increased interest among many hospitals in telemedicine. Creating communication links with physicians through teleconferences would allow patients to consult a physician while holding down costs Effort to get state legislators to allow automatic enrollment in an employer’s health plan Continuing shortage of nurses

Attracting established doctors to Florida is also problematic — due to low Medicaid reimbursements in Florida, a large uninsured population and strong competition from other states. In Florida, the average Medicaid reimbursement rate is 56%, compared to 95% in North Carolina, 92% in South Carolina and 90% in Mississippi.

“There’s competition around the country for doctors,” Altenburger says. “In Florida, doctors are losing money to see these patients, so the question becomes ‘why come to Florida?’ ”

Another issue is Florida’s three strikes malpractice law, the only such law in the country. Altenburger says although the law has never been applied, other states use it when recruiting physicians. “On average, neurosurgeons are sued every other year. Why take a chance? Two strikes, and I’m gone. You can’t afford to lose your license.”

Lynne Takacs, director of communications and press relations for the FMA, says there’s a bill currently in the works to give sovereign immunity to physicians working in emergency rooms.

“We have to make Florida a friendly environment for physicians,” Takacs says.

10 Most Common Reasons for Hospital Admission
Reason	Cases
Giving birth	221,490
Psychoses	90,649
Gastrointestinal & digestive disorders	73,559
Heart failure	69,161
Chest pain	61,359
Cardiac catheterization	52,733
Pneumonia	52,323
Hip & knee replacement	50,210
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease	49,340
Total	758,323
Top 10 as a percent of total discharges	33.2%
Source: Florida Hospital Association, 2006

Going Green
Hospitals are increasing their efforts at conserving resources, says Rich Rasmussen, vice president for strategic communication for the Florida Hospital Association.

“We’ve had in-depth discussions, and we’re looking at recycling programs that are much more aggressive in dealing with biohazardous waste,” Rasmussen says. “We’re also looking at fuel cell technology for hospitals.” The FMA is also working with doctors in rural areas to implement electronic medical records. Some doctors in larger cities already use EMR, but physicians in smaller communities are more likely to use paper records. “We think it will save considerable resources,” says Lynne Takacs, director of communications and press relations for the FMA.

Tags: North Central, Healthcare