Some interesting readings for your weekend…
- The Health Affairs blog gives a succinct explanation comparing the U.S. health care system to the typical European model. (“U.S. Pluralism vs. International ‘Systemness‘”)
- On Wednesday, the Health Business Blog reported that Toyota is starting its own medical clinic to provide primary and outpatient care for its employees at its San Antonio plant.
- Who is implementing IT solutions into their medical practices? Unsurprisingly, it is large medical practices who are using their economies of scale to exploit the benefits of electronic prescription filling. (The Health Care Blog: “Big practices using IT…“)
- Ask Dr. Google? A British Medical Journal article recommends that doctors use Google to diagnose rare diseases.
- Managed Care Matters reports on the rise of Medical tourism in the U.S.
- Michael Cannon of the Cato Institute recounts an interesting discussion he had with renowned Harvard economist David Cutler regarding HSAs.
- And for my Spanish speaking readers: EconSalud, un blog de España, escribio que Alemania ha propuesto una medida de “penalizar económicamente a los enfermos de cáncer que no se hayan sometido a los reconocimientos preventivos que ofrece la sanidad pública.” Un programa de Medicaid en West Virginia hizo algo parecido. Las personas que realizaran reconocimientos preventivos tendrían acceso a más prestaciones incluida la cuota del gimnasio.