Lake Tahoe Physicians Head to Olympics
Two of Lake Tahoe’s finest are heading to the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, but not to compete. Terrence Orr, MD, and Jonathan Finnoff, DO, both physicians with Tahoe Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, will volunteer as team physicians at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Dr. Orr is a seasoned veteran of Olympic athlete medical care. His role at the 2014 Olympics will be head team physician for the men’s US Alpine Ski Team — a position he has held with the team since 1999. “The Olympics has always been my favorite sporting event, and it has been great to be able to be a part of the Games,” Dr. Orr shares.
Judge Rules to Allow Physician Assisted Suicide in New Mexico
In a decision sure to cause debate, a New Mexico judge has ruled that terminally ill, mentally competent patients have the right to get a doctor to end their lives.The landmark decision by New Mexico Second Judicial District Judge Nan Nash came after a two-day trial and could make New Mexico the fifth state to allow doctors to prescribe fatal prescriptions to terminal patients.
Improper Physician Kickbacks Get Big Penalties
Inappropriate kickbacks to physicians led to million-dollar settlements for one health system and laboratory before the close of 2013.The most recent settlement involves St. James Healthcare in Butte, Mont., and its Denver-based parent company, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System agreeing to pay $3.85 million as a result of alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law and the False Claims Act, which they disclosed to the government.
Derms Score Well in Physician-Lifestyle Report
Dermatologists report high job satisfaction and are among the most likely of all specialties to take dietary supplements, a recent report suggests. Medscape published its Lifestyle Report 2014, a collection of statistics gleaned from sources such as Gallup, Pew Research and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Lifestyle Report compares and ranks physicians by specialty according to their responses to lifestyle questions.
Obamacare Causes Longer Physician Wait Times
Patients are waiting an average of 18 days to schedule an appointment for a doctor, according to a study of appointments for commonly used specialty physicians in 15 major U.S. cities. The survey by physician staffing and consulting firm Merritt Hawkins comes as a doctor shortage looms as more patients seek medical care under the Affordable Care Act. The health law is bringing millions more Americans health benefits and therefore the ability to pay for a visit to the doctor’s office.
