Thursday, August 16, 2018
Nearly half of all medical care in the U.S. takes place in emergency rooms, according to a 2017 study. But should that be the first choice when you need to see a doctor? Mike Collins talks with local medical experts about better decisions in seeking care.
This country exerts a great deal of energy debating health care. But one conversation that doesn’t seem to happen is figuring out how to navigate the health care maze once someone has access to it. That can lead to inappropriate use of health care resources, like overreliance of the emergency room for something that could be treated at a doctor’s office.
The nation’s second-largest insurer, Anthem, was recently criticized for attempting to rein in what it considered misuse of emergency care by saying it would deny or limit coverage for patients after the fact if the insurer determined the reason for the ER visit wasn’t an emergency.
Is there a less heavy-handed way to send people down the right health care avenues? Would those corrections help bring down costs?
GUESTS
Dr. Chris Griggs, Atrium Health, Emergency Department physician (@ChrisGriggsMD)
Ruth Krystopolski, Atrium Health, senior vice president of population health
Donald Jonas, Care Ring, executive director (@donaldjonas)
LINK MENTIONED IN SEGMENT
Atrium Care Guide: https://www.carolinashealthcare.org/medical-services/care-guide