The Business of Medicine

Medical school definitely hasn't made a priority of teaching about how medicine works as a business. MDs who get involved in that side of healthcare typically learn on the job. But recent caller Ryan is interested in that topic, and wanted to hear from us about what CCOM students are learning about it. A couple years ago, M4 Joe Nellis and some other students founded the Healthcare Management and Delivery Science Distinction Track, in part because they knew that decisions about healthcare delivery and outcomes evaluation were being made without MDs having a clear idea (or even input on) how and why. He and M2s Philip Huang and Amanda Manarot got together with Dave to talk about what they've learning on issues like teamwork, e-health, data and decision-making. And while the healthcare leaders of tomorrow still have to learn much of the biz after they leave medical school, having a fuller grasp of the forces that affect how medicine is practiced is key, especially as the private practice of medicine gives way to employment in hospitals and other organizations. Dave took issue with this article which posits that doctors' salaries are a problem for healthcare costs, despite the fact that according to the author's own figures, that amount makes up about 1/32 of the cost of healthcare per US household. Do you want to learn about this stuff? Or are you content to worry only about taking care of patients? Tell us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, visit our Facebook group, or email [email protected].