News roundup August 9-13

The coronavirus pandemic is one of the most significant public health crises in more than a century. Physicians have been on the frontline of the struggle, working long hours and enduring the emotional toll of losing hundreds of thousands of patients to the virus. And now a new survey report shows that the pandemic is taking a heavy toll on the wellbeing of physicians.

A routine history and physical (H&P) may miss many important aspects that are desirable for a fitness-for-work exam. So how can you make sure the specific needs of a particular practitioner are assessed? Whoever is going to perform this exam should have the delineation of privileges form so they know what it is that a practitioner is doing in his or her practice, and then the exam can be customized appro­priately, says Todd Sagin, MD, JD.

"National Provider Enrollment Forum is the place to be in September where you will achieve takeaways that are relevant to your profession along with best practices, bringing the MSP world to a full circle with provider enrollment, credentialing, privileging, and supporting practitioner well-being. In person networking is a bonus," says speaker Lisa Velasco, MSM, LPTA, CPMSM, CPCS.

A recent survey found that 98% of physicians think that spending an appropriate amount of time with patients is important. Yet, in that same survey, only 77% of patients reported that their doctor spends an appropriate amount of time with them.

Find out what’s happening in the world of federal healthcare regulations by reviewing some recent headlines from across the country: