#U.S. primary-care physicians

[minnesotafollower]

“Economist” Magazine Also Predicts Lower World Population

Last month this blogger was surprised to learn about forecasted declines in world population and the resulting challenges of coping with such changes.[1] And earlier this week this blogger was also surprised to discover that due to the aging and forecasted retirement of many U.S. primary- care physicians, the U.S. will need to recruit foreign physicians to move to the U.S. and practice here and…

[market-insider]

U.S. Primary Care Physicians Market Provide Accessible And Integrated Services To A Large Population

The U.S. primary care physicians market size is expected to reach USD 341.9 billion by 2030, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 3.2% from 2022 to 2030. An increasing number of Medicare beneficiaries in the country is expected to create high demand for Primary Care Physicians (PCP). According to a CDC survey in 2019, around 51.2% of physician office visits were made for primary care services.

According to the 2019 Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative’s (PCPCC) evidence report, there is a significant gap in investment in improving primary care services in the U.S. One of the main concerns is the growing shortage of primary care doctors and allied healthcare professionals. In a report published on the complexities of physician demand and supply in June 2020, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) estimated a deficit between 21,400 and 55,200 primary care physicians by 2033. Furthermore, there is a substantial difference between the average annual revenue and salary generated by a PCP in comparison to a specialist physician.

Gain deeper insights on the market and receive your free copy with TOC now @: U.S. Primary Care Physicians Market Report

The U.S. has one of the advanced healthcare systems and compared to any other developed nation its healthcare expenditure is two times higher. According to CMS, healthcare spending accounted for 17.7% of the GDP in 2019 and is expected to reach 19.7% in the next ten years. Primary care services act as a gatekeeper for the healthcare system and play a significant role in improving healthcare outcomes and reducing overall medical expenditure.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in income loss for primary care offices in the United States due to the substantial reductions in revenue caused by physical distancing. Based on volume data for general practices, general pediatric practices, family medicine practices, and general internal medicine practices, researchers from Harvard Medical School and the American Board of Family Medicine estimated that COVID-19 would cost primary care practices USD 15.1 billion in revenue.

[covid-safer-hotties]

‘It has not gone away’: As COVID-19 cases rise in Colorado, health experts call for continued vigilance

Wearing a high-quality mask, cleaning the air and other protective measures continue to be important as CDC now says SARS-CoV-2 is a year-round threat

Wearing a high-quality mask, cleaning the air and other protective measures continue to be important as CDC now says SARS-CoV-2 is a year-round threat

Flu and RSV have come and gone this year, so if cold-like symptoms have been putting a damper on your summer plans these past few weeks, Colorado health experts say it’s very likely the coronavirus is to blame.

The state — just like pretty much the rest of the country — is experiencing a rise in COVID-19 cases this summer due to two different strains from the Omicron family – KP.2 and KP.3. Nicknamed “FLiRT” by variant trackers to help the public better understand the wide variety of circulating strains of the virus, these two strains combined — which may be better able at getting past the body’s defenses due to mutations in the spike protein — accounted for nearly 55% of all strains circulating across the state as of June, the most recent data the state has.

“Since about April of this year, we've started noticing an increasing trend in the number of COVID cases that have been going on in the state of Colorado,” said Dr. Ming Wu, a primary care physician at AdventHealth in Littleton. “We've seen more cases in the clinics, people testing positive for COVID.”

Data from the state confirms those observations. COVID-19 cases have been on an upward trend since mid-May in Colorado, with nearly 1,300 new cases reported in just the last week alone, according to the latest data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Those numbers are likely an undercount, however, since most people now test at home — if at all — and the majority don’t report their results to state or federal health authorities.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in Colorado have also increased to levels not seen since March, with 111 people hospitalized for the disease as of Tuesday compared to 66 at this same time last year — a nearly 70% increase when comparing year-to-year. It's not clear, however, how accurate this picture really is since hospitals are no longer required to report COVID-19 hospital admissions to the federal government.

Across the country, emergency room visits for COVID-19 increased to 23.5% as of July 6, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with about 1.3 hospitalizations per 100,000 people. Though the numbers might seem concerning, they are still lower than last winter, when 7.7 hospitalizations per 100,000 people were reported by the CDC.

Concentrations of the virus in wastewater — which has replaced case numbers as a more reliable metric to show how prevalent the virus might be in the community — have also increased over the past several weeks across the state, with more than half of all treatment facilities showing steady increases in viral replication since early May, when none were, according to CDPHE data.

“The fact that we still have thousands — 2,000 cases — every week that are (being) reported is of concern,” said Dr. May Chu, a clinical professor at the Colorado School of Public Health. “It should tell us that we shouldn't forget that SARS-CoV-2 is still amongst us. It has not gone away.”

Though it may be surprising to some to see a rise in COVID-19 cases over the summer, Chu said that ever since SARS-CoV-2 appeared on the map, Colorado — along with the rest of the country — has always had a summer surge.

Chu said that virologists like herself expect that as the virus continues to circulate in people for the foreseeable future, “that a regular pacing might occur and then we can begin to predict when it could occur, probably along with the other respiratory viruses.”

It’s not clear if that will ever come to pass, however, as the CDC quietly admitted in an update posted over the Fourth of July holiday that SARS-CoV-2 is likely to remain a year-round threat given “there is no distinct COVID-19 season like there is for influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)."

In its update, the CDC recommended a multi-layered approach so you can protect yourself against infection and prevent others from becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2. The multi-layered approach includes getting vaccinated, wearing a well-fitting, high-quality mask, ventilating indoor spaces, practicing proper hand hygiene, and following CDC quarantine guidance if you test positive for the virus.

What’s causing the uptick in cases this summer? CDC officials say a number of factors could be at play, including new variants that are not just more transmissible but better able at getting past our body’s defenses, as well as decreasing immunity from previous infections and vaccinations.

Though the newer “FLiRT” variants have mutations that make them more transmissible, Chu said those mutations aren’t statistically important as their rate of transmission only varies slightly compared to previous strains. However, because many different strains of the virus are circulating at the same time, “you can imagine that there’s a lot more virus growing,” she said.

“Part of it too is a bit of the virus variation. The virus still is young enough that it'll keep changing based on environmental circumstances,” Chu said, adding that “as it changes, it could get worse or it could get less infectious. We actually don’t know.”

Wu, on the other hand, attributed the rise in COVID-19 infections to the low uptake of vaccines across the state.

Data from the CDPHE shows about 30% of Coloradans ages 5 and up have only gotten 3 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (up to 6 doses are available now for certain groups of people).

“A lot of patients have said, you know, I've gotten enough COVID vaccines. I don't want this one, and so they haven't gotten it,” Wu said.

What you can do to protect yourself and others this summer While COVID-19 vaccines can protect you from getting seriously ill, they might not protect you against SARS-CoV-2 infection, both experts said.

“If you’re in a room that's tightly closed, with a lot of people that you don't know, you should mask because that increases the chance the transmission,” Chu said. “If you are the vessel for the reproduction of that virus, you're going to … make yourself sick, and other people are likely to get it from you. So you just have to be careful.”

Wu agreed, adding other measures like handwashing and socially distancing from others if you're sick could help protect not just yourself but others as well.

“If you do feel ill and you need to go out, wear a mask to protect your neighbor. If you sneeze and your germs aren't spreading everywhere, you're preventing your neighbor from getting that virus and so you're protecting the community,” he said.

If you test positive for COVID-19, Chu recommends calling your healthcare provider immediately and seek antiviral treatment like Paxlovid “as soon as you can” as it’ll help you from getting worse.

Those looking for added protection should get vaccinated now against COVID-19, both experts said, though if you want to wait it out a little longer, an updated COVID-19 vaccine targeting the most recent variants will be available later this year.

The threat of Long COVID remains after infection Though scientists and other health experts have seen a trend toward less severe outcomes and more typical symptoms of the flu with each new wave of the coronavirus, an encounter with COVID-19 doesn’t come without risks.

“With flu, there is not the residual Long COVID symptoms that about 8% of people suffer from. Flu doesn’t have that. RSV doesn’t have as much of that,” Chu said. “It is a risk and because this virus is still adapting to people, you're going to have lots of cases.”

While people who have had severe COVID-19 are at increased risk of developing Long COVID, CDC officials have said Long COVID can affect anyone, including children. Commonly reported symptoms include fatigue, brain fog and post-exertional malaise (PEM), but more than 200 symptoms have been associated with the condition which can affect various organs of the body, including the brain, the heart, the lungs, the kidneys, the reproductive system, among others.

The illness can last for weeks, months, or even years, and can be debilitating “in ways that significantly limit the daily activities of affected individuals,” according to the latest annual report on Long COVID in Colorado. It’s believed Long COVID has affected 10% of the state’s population so far.

Chu said that while scientists have been able to learn more about Long COVID since the start of the coronavirus pandemic four years ago, “the outcome at the moment still doesn’t tell you exactly how we can predict – one, if you can get Long COVID, and two – what your symptoms are (going to be). We're still gathering that information.”

Which is why Chu said it’s important for Coloradans to remember that COVID-19 is still around us and to be aware of the risk each infection can bring.

“If you are able to mitigate it, or reduce it by masking, by the various different kinds of practices that we've all known about for (years) now that continue to be in effect, then the risk of (developing Long COVID) gets lower,” she said.

[lifewithchronicpain]

Chronic pain patients who use either opioids or cannabis are still finding it hard to find a new primary care physician, according to new research at the University of Michigan.

Lead author Mark Bicket, MD, and his colleagues surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. primary care physicians about whether they were accepting new patients with chronic non-cancer pain. The physicians were all based in states with medical cannabis programs.

Of the 852 physicians who said they were taking new patients, 80% said they would accept patients taking prescription opioids. But only 68% said they’d accept a patient using opioids daily.

In contrast, nearly 82% of doctors said they would take pain patients using medical cannabis. Only 60% would accept a patient using cannabis “obtained from other sources” — meaning the cannabis probably came from the black market.

“There’s a group of legacy patients with chronic pain who have been on long-term opioids for some time, and they may have to find a doctor, maybe because they’ve moved or their doctor has retired,” said Bicket, who is an anesthesiologist and pain researcher at Michigan Medicine. “For those patients in particular, finding someone else to help with their care is challenging.”

Making matters worse, pain patients are at higher risk of having a substance problem if they don’t have access to pain medication. (Read more at link)

I just went through the worst, my pain clinic closed but luckily my primary care NP says she’ll keep my prescription going while I try to find another pain doctor or even if I don’t. But when she inevitably retires, and she is older than me, what then? This shit is fucking terrifying.

[irithnova]

Notes on "Empire of Care : Nursing and Migration in Filipino American History"

Previous post:

Filipino nurse Patrocinio Montellano was a nurse who was interviewed for this book

Art by Filipino-American artist MYSTERIOUSxBEAUTY

She was an accomplished woman, furthering her nursing career in the US by taking post-graduate courses.

She eventually secured deployment through the aid of Americans such as William Musgrave, former director of the Philippine general hospital.

In 1924, she returned to the Philippines, becoming the field representative and nurse supervisor of the Philippine chapter of the American red cross.

None of this would have been able to happen had it been a few decades earlier - when the Philippines was under the colonial rule of the Spanish.

Under Spanish rule, Filipinos were only offered unequal opportunities rooted in gender by the education system implemented by the Spanish at the time.

Because of this, very few Filipino girls were permitted primary education given to them by Spanish charitable institutions.

Women were outright excluded from the University of Santo Tomas - the Spanish university in the Philippines

This was until 1879, when a school of midwifery was opened

When it came to specialised health care jobs, only midwifery was allowed for Filipino women to enter into

Traditionally, Filipino women would take on the role of the caretaker at home

Filipinos would also rely on indigenous healers

On the other hand, in Spanish medical institutions, usually Spanish Friars and Priests were the caretakers.

Sisters of Charity, along with a European nurse, arrived in the Philippines in 1862 to work at the San Juan de Dios hospital.

Spanish surgeons and male Filipino physicians would practice both generalised and specialised forms of healthcare.

In the 19th century, elite Filipino men (called ilustrados) were encouraged by the Spanish government to further their education in European countries.

Jose Rizal - a Filipino national hero and ilustrado was a doctor of medicine himself.

Filipino women were outside banned from these opportunities

US colonialism did implement some changes of opportunities that Filipino women were offered - as Montellano's story reveals.

The opportunities that were now offered were nursing, education - and travel opportunities to the U.S

These opportunities for both work and travel were closely linked.

Montellano's account demonstrates how like clockwork, the beginning of the U.S colonial rule marked significant transnational relations between the U.S and Filipino women

Montellano's socioeconomic and geographic mobility was enabled by these relations

Montellano was aided by American physicians and nurses in order to reach her employment goals in the United States

Montellano's experience in the US helped her secure an advanced nursing career upon her return to the Philippines.

Montellano notes that it was also her sheer determination and courage that helped her progress her career - even against her father's wishes.

The literature on women and imperialism challenges the perception of imperialism as masculine.

American women's participation in U.S. colonialism in the Philippines has been overlooked.

U.S. colonial nursing played a crucial role in American modernity and American women viewing themselves as civilised.

Filipino nurses' perspectives reveal the role of Filipinos and Americans in Philippine nursing.

Nursing and medicine legitimised U.S. colonial agendas and social hierarchies.

Western medicine is often seen as a humanitarian effort, making it difficult to critique its exploitative effects

Reynaldo Ileto noted that it was even difficult for the most nationalist Filipino writers to criticise the US sanitary regime as it saved countless Filipino lives.

Reynaldo Ileto, Filipino historian

The introduction of professional nursing in the Philippines had both liberating and exploitative aspects.

This chapter highlights a period of transnational mobility in Filipino American history.

American and Filipino nurses shaped Philippine nursing through travel, teaching, training, and practice.

This multidirectional mobility has been overlooked in Asian American histories.

The formation of a gendered labor force laid the foundation for significant migrations of Filipino nurses later in the twentieth century.

[ausetkmt]

STAT: In counties with more Black doctors, Black people live longer, 'astonishing' study finds

Black people in counties with more Black primary care physicians live longer, according to a new national analysis that provides the strongest evidence yet that increasing the diversity of the medical workforce may be key to ending deeply entrenched racial health disparities.

The study, published Friday in JAMA Network Open, is the first to link a higher prevalence of Black doctors to longer life expectancy and lower mortality in Black populations. Other studies have shown that when Black patients are treated by Black doctors, they are more satisfied with their health care, more likely to have received the preventive care they needed in the past year, and are more likely to agree to recommended preventive care such as blood tests and flu shots. But none of that research has shown an impact on Black life expectancy.

The new study found that Black residents in counties with more Black physicians — whether or not they actually see those doctors — had lower mortality from all causes, and showed that these counties had lower disparities in mortality rates between Black and white residents. The finding of longer life expectancy persisted even in counties with a single Black physician.

“That a single Black physician in a county can have an impact on an entire population’s mortality, it’s stunningly overwhelming,” said Monica Peek, a primary care physician and health equity researcher at UChicago Medicine who wrote an editorial accompanying the new study. “It validates what people in health equity have been saying about all the ways Black physicians are important, but to see the impact at the population level is astonishing.”

“This is adding to the case for a more diverse physician workforce,” said Michael Dill, the director of workforce studies at the Association of American Medical Colleges and one of the study co-authors. “What else could you ask for?”

Lisa Cooper, a primary care physician who directs the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity and has written widely on factors that may explain why Black patients fare better under the care of Black doctors, called the study “groundbreaking” and “particularly timely given the declining life expectancy and increasing health disparities in the U.S. in recent years.”

“These findings should serve as a wake-up call for health care leaders and policymakers,” she told STAT.

The team of researchers, from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the AAMC, started their work by analyzing the representation of Black primary care physicians within the country’s more than 3,000 counties during 2009, 2014, and 2019. Even this first step resulted in a stark finding: Just over half of the nation’s counties had to be excluded from analysis because they contained not a single Black primary care physician.

“I knew it was a problem,” said Dill, “but ooh, those numbers are not good.”

The team’s analysis of the 1,618 counties that had at least one Black primary care physician in one of the three years found that the more such physicians a county contained, the higher life expectancy was for Black residents. (They’d like to repeat the analysis in the future to see how counties with Black doctors fared during the Covid-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected people of color.)

The team found life expectancy increased by about one month for every 10% increase in Black primary care physicians. While extending life by a few months may not sound like much given that the life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans nationally is nearly six years, picking up such a signal on a population level is significant, the authors said.

The study found that every 10% increase in Black primary care physicians was associated with a 1.2% lower disparity between Black and white individuals in all-cause mortality. “That gap between Black and white mortality is not changing,” said John Snyder, a physician who directs the division of data governance and strategic analysis at HRSA and who was one of the lead authors. “Arguably we’ve found a path forward for closing those disparities.”

The study did not directly address the reason Black people fare better in counties with more Black physicians, nor does it prove a cause-and-effect relationship. While earlier research suggests “culturally concordant” medical care is of better and higher quality for patients, the new study indicates that one factor may be that Black physicians are more likely to treat low-income and underinsured patients, taking on new Medicaid patients more than any other racial or ethnic group, for example. The study found that improvements in life expectancy were greatest in counties with the highest rates of poverty.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Rachel Upton, an HHS statistician and social science analyst who was one of the report’s lead authors. “It shows having Black physicians is not only helpful across the board, but it’s particularly useful with counties with high poverty.”

Many studies have found that communication is improved when patients and physicians are of the same race. Owen Garrick co-authored a 2019 study in Oakland, Calif., finding that cardiovascular disease could be curbed more in Black patients who are seen by Black doctors because they are more likely to engage in preventive health care. He noted during his study that Black patients were not only more likely to talk with Black doctors about subjects like upcoming birthday parties or weddings, they were also more likely to invite them to the events.

But good communication is not the only factor: A 2020 study found that in infant care, where verbal communication from the doctor is not an issue, mortality rates for Black infants were reduced when they were treated by Black physicians; the authors suggested stereotyping and implicit bias may play a role when doctors treat patients outside their racial and ethnic groups.

The current study looked past the patient-doctor relationship and showed that patients may fare better simply by living in counties with Black doctors even if they are not directly treated by those doctors. Living in a county where Black doctors work and thrive “may be a marker for living in a community that better supports Black lives,” Snyder said.

Another factor, said Peek, is that Black physicians may be more likely to do unpaid health-related work outside of the health care system, such as providing expertise to community organizations, being politically involved in health-related matters, and encouraging medical societies to advocate for public health.

That’s the case with Peek, who has spent two decades working with a nonprofit that helps Black women in public housing become health navigators and advocates. She also spends a good deal of time providing a second opinion to her network of friends and family — and their friends and families — who do not personally know any physicians and may have issues of mistrust with the medical system.

“With my non-Black colleagues, it’s like ‘Both my parents were doctors! Everyone’s a doctor!’” she said. “Their social network is not all paranoid when they enter the health care system.”

She said the study also pointed to problems with racism within medicine and bias toward Black patients that has created a “chasm” between non-Black physicians and their Black patients. She’s struck, she said, by the number of Black people who come up to her after she speaks at a local church to give her their detailed medical history and ask her opinion because they don’t trust their own medical team. “I look like them,” Peek said. “They trust I have their best interest at heart.”

The authors of the new paper said they were not advocating segregated care and all doctors should improve their cultural competency. Patients of all races and ethnicities would be helped by increased diversity in the physician workforce, they said.

But increasing the number of Black physicians remains a stubborn problem. Despite decades of attention to the matter, a 2021 study showed the number of Black and Native American medical students, particularly males, has stagnated. The AAMC has reported a recent uptick in admissions of Black medical students, possibly due to a renewed focus on diversity in recent years, but an upcoming Supreme Court decision expected to limit the use of race as a factor in admission could cut into such gains.

The current study did not address how the presence of physicians from other groups underrepresented in medicine, including Hispanic and Indigenous people and Pacific Islanders, affects health outcomes. Upton said she hoped other researchers could focus on such groups in the future and that more researchers would conduct “within group” studies to examine the health of people within a single racial or ethnic group and not just examine how such groups compare to other, usually white, populations.

“Oftentimes we just look at the disparities,” she said. “I would like people to be looking at how people are doing within their own groups and what can help within those groups.”

[kp777]

From the article:

[...]

The shortage of health care workers of all sorts is a widespread problem, but is especially acute in rural areas and minority communities. Sanders pointed to the startling numbers of Americans living in medical care deserts to illustrate the point. There are nearly 100 million people who don't have easy access to a primary care physician, almost 70 million with no dentist at hand, and some 158 million people who have few local mental health providers, Sanders said.

Read more.

[coochiequeens]

What is the new speak word for ass? As in Dr Ilana Sherer should pull her head out of her ass? Because no self respecting woman is calling her clitoris a "dicklet"

Prominent doctor at the American Academy of Pediatrics proposes renaming penises 'outies', vaginas 'front holes' and clitorises 'd*cklets'

Dr Ilana Sherer is a pediatrician from California who providers transgender care

She gave a presentation at the AAP National Conference in Washington, DC

READ MORE: Academy of Pediatrics backs transgender care for minors

By ALEXA LARDIERI U.S. DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 14:46 EDT, 23 October 2023 | UPDATED: 05:03 EDT, 24 October 2023

A top pediatrician has called for child doctors to start calling the vagina a 'front hole' and the penis an 'outie.'

Dr Ilana Sherer, a pediatrician in Dublin, California,  gave a presentation Sunday at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition and called for more gender neutral terminology for body parts. 

Her proposals, given during a workshop entitled 'Discussing Gender and Sexuality in the Primary Care Office,' included referring to the vagina as an 'innie,' 'front hole,' or 'T-penis' and the clitoris as 'd*ck' or 'd*cklet.' 

She also proposed calling breasts 'chest' or 'chesticles.' For male anatomy, Dr Sherer recommended pediatricians call the penis 'outie,' 'junk,' 'strapless,' or 'bits.' 

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A top pediatrician has called for child doctors to start calling the vagina a 'front hole' and the penis an 'outie.'

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Dr Ilana Sherer, a pediatrician in Dublin, California,  gave a presentation Sunday at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition and called for more gender neutral terminology for body parts. 

Her proposals, given during a workshop entitled 'Discussing Gender and Sexuality in the Primary Care Office,' included referring to the vagina as an 'innie,' 'front hole,' or 'T-penis' and the clitoris as 'd*ck' or 'd*cklet.' 

She also proposed calling breasts 'chest' or 'chesticles.' For male anatomy, Dr Sherer recommended pediatricians call the penis 'outie,' 'junk,' 'strapless,' or 'bits.' 

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Pediatrician Dr Ilana Sherer gave a presentation at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition and called for more gender neutral terminology for body parts

Slides from Dr Ilana Sherer's presentation offer advice on how to talk to pediatric patients about gender and sexual identity, including new terms to use to address genitalia 

Dr Sherer is a general pediatrician at Palo Alto Medical Foundation/Sutter Health.

She is board certified by the AAP, an organization to advance child health and well-being, as well as the profession of pediatrics, and serves on the organization's Executive Committee for LGBTQ Health and Wellness.

Some in the medical community have been calling for gender-neutral body terminology for years, recommending 'upper body' for breasts, 'erectile tissue' for penis and 'internal gonads' for ovaries. 

They argue it creates a more inclusive space for people who may not identify as one gender or sex and are not comfortable using gender-specific terminology.

But doctors have previously warned against politicizing medical language because it could confuse public health messaging, especially for people for whom English is not their first language. 

Dr Leonora Regenstreif, a family physician in Canada, told DailyMail.com: 'Health providers don't need to be "cool." We can just politely and respectfully use clinical, anatomical language.

'Kids might giggle or snicker but they will likely be even more put off if we try to "match" their word choices, which may be based on pornographic or inappropriate online resources.'

The physician said a few questions, modified for the age of the patient, like 'are you sexually active?' and 'Have you had intercourse with someone with a penis?' are adequate.

She added: 'Any more detail than this - like suggesting novel words like "front-hole" or "dicklet" - are unnecessary and prurient.'

Furthermore, Dr Julia Mason, a pediatrician in California, told DailyMail.com: 'I am concerned that pediatricians are encouraging dissociation from young people's sexed bodies in the doctor's office, where terms need to be simple and clear.'

Dr Mason added that during Dr Sherer's presentation, she noted rates of unintended pregnancy are high among girls who identify as lesbians. 

'I worry about kids being provided with incomplete information, leading to uninformed behavior and unintended consequences,' Dr Mason said. 

Dr Ilana Sherer is a general pediatrician at Palo Alto Medical Foundation/Sutter Health in Dublin, California

During her presentation at the AAP Conference, Dr Sherer was not speaking on behalf of the organization and her recommendations have not been adopted or implemented by the medical organization. The AAP has not commented on Dr Sherer's presentation. 

When it comes to LGBTQ care, in 2021, the AAP advised doctors treating patients identifying as transgender to ask them what words they would like used when referring to various body parts.

Guidance from July 2022 instructs parents to use 'correct names for body parts' when talking to young children and discussing body development and sexuality. 

In August, the AAP voted to stand by its 2018 guidance that supports LGBTQ access to counseling, hormone therapy, puberty blockers and, occasionally, surgery for minors under 18 years old. 

Any guidance from the AAP is not binding for doctors, but advice announced by a prominent medical advisory body is often implemented by healthcare providers as best practices. 

In trans girls, options include tucking male genital with medical tape or specialized underwear and padding with breast forms of silicone gel, padded bras and padded underwear to accentuate the hips and butt. Additional options include vocal training, makeup tutorials and wigs. 

In trans boys, options include binders like compression garments, and 'packing,' which includes a penile prosthesis and a 'stand to pee device.'

A medical option includes prescribing birth control to patients who are menstruating, which will stop them from their getting periods. 

Other points of Dr Sherer's presentation outlined potential 'non pharmacologic treatment for body dysphoria' for trans girls and trans boys.

Dr Sherer's presentation also outlined how to ask patients about gender, including asking their preferred pronouns, gender identity and sexual orientation, and if they identify as male or female, or neither. 

To get more information on a child's sexual orientation, Dr Sherer said doctors should ask patients if they are in an intimate relationship and what 'parts of your body do you use/have you used for sexual pleasure?

Other questions relate to monogamous relationships, previous and 'side' partners, the genders of a patient's partners and what body parts they use for sexual pleasure. 

The California pediatrician's workshop also recommended doctors 'think about your office' and said they should display affirming signs and posters, ensure staff have adequate inclusivity training, hire a diverse staff that represents patient identities, have all-gender bathrooms, inclusive medical forms, include preferred pronouns on patient charts and display pronoun stickers on staff ID badges. 

Similar recommendations were released by the AAP in June 2021.  

The mission of the AAP is to 'attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.'

The mission continues: 'Children have optimal health and well-being and are valued by society. Academy members practice the highest quality health care and experience professional satisfaction and personal well-being.'

The medical care of trans patients has been politicized into a hot-button issue and is becoming a key political battleground heading into the 2024 Presidential Election.

Local and national politicians have been fighting and enacting legislation that limits and even outlaws gender-affirming care for trans children, which can include hormone therapy, puberty blockers and genital reconstruction. 

Up until the wave of state bans began in 2020 and 2021, there were no restrictions at the federal level for access to these treatments, which in some cases are irreversible. 

However, as of May 2023, 20 states have enacted legislation, executive actions, or other policies that restrict or ban healthcare for transgender youths, and more than 100 additional bills are under consideration.

All of the states are Republican or Republican-leaning, and all but one voted for former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. 

Much of the political debate in recent years has been amid concerns that minors who get gender-affirming care are too young to make such a life-changing decision and are not fully aware of the risks.

For example, studies suggest those who are transgender are six times more likely to suffer from autism, and up to 70 percent of trans youths are depressed.

Other studies, including one by the National Institutes of Health, suggest patients are happier after the surgery, further complicating the issue.

There are concerns among Republican lawmakers about the lack of long-term safety data on puberty blockers and hormone drugs, which have seen other countries like the UK and Scandinavia restrict access in minors.

The Food and Drug Administration approved puberty blockers 30 years ago to treat children with precocious puberty - a condition that causes sexual development to begin much earlier than usual.

Sex hormones - synthetic forms of estrogen and testosterone - were approved decades ago to treat hormone disorders or as birth control pills.

The FDA has not approved the medications specifically to treat gender-questioning youth, but they have been used for many years for that purpose 'off label.'

Doctors who treat transgender patients say those decades of use are proof the treatments are not experimental.

Dr Sherer and the AAP could not be reached for comment

[edwardteachs]

my hot take is that u.s medical transition is the opposite side of norway’s medical transition for being shitty to us. I had no support or therapy or guidance getting HRT at 16. My doctors had never even met another trans person before me. I taught them. That is a horrifying place to be. Imagine then regretting that decision or having medical complications??? Like I’m happy with myself but theres no support for transition or detransition in the U.S unless you’re rich and voluntarily decide to pursue extra support like therapy and bloodwork

most of this sounds like my experience, tbh. I had to explain HRT and transgender existence to my primary care physician. you have to be rich to be able to transition (unless you fit an extremely narrow set of characteristics, including but not limited to skinny, white, attractive, binary, healthy, happy but not too happy, absolutely not a single gender nonconformist bone in your body, neurotypical, heterosexual, and wanting a complete and binary transition, in which case you MIGHT get considered for state covered HRT and surgeries). needless to say my top surgery cost me 53000 NOK (~$5000) and I pay 460 NOK (~$43) a month for my T gel. theres no support for it, because it has not been deemed "medically necessary" like it would if I had gotten a diagnosis through Rikshospitalet. oh yeah, you need to be diagnosed with transsexualism I mean Sex/Gender Incongruity in order to even qualify for care.

I performed at a pride event last weekend (i am a drag performer). we needed bodyguards to get safely between the stage and our hotel. norway is a hyper conservative hellhole with a facade of social welfare.

[theivorybilledwoodpecker]

"Abortion bans are inherently racist, inherently classist, and fundamentally part of the white supremacist agenda," said Dr. Bhavik Kumar, medical director for primary and transgender care at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast in Houston. "We don’t have to imagine a world where people face the deadly consequences of being denied essential medical care. It's here." .... Kumar recalled one woman who sought a termination at Planned Parenthood after the implementation last year of Senate Bill 8, which allows private citizens to sue providers who terminate pregnancies after about six weeks, before most people know they are pregnant. The woman worried her abusive partner would find out about the pregnancy, Kumar said. When she was told that doctors could no longer offer the procedure, "she sobbed so loudly people could hear her in the waiting room," Kumar told committee members.

She barely made it to the clinic without her partner finding out, Kumar said. "Going out of state was unthinkable," he said.

[uicscience]

The Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center at the University of Illinois Chicago will expand its services nationwide with the help of a new $3 million grant.

The center, which was founded in 1988 to provide HIV/AIDS training for medical students and primary care physicians, already works to bring the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration‘s National HIV Curriculum to medical students and professionals in 10 midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin.

“MATEC will build on the lessons learned from a previous project carried out in the past four years when we worked with 16 academic institutions with accredited programs of medicine, nursing and pharmacy in the Midwest,” said Dr. Ricardo Rivero, MATEC’s executive director and a co-principal investigator on the grant. “With this project, we successfully integrated content from the National HIV Curriculum E-Learning Platform into their existing curricula. By doing so, we firmly believe we enhanced the quality of HIV education and training at those institutions.”

MATEC, which is based in the UIC Department of Community and Family Medicine at the College of Medicine, will use these new funds to introduce the curriculum to academic institutions in the 57 jurisdictions outside the Midwest that have been designated “high priority” by the federal government’s Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative.  

In addition to continuing its work with graduate schools in medicine, nursing and pharmacy, MATEC will use the new funds to target physician residency programs for dentists and family medicine practitioners.

“The National HIV Curriculum has a tremendous impact on our students’ ability to provide knowledgeable and compassionate care to people living with HIV,” said Natacha Pierre, UIC clinical assistant professor of population health nursing science at the College of Nursing and co-investigator on the grant. “Increasing the number and quality of health care providers is essential to increasing access to care and ending the HIV epidemic. If we are to meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ goal to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, we need to go national. We are up for the challenge.”  

According to Corina Wagner, MATEC research and evaluation manager and co-principal investigator on the new grant, “The project will assist existing faculty, especially those who are not HIV specialists and who may lack the HIV clinical background, with knowledge of HIV content, teaching methods and ways to address potential students’ reluctance to engage with vulnerable communities such as the ones most affected by HIV.”

Rivero said, “By doing so, the project will continue to address students’ and residents’ attitudinal barriers to care for people living with or at risk of acquiring HIV, and we expect that those who have been trained in HIV care through the integrated National HIV Curriculum will be able to identify, address or properly refer their patients with HIV-related needs, particularly for chronic illness interventions that appear as a growing number of people living with HIV age.”  

Other key faculty and co-investigators on the new grant include Dr. Mahesh Patel, assistant professor at the College of Medicine; Blake Max, clinical associate professor at the College of Pharmacy; and Dr. Sarah Henkle, assistant professor of clinical family medicine at the College of Medicine.  

[awsomebloggersblog]

Job Opening For PRN Float Pool Advanced Practice Provider - Coastal Market Intuitive Health Services Job title: PRN Float Pool Advanced Practice Provider - Coastal Market Job description: Job Summary:The Novant Health Provider Float Pool is looking for a compassionate, caring, experienced Advanced Practice Provider to provide primary health care in the Coastal Brunswick market. Our float pool providers are valued for creating access to care when clinics are impacted by planned and unexpected provider shortages. As a member of the team, you are not responsible for a patient panel, work with a variety of experienced care teams, and enjoy a flexible schedule that works for you, giving you the time you need for family and personal interests. At least one year working as an APP required.Novant Health benefits: NH Medical Group employed System wide EHR-Epic Malpractice Work-Life balance Novant Health Medical Group: One of the largest medical groups in the nation. Offers resiliency training for providers and team members to prevent burnout. Established the ODYSSEY program to enhance the new physician and APP experience by empowering our providers to connect, explore and evolve within a culture of continuous learning and teamwork to build a high performing provider network. Instituted an APP Council that partners with leaders to improve APP clinical performance and consistency, create a community of practice that enhances experience, engagement and growth, fully integrate APPs into the care team, and set standards for APP practice. Is nationally recognized for advanced care and one of the largest community based, non-profit healthcare systems. Is well known for being physician-led and physician-driven. For example, our physicians are in every area of leadership across the organization. That means every strategic discussion has physicians at the table, and every market partners a physician leader with an administrator. The result is a focus on the details that are important to physicians. What does it mean to be a part of Novant Health? Novant Health is an integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient centers and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to our communities. The Novant Health network consists of more than 1,900 physicians and over 36,000 team members that provide care at more than 800 locations, including 16 medical centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. Headquartered in Winston–Salem, North Carolina, Novant Health is committed to making healthcare remarkable for patients and communities providing nearly six million patient visits annually. Novant Health is one of ranking No. 38 in North Carolina, according to Forbes and market research company, Statista. Novant Health has been consistently recognized as a Best-In-State Employer since Forbes launched the list in 2019. * Novant Health has been ranked No. 17 in the nation and third among U.S. health systems in the 2023 Diversity MBA MagazineRankings for “Best Places to Work for Women & Diverse Managers.” In 2022, Novant Health provided more than $1.5 billion in total community benefit (including financial assistance and unpaid cost of Medicare and Medicaid). In 2022, Novant Health community engagement contributed more than $1.9 million in charitable contributions to community partners in Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Wilmington that offer community-based health and human services. At Novant Health, one of our core values is diversity and inclusion. By engaging the strengths and talents of each team member, we ensure a strong organization capable of providing remarkable healthcare to our patients, families and communities. Therefore, we invite applicants from all group dynamics to apply to our exciting career opportunities.Join us, and let’s transform healthcare together.

#MakeHealthcareRemarkable #JoinTeamAubergine Qualifications:Education: Master's Degree required. Either a graduate of an NCCPA accredited physician assistant program, or NP or post Master’s NP program required.Experience: At least one year of experience working as an APP required.Licensure/Certification/Registration: Current PA or NP license in appropriate state required. NCCPA or registry with state nursing board, BLS, DEA registry required.Additional Skills Required: Ability to successfully complete generic and depart-specific skills validation and competency testing; Thorough knowledge of diagnosis, and pharmacology; Thorough skill in physical assessment and management of chronic illness; Communication skills, both verbal and written; general computer knowledge is preferred; ability to work independently, yet in collaboration when necessary. Ability to use problem-solving, decision making, creative and communication skills. Dedicated to patient rehabilitation and self-care. Responsibilities:It is the responsibility of every Novant Health team member to deliver the most remarkable patient experience in every dimension, every time. Our team members are part of an environment that fosters team work, team member engagement and community involvement. The successful team member has a commitment to leveraging diversity and inclusion in support of quality care. All Novant Health team members are responsible for fostering a safe patient environment driven by the principles of "First Do No Harm". Apply for the job PRN Float Pool Advanced Practice Provider - Coastal Market At Intuitive Health Services, our goal is to make healthcare better for everyone. We help hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare places find the right doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. For over 15 years, we have been doing this important job. We work with places like state hospitals and correctional facilities to make sure they have the best people to take care of patients. We don’t just connect people with jobs; we also support them throughout their journey. We help with things like improving resumes, preparing for interviews, and finding the job that fits best. We work in over 50 different locations and have over 900 professionals who trust us to help them. If you are looking for a job in healthcare, we are here to guide you. If you are a healthcare facility needing to hire someone, we can find the best person for you. Our team is always ready to help, and we believe that by working together, we can make healthcare stronger and better for everyone. If you need to contact us, you can find us at: Address: 520 West Lacey Blvd, Hanford, CA 93230 Email: jobs@intuitivehealthservices.com Phone:+1 (805) 703-3729 We’re here to help you with all your healthcare staffing needs! https://intuitivehealthservices.com/register

[distilinfo]

Experience Premier Primary Care at Mosaic Health

Elevance Health has partnered with private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) to launch Mosaic Health, a groundbreaking $4 billion primary care venture aimed at transforming healthcare in the U.S. This initiative brings together Elevance Health's resources and CD&R's expertise, integrating advanced digital platforms like Apree Health with the established provider network of Millennium Physician Group. Mosaic Health, led by seasoned healthcare executives Clay Richards and Tony Hughes, is set to serve 1 million members across 19 states, offering innovative and patient-centered primary care services. With a projected annual revenue of $4 billion, Mosaic Health is positioned to become a significant player in the healthcare industry, driving forward a new standard in primary care. Learn more about this transformative venture at DistilInfo.

Read more: https://distilinfo.com/healthplan/primary-care-at-mosaic-health/

Discover the latest payers’ news updates with a single click. Follow DistilINFO HealthPlan and stay ahead with updates. Join our community today!

[lifewithchronicpain]

Do pain patients on long-term opioid therapy make irrational decisions? Is their mental capacity so diminished by opioids that they shouldn’t be involved in treatment decisions with their doctors? The answer to both questions is often yes, according to a controversial new op/ed published in JAMA Internal Medicine. At issue is a recent update to the CDC’s opioid prescribing guideline, which calls for shared decision-making (SDM) when a prescriber considers tapering a patient or abruptly discontinuing their opioid treatment. The guideline was revised last year after reports of “serious harm” to patients caused by forced tapering.

“In situations where benefits and risks of continuing opioids are considered to be close, shared decision-making with patients is particularly important,” the 2022 guideline states. But that advice about consulting with patients goes too far, according to the lead author of the JAMA op/ed, Mark Sullivan, MD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington and a longtime board member of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing

“The value of SDM has been recognized for many years but also has its limitations, including where patients make irrational or short-sighted decisions,” Sullivan wrote. “Long-term opioid therapy induces a state of opioid dependence that compromises patients’ decisional capacity, specifically altering their perception of the value and necessity of the therapy; and although patients with chronic pain are not usually at imminent risk of death, they often can see no possibility of a satisfying life without a significant and immediate reduction in their pain.”

Sullivan and his two co-authors, Jeffrey Linder, MD, and Jason Doctor, PhD, have long been critical of opioid prescribing practices in the U.S. In their conflict of interest statements, Sullivan and Doctor disclose that they have worked for law firms involved in opioid litigation, a lucrative sideline for several PROP members...

...“In the case of opioid prescribing, and especially opioid tapering, working to persuade the patient is almost always the best clinical strategy. But there are circumstances (opioid use disorder, diversion, serious medical risks) where tapering should occur even if the patient objects,” Sullivan wrote. Opioid diversion by patients is actually rare. The DEA estimates that less than one percent of oxycodone (0.3%) and hydrocodone (0.42%) will be used by someone they were not intended for.

As for patients on opioids behaving “irrational,” Sullivan and his co-authors cite an op/ed published 33 years ago in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). But that article doesn’t even discuss opioids or tapering, it’s about whether patients and doctors should collaborate in making decisions about end-of-life medical care. It also makes an important disclaimer that “even the irrational choices of a competent patient must be respected if the patient cannot be persuaded to change them." Sullivan rejects that approach to opioid treatment...

...In a rebuttal to Sullivan’s op/ed also published in JAMA Internal Medicine, Mitchell Katz, MD, and Deborah Grady, MD, disputed the notion that a patient’s choices shouldn’t be respected. “Primary care professionals generally highly value the inclusion of the patient’s perspective in decision-making, consistent with the principles of patient autonomy and self-determination, and are loathe to go against a patient’s wishes,” they wrote. “As primary care professionals, we have found it helpful to tell patients that it is not recommended to take more than a specific threshold of opioids and that we do not want to prescribe something that is not recommended. However, that does not mean sticking to rigid cut points for dose and duration of opioid use, abandoning patients, or having them undergo too rapid a taper.”

Others questioned JAMA’s decision to publish Sullivan’s op/ed. “While I recognize the editors’ legitimate intellectual interest in providing a forum for open discussion on the opioid policy space, I question their decision to publish an editorial that represents an ongoing call for broad, ill-defined reductions in opioid prescribing,” said Chad Kollas, MD, a palliative care specialist who rejects the idea that patients shouldn’t be involved in their healthcare choices. “Errantly embracing a lower evidentiary standard for medical decision-making capacity creates an unacceptable risk for harm to patients with pain by violating their rights of medical autonomy and self-determination.” (Full article at link)

So essentially a man with a bias against opioids and who makes money litigating against uses a 33 year old op ed to assert pain patients shouldn't have a say in their medical care because we irrational. Proof of that irrationality is that if we have to deal with severe chronic pain with no relief, we may contemplate suicide. So fucking irrational, right? 🤬

This man is fucking cruel and inhumane. He works for an organization (PROP) that has had direct influence on the 2016 CDC Opioid Guidelines which lead to many pain patients committing suicide or dying from complications due to forced tapering and withdrawals. And this man has been given a platform to assert that our desire to not exist in severe daily pain is irrational. Fuck him!

[novumtimes]

5 charged in Matthew Perrys death including his assistant and 2 doctors prosecutor says

A prosecutor says five people have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death, including the actor’s assistant and two doctors.  U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced the charges Thursday, saying the doctors supplied Perry with a large amount of ketamine and even wondered in a text message how much the former Friends star would be willing to pay. “These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong,” Estrada said. Perry died in October due to a ketamine overdose and allegedly received several injections of the drug on the day he died from his live-in personal assistant. The assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, is the one who found Perry dead later that day. Two of the people, including one of the doctors charged, have been arrested, Estrada said. Two of the defendants, including Iwamasa, have pleaded guilty to charges already, and a third person has agreed to plead guilty. Iwamasa’s attorneys did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The prosecutor said the defendants exchanged messages soon after Perry’s death referencing ketamine as the cause of death. Estrada said they tried to cover up their involvement in supplying Perry ketamine, a powerful anesthetic that is sometimes used to treat chronic pain and depression. Los Angeles police said in May that they were working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with a probe into why the 54-year-old actor had so much of the surgical anesthetic in his system. An assistant found Perry face down in his hot tub on Oct. 28, and paramedics who were called immediately declared him dead. His autopsy, released in December, found that the amount of ketamine in his blood was in the range used for general anesthesia during surgery. The decades-old drug has seen a huge surge in use in recent years as a treatment for depression, anxiety and pain. People close to Perry told coroner’s investigators that he was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy. But the medical examiner said Perry’s last treatment 1½ weeks earlier wouldn’t explain the levels of ketamine in his blood. The drug is typically metabolized in a matter of hours. At least two doctors were treating Perry, a psychiatrist and an anesthesiologist who served as his primary care physician, the medical examiner’s report said. No illicit drugs or paraphernalia were found at his house. Ketamine was listed as the primary cause of death, which was ruled an accident with no foul play suspected, the report said. Drowning and other medical issues were contributing factors, the coroner said. Perry had years of struggles with addiction dating back to his time on Friends, when he became one of the biggest television stars of his generation as Chandler Bing, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s mega-hit sitcom. Drug-related celebrity deaths have in other cases led authorities to prosecute the people who supplied them. After rapper Mac Miller died from an overdose of cocaine, alcohol and counterfeit oxycodone that contained fentanyl, two of the men who provided him the fentanyl were convicted of distributing the drug. One was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison, the other to 10 years. And after Michael Jackson died in 2009 from a lethal dose of propofol, a drug intended for use only during surgery and other medical procedures, not for the insomnia the singer sought it for, his doctor, Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011. Murray has maintained his innocence. Source link via The Novum Times

[heathcareforallworld]

Understanding the Physician Credentialing Services Market Growth

The global healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly, with stringent regulations and a growing emphasis on quality care. Among the key elements underpinning this evolution is the role of physician credentialing services, which ensure that healthcare providers meet the necessary qualifications, certifications, and standards to deliver patient care. As the demand for quality healthcare services rises, so does the need for robust physician credentialing services. This article explores the current size and share of the physician credentialing services market, key industry trends, and forecasts through 2032.

Market Size and Share

As of 2023, the physician credentialing services market is witnessing significant growth, driven by the increasing complexity of healthcare regulations and the growing emphasis on patient safety and care quality. physician credentialing services Market Size was estimated at 11.03 (USD Billion) in 2023. The Physician Credentialing Services Market Industry is expected to grow from 11.88(USD Billion) in 2024 to 21.5 (USD Billion) by 2032. The physician credentialing services Market CAGR (growth rate) is expected to be around 7.7% during the forecast period (2024 - 2032), reflecting the increasing reliance on third-party credentialing services to manage the intricate processes involved in verifying healthcare providers' qualifications.

The North American region, particularly the United States, holds the largest market share, accounting for nearly 45% of the global market. This dominance is attributed to the highly regulated healthcare environment in the U.S., where stringent credentialing processes are mandated by various accrediting bodies, such as The Joint Commission and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Europe and Asia-Pacific regions are also expected to witness substantial growth, with countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and India increasingly adopting comprehensive credentialing practices in response to rising healthcare standards.

Industry Trends

Increased Outsourcing of Credentialing Services: Many healthcare organizations, including hospitals, clinics, and insurance companies, are increasingly outsourcing their credentialing processes to specialized third-party service providers. This trend is driven by the need for efficiency, cost reduction, and the ability to focus on core healthcare delivery activities. Outsourcing helps organizations navigate the complex regulatory landscape and ensure compliance with industry standards without overburdening internal resources.

Technological Advancements: The adoption of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and blockchain, is transforming the physician credentialing services market. These technologies streamline the credentialing process, reducing manual errors, and enhancing the accuracy and speed of verification. AI-driven tools are particularly beneficial in automating data collection and analysis, while blockchain technology ensures secure and immutable records, fostering trust and transparency.

Emphasis on Compliance and Risk Management: With increasing regulatory scrutiny, healthcare organizations are prioritizing compliance and risk management in their credentialing processes. The growing complexity of healthcare regulations and the need to avoid legal and financial penalties are driving the demand for comprehensive and compliant credentialing services. Service providers are increasingly offering end-to-end solutions that include background checks, primary source verifications, and ongoing monitoring to ensure continuous compliance.

Shift Towards Cloud-Based Credentialing Solutions: The adoption of cloud-based credentialing solutions is on the rise, offering healthcare organizations the flexibility to access and manage credentialing data from anywhere, at any time. These solutions provide real-time updates, streamline communication between stakeholders, and reduce the burden of maintaining physical records. Cloud-based platforms also enable easier scalability, making them an attractive option for large healthcare networks and multispecialty practices.

Growing Focus on Telemedicine: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, creating new challenges and opportunities in the credentialing market. Telemedicine requires healthcare providers to be credentialed across multiple states and jurisdictions, increasing the complexity of the process. As a result, there is a growing demand for credentialing services that specialize in telemedicine, ensuring that providers meet the necessary licensure and certification requirements for virtual care delivery.

Forecast to 2032

The physician credentialing services market is expected to continue its growth trajectory over the next decade, driven by several key factors. The increasing complexity of healthcare regulations, coupled with the ongoing shift towards value-based care, will necessitate robust credentialing processes to ensure the quality and safety of patient care. The rise of telemedicine and the growing demand for remote healthcare services will further fuel the market's expansion, as credentialing providers adapt to meet the needs of a digital healthcare landscape.

Technological advancements will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the credentialing market. AI, machine learning, and blockchain are expected to become integral components of credentialing platforms, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and security. The adoption of these technologies will also enable healthcare organizations to reduce costs and improve compliance, making them a key driver of market growth.

Additionally, the trend towards outsourcing and the adoption of cloud-based solutions will continue to gain momentum, as healthcare organizations seek to streamline their operations and focus on delivering high-quality care. As more healthcare providers recognize the value of specialized credentialing services, the market is poised for sustained growth.