Mostrando mensaje 3305     < Anterior | Siguiente > Responder a este mensaje Asunto: [SALUD_AMBIENTAL] RV: [occ-env-med-l] Article on physicians receiving pressure to underreport Fecha: Sabado, 28 de Junio, 2008  14:39:18 (-0300) Autor: Sociedad de Ecologia Medica y Social <ecomed @...........org> -----Mensaje original----- De: bounce-22494964-6853841@listserv.unc.edu [mailto:bounce-22494964-6853841@listserv.unc.edu] En nombre de Gary Greenberg Enviado el: Jueves, 26 de Junio de 2008 09:50 p.m. Para: Societe of medical ecology Asunto: [occ-env-med-l] Article on physicians receiving pressure to underreport Unclear why this failed to reach the forum without my help. Please reply to all or to Dr. Buono From: Gina Buono/LSF/AHC gina.buono@aurora.org Date: 06/25/2008 11:30AM Subject: Re: [occ-env-med-l] Article on physicians receiving pressure to underreport The opposite is also true, and I have come to believe, even more true than I want to acknowledge. Illness and injuries which should not be considered work related are. The evaluations done by treating MD's and specialists are usually not detailed enough to establish causation or work relatedness. I am sad to say, that as I review these cases I find that there is very poor documentation of the exposures (either ergonomic or toxicologic), poor documentation of physical findings, and often a nebulous treatment plan. Providers are pressured by workers into giving "paid vacations", or prolonged restrictions costing employers millions of dollars. Providers will make something " work related" because the re-imbursement is so good. Worker's are forced to use worker's compensation insurance to get treatment when they lack sufficient personal insurance, or abuse the system because it is so easy to abuse. Employers are forced to try to hide injuries and illnesses because it is used to "experience rate them" and drives up the cost of insurance for them. The OSHA log was originally intended to be an epidemiological tool for the DOL. It has turned into a stick that insurance companies can use to bludgeon employers The Worker's Compensation system constitutes a "Moral Hazard" to Workers, Providers and to Employers. It needs reform. Doctors should be accountable to whoever is paying the bill. Doctors who treat a worker's comp injuries/illnesses must step outside their role as patient advocate, and into the role of arbitrator between the worker and the employer. With every worker comp injury, their are two patients: the employer and the employee. Doctors and even more so, Health Care systems, have to be accountable for their part in driving up the cost of doing business. When employers can no longer bare the cost of doing business in America, they take their business elsewhere. That is not good for anyone. My opinion (diatribe) only G. Buono MD MPH - Hide quoted text - On Tue, Jun 24, 2008 at 2:34 PM, Lee Hager <leehager@cablespeed.com> wrote: > > This link was forwarded to me by a colleague in the hearing conservation > field - thought it may be of interest to you all. : > http://www.charlotte.com/local/story/587539.html > > Lee Hager > E-A-Rfit and customE-A-R > 517.647.5882/cell 517.290.1907 > leehager@cablespeed.com