Comments on: RAND PAUL & THE LATEST MSM SMEAR http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/ Cleaning the Augean Stables of the Health Care Debate Thu, 10 May 2012 21:39:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: mike http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-461379 mike Tue, 06 Jul 2010 04:03:59 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-461379 Some boards "certify" only the top 67%. No matter how well the bottom 33% score. Who is going to go to medical school, residency and fellowship and go into hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and then not be able to practice because they scored in the bottom 33%. Why not score as a minimum amount of information candidates should know whether it be 99% of the material or 85%? Make it a learning experience also. Physicians are paying thousands of dollars to take these tests in addition to the time preparing for them. Some boards “certify” only the top 67%. No matter how well the bottom 33% score. Who is going to go to medical school, residency and fellowship and go into hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and then not be able to practice because they scored in the bottom 33%. Why not score as a minimum amount of information candidates should know whether it be 99% of the material or 85%? Make it a learning experience also. Physicians are paying thousands of dollars to take these tests in addition to the time preparing for them.

]]> By: Marc Brown http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460612 Marc Brown Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:35:57 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460612 I'm not disputing it needs consistency. I presume you're not against a system of ongoing certification of competency and knowledge. I’m not disputing it needs consistency. I presume you’re not against a system of ongoing certification of competency and knowledge.

]]> By: Rich http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460610 Rich Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:25:14 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460610 In 1993, all US board certified internists were certified for life. There exist professional development programs other than the certification boards, that do not require confiscatory payment in order to participate. (medical subspecialty boards which require recertifocation charge upward of $2000 to sit for the exam every ten years, in addition to required continued education courses which are state mandated, and the cost of which is in addition to board fees.) Many hospitals and other credentialing entities recognize the problem with requiring a physician boarded in 1996 to recertify to be recredentialed, and not requirong it of someone boarded in 1995. The studies do not take into account internists boarded for life versus those with lapses certs, only thoses boarded for life vs. Those NEVER boarded. In 1993, all US board certified internists were certified for life. There exist professional development programs other than the certification boards, that do not require confiscatory payment in order to participate. (medical subspecialty boards which require recertifocation charge upward of $2000 to sit for the exam every ten years, in addition to required continued education courses which are state mandated, and the cost of which is in addition to board fees.)

Many hospitals and other credentialing entities recognize the problem with requiring a physician boarded in 1996 to recertify to be recredentialed, and not requirong it of someone boarded in 1995. The studies do not take into account internists boarded for life versus those with lapses certs, only thoses boarded for life vs. Those NEVER boarded.

]]> By: Marc Brown http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460605 Marc Brown Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:55:28 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460605 Rich, have a look at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1553526/ I must say that I wouldn't trust a doctor who showed no commitment to accredited continuous professional development where that is available. Note that this article is about the UK, citing evidence from the US, and is positive about the US system as another possibility for the professional programmes in the NHS and in the Royal College (speciality) programmes we have. 'Since 1999, four well conducted studies have concluded that board certification is associated with provision of higher quality care across a range of specialties.' 'The study used data from 16 629 stays in hospital in 1993 in Pennsylvania and found that certification in internal medicine or cardiology was associated with a 19% reduction in mortality (after adjusting for hospital resources, comorbidities, and other variables).' 'As well as correlations between certification and clinical processes and outcomes, recent studies have found that a lack of certification is associated with increased risk of disciplinary action.' Rich, have a look at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1553526/

I must say that I wouldn’t trust a doctor who showed no commitment to accredited continuous professional development where that is available. Note that this article is about the UK, citing evidence from the US, and is positive about the US system as another possibility for the professional programmes in the NHS and in the Royal College (speciality) programmes we have.

‘Since 1999, four well conducted studies have concluded that board certification is associated with provision of higher quality care across a range of specialties.’

‘The study used data from 16 629 stays in hospital in 1993 in Pennsylvania and found that certification in internal medicine or cardiology was associated with a 19% reduction in mortality (after adjusting for hospital resources, comorbidities, and other variables).’

‘As well as correlations between certification and clinical processes and outcomes, recent studies have found that a lack of certification is associated with increased risk of disciplinary action.’

]]> By: Rich http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460585 Rich Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:31:13 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460585 Marc, Please provde a citation for those studies. Did they exclude people with lifetime certifications? I was Board Certified once. Anyone certified the year prior (or 20 years prior) is certified for life. Those very same people decided that I needed to be recetified every ten years, while they did not. So unless the study accounts for lifetime certification by excluding it, or counts those with lapsed certifications as "board certified," I would question any conclusion drawn from them. And if they do, then you make my point. P.S. Since my certification lapsed, I have had no trouble attracting patients. Marc,

Please provde a citation for those studies. Did they exclude people with lifetime certifications? I was Board Certified once. Anyone certified the year prior (or 20 years prior) is certified for life. Those very same people decided that I needed to be recetified every ten years, while they did not.

So unless the study accounts for lifetime certification by excluding it, or counts those with lapsed certifications as “board certified,” I would question any conclusion drawn from them. And if they do, then you make my point.

P.S. Since my certification lapsed, I have had no trouble attracting patients.

]]> By: Marc Brown http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460584 Marc Brown Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:32:09 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460584 About 85% of American physicians are board certified and there is research that shows that certified doctors have better outcomes. So tell me - if you are seeking a doctor would you deliberately seek out one who wasn't certified? About 85% of American physicians are board certified and there is research that shows that certified doctors have better outcomes. So tell me – if you are seeking a doctor would you deliberately seek out one who wasn’t certified?

]]> By: Rich http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460580 Rich Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:46:28 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460580 Its still a phony issue. Many choose to forego recertification in many medical fields. Its still a phony issue. Many choose to forego recertification in many medical fields.

]]> By: Marc Brown http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460567 Marc Brown Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:50:16 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2010/06/14/rand-paul-the-latest-msm-smear/#comment-460567 'The American Board operates out of an office building in a Philadelphia suburb and has 11 employees. The group's board of directors includes 20 people from around the country, 18 of whom are ophthalmologists. 'In comparison, the address for Paul's group is a UPS Store in Bowling Green.' Have you gone blind, David? ‘The American Board operates out of an office building in a Philadelphia suburb and has 11 employees. The group’s board of directors includes 20 people from around the country, 18 of whom are ophthalmologists.

‘In comparison, the address for Paul’s group is a UPS Store in Bowling Green.’

Have you gone blind, David?

]]>