“What’s New?” – Does the Doctor Know & Care?

If you need surgery you should be looking for both a doctor and a facility that have done many of whatever it is you need. For instance, if you need a hip transplant, find an orthopedic surgeon AND a hospital that has done many of them. These are the professionals who have seen virtually every complication and outlier and have great experience in the one thing you most need – a good outcome for your new hip.

But great experience can carry a price if it means the clinicians are reluctant to embrace necessary change. A perfect example of this involves the development and use of laparoscopic surgical procedures. These minimally invasive approaches to a variety of surgeries offer effective alternatives to the bigger open operation. Better recovery rates, shorter (or no) hospitalization, fewer complications, less money are all advantages available for many surgeries (e.g. prostate, appendix, aortic aneurysm, hysterectomy, colon, pancreas).

Sometimes, however, those clinicians with the busiest practices are also those who are slow to incorporate new techniques into their practices. After all, they do the most, they are the best. Some don’t want to change, some won’t take time to change.

But recent experience shows new techniques can be quite superior. So be vigilant and diligent when choosing your surgeon. Does he/she have a lot of experience using the newest, proven techniques? You can improve your own outcome.

OMCA utilization review professionals consider these issues each and every day. We can help you, your claimants and your employees make these decisions.

Call us. We can do better.

William V. Faris, JD

Chief Executive Officer
502-495-5040
www.william.faris@omca.biz
www.omca.biz

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