by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 14, 2020 | Fight the Good Fight
Here’s a message from my good friend and colleague, nurse practitioner Joy Schank. Joy has donated her time as an expert in criminal court proceedings dealing with the development of skin breakdown at the end of life. Family members and clinicians have been charged...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 14, 2020 | Miscellaneous Musings
My friend and patient – Morgan McCoy – has a big celebration on October 14th. That’s the day her right leg was amputated above the knee in order to save her life. Morgan is the antithesis of the victim mentality that is plaguing our country. She’s celebrating the day...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 13, 2020 | Do the Right Thing: Thoughts on Quality
I am a huge proponent of better care coordination. This means doctors have to talk to each other. When I need to talk to a doctor who’s cell phone I don’t already have, I cringe. It means I will have to face their office telephone system and I am so DONE with this. I...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 7, 2020 | Fight the Good Fight
Check out the editorial and article I wrote for Today’s Wound Clinic about pressure injuries and malpractice litigation: What My Experiences Have Taught Me About Meritless Malpractice Cases and A Closer Look at the Legal Implications of Pressure Injuries. Pressure...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 6, 2020 | Healthcare Payment Policy
As we’ve discussed previously, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reclassified all services in the Hospital-Based Outpatient Department (HOPD) under “general supervision” away from “direct supervision,” with the caveat that it was up to the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 24, 2020 | Fight the Good Fight, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
It passed! Thank you to all of you who engaged on this issue. Let’s hope this is a small step forward for the field of hyperbaric medicine and a big step forward for our veterans. –Caroline HOUSE PASSES HOEVEN-COSPONSORED LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE VA MENTAL...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 21, 2020 | Fight the Good Fight, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Wes Irvin is an advocate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a result of his own personal healthcare journey. He’s got a unique perspective on the challenges faced by the industry, thanks to his experience working “inside the beltway.” Wes has served in multiple...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 17, 2020 | Don't Miss This, Uncategorized, US Wound Registry
Wound Clinic Leaders: Please Take This Survey The US Wound Registry is focused on improving the quality of care and outcomes of patients with chronic wounds and ulcers. As a CMS-recognized Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR), we are trying to understand real-world...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 15, 2020 | Healthcare Payment Policy
I got my 2019 MIPS (Merit Based Incentive Payment System) Final Score Report. I reported wound care relevant measures in 2019 and got high quality scores. Check out my Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) healing rate. It was 33.14% – and yet I still scored 8.39/10 with...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 10, 2020 | Healthcare Payment Policy
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued the report below, estimating that the Medicare Trust Fund will become insolvent in 2024, two years sooner than the previous estimate, because of the pandemic. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) members...
