An Example of Senseless Spending in Healthcare - True Story

A friend of mine recently went in to the hospital to have a pacemaker implanted. Her surgeon wanted her to have an electrophysiology study done prior to the procedure, to rule out any additional problems. Since both procedures require a night's stay in the hospital it made good sense to do them on the same day. An efficient use of healthcare resources - not to mention my friend's time. You know what they say about best laid plans...

My friend arrived at the hospital bright and early on the day of her scheduled procedures. She was prepped with an IV, had her groin shaved for the electrophysiology study, and was ready to be wheeled away when someone realized that the technician who performs those studies was not working that day. A simple mistake? A costly error. My friend had her pacemaker implanted and spent the night in the hospital as planned. She then had to return two days later to have the electrophysiology study done - which required another night's stay in the hospital. Not only did this prolong her recovery, but will undoubtedly cost her (and her insurance company) a horrendous amount of money. I can't help but think about the recent policy made by Medicare regarding avoidable secondary procedures... (see my previous post on this topic)

I share this story because it is no secret that healthcare spending is completely out of control, and we often see medical transcription being cut from the budget because it provides the illusion of saving money. Taking a knowledge worker out of the documentation process is not cost effective. Avoiding mistakes like the one my friend encountered would be a great first step.