Protocols for Opening Up Cruising - Physicians' Perspective

[harkinmr]

Really interesting Miami Herald article with physician recommendations on what protocols need to be in place in order for cruise ships to SAFELY sail.  

There's also an interesting quote from a CDC spokesperson below.  Sounds to me like cruising is a long-ways off.   The article is an educational one and provides a realistic picture as to where we are as of today.

 

A spokesperson for the CDC said the agency has not consulted with any cruise lines yet about resuming operations.

“We don’t have enough information at this time to say when it will be safe for passenger travel to resume,” said spokesperson Scott Pauley in an email Wednesday. “Our current focus is helping crew members safely return home to their families and ensuring cruise lines are providing a safe environment for crew members to work and to disembark. We will continue to evaluate and update our recommendations as the situation evolves.”

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article242945396.html#storylink=cpy

[Bookish Angel]

Thanks for posting this article.  
The financial incentive for doctors is disturbing.

[Milwaukee Eight]

17 minutes ago, Bookish Angel said:

The financial incentive for doctors is disturbing.

How’s that?

[mugtech]

38 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

How’s that?

Evidently they have billing goals, and if they hit the goals for a few weeks then they get a bonus.  Could inspire them to do unneeded actions just to run up the bills.  This was reported anonymously by doctors fearing reprisals.

[Milwaukee Eight]

2 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Evidently they have billing goals, and if they hit the goals for a few weeks then they get a bonus.  Could inspire them to do unneeded actions just to run up the bills.  This was reported anonymously by doctors fearing reprisals.

Do you have a source?  Not sure how much Medicare/Insurance will pay for Telemedicine. Do you know?   Who pays them a bonus?

Edited June 2, 2020 by Milwaukee Eight

[mugtech]

2 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Do you have a source?

Just saying what was in the report posted above.

[Milwaukee Eight]

10 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Just saying what was in the report posted above.

Ok. The article addresses contract ship Doctors.  I thought you were talking about all Doctors. It appears they get “bonuses “ based off Ancillary tests and procedures.  Not much different than crew selling in your face speciality dinning. 
 

I know my Doctor is not making more money off of COVID19. Its actually had a negative impact on her business. 
 

M8

[harkinmr]

45 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Ok. The article addresses contract ship Doctors.  I thought you were talking about all Doctors. It appears they get “bonuses “ based off Ancillary tests and procedures.  Not much different than crew selling in your face speciality dinning. 
 

I know my Doctor is not making more money off of COVID19. Its actually had a negative impact on her business. 
 

M8

Actually, it is different.  We're talking about people's health here, not a specialty dining reservation.  There's nothing right about performing unnecessary tests and procedures just to meet quotas causing additional expense to cruisers or bilking travel insurance companies.  Very disturbing.

[Milwaukee Eight]

10 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

Actually, it is different.  We're talking about people's health here, not a specialty dining reservation.  There's nothing right about performing unnecessary tests and procedures just to meet quotas causing additional expense to cruisers or bilking travel insurance companies.  Very disturbing.

To the cruise lines, it’s all the same. A dollar is a dollar, not matter how it comes in. 

[AlohaLivin]

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Ok. The article addresses contract ship Doctors.  I thought you were talking about all Doctors. It appears they get “bonuses “ based off Ancillary tests and procedures.  Not much different than crew selling in your face speciality dinning. 
 

I know my Doctor is not making more money off of COVID19. Its actually had a negative impact on her business. 
 

M8

 

Exactly, thank you for that!  Very poor timing for anyone to throw stones at health care providers on both ends of the current work spectrum -  those being worked to death and those unable to have no work due to COVID-19. This based on the belief that what one thing that one person wrote is truth? It reminds me of the Facebook-based “facts” too many use as “news” these days. Those in healthcare (from physicians to nurses to those who works as assistants and billing staff) are scrambling to survive this societal emergency.

 

I am in a small rural private practice and my income has dropped so much over the last months that I had to make a decision to close my office and do only telehealth. I am almost 60, that is a HUGE effect on my world and future. 
 

My daughter is a NP and had been out of work since mid March (although thankfully now has a new position that begins in July).

 

My sister is an intervenional radiologist / breast’s and had a new contract in CO cancelled as her belongings were already on a truck headed from FL to CO and her home already sold in FL because of Covid-19.

 

The problem in healthcare has most of the time is not getting insurance to cover the tests and procedures that we believe are important.  I have been in healthcare for a long time, I’ve never had anything remotely like this kind of quota and neither has my sister. Financial incentives? What??  Medicare sent small checks to Medicare participating providers (trust me, there are far fewer of us than you think) as a token payment as part of the recovery act (like the SSA sent loans they are forgiving to business owners or they gave unemployment to those employed who lost their jobs).  Since physicians and other healthcare professionals often fall through the cracks on unemployment since we are typically self employed, these payments were part of the emergency aid package.  Please get facts from more than one place before you make assumptions about this huge group of people.

 

 

Edited June 2, 2020 by AlohaLivin

[Sunshine3601]

I dont see any new information in this article.  

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, AlohaLivin said:

 

Exactly, thank you for that!  Very poor timing for anyone to throw stones at health care providers on both ends of the current work spectrum -  those being worked to death and those unable to have no work due to COVID-19. This based on the belief that what one thing that one person wrote is truth? It reminds me of the Facebook-based “facts” too many use as “news” these days. Those in healthcare (from physicians to nurses to those who works as assistants and billing staff) are scrambling to survive this societal emergency.

 

I am in a small rural private practice and my income has dropped so much over the last months that I had to make a decision to close my office and do only telehealth. I am almost 60, that is a HUGE effect on my world and future. 
 

My daughter is a NP and had been out of work since mid March (although thankfully now has a new position that begins in July).

 

My sister is an intervenional radiologist / breast’s and had a new contract in CO cancelled as her belongings were already on a truck headed from FL to CO and her home already sold in FL because of Covid-19.

 

The problem in healthcare has most of the time is not getting insurance to cover the tests and procedures that we believe are important.  I have been in healthcare for a long time, I’ve never had anything remotely like this kind of quota and neither has my sister. Financial incentives? What??  Medicare sent small checks to Medicare participating providers (trust me, there are far fewer of us than you think) as a token payment as part of the recovery act (like the SSA sent loans they are forgiving to business owners or they gave unemployment to those employed who lost their jobs).  Since physicians and other healthcare professionals often fall through the cracks on unemployment since we are typically self employed, these payments were part of the emergency aid package.  Please get facts from more than one place before you make assumptions about this huge group of people.

 

 

Thank you and well said. 
 

Her practice has suffered as well. They don’t really know what Telemedicine is going to pay as compared to an office visit. She covers 3 hospitals and a typical on call day had been 15-20 consults. During the height of COVID19, 3-5 consults was the new norm.  Her expenses don’t change. Still has PA’s and staff to pay. 

She too got a Medicare support supplement.  They had to temporarily shutdown Research and for the most part and deploy those staff into other jobs.  Nobody in her practice have lost a job, involuntarily. 
 

Only ones making money off COVID19, is Procter & Gamble, makers of Charmin Ultra Soft Toilet Paper. Six rolls for $10.99. Almost $2 a roll. 😇 
 

M8