Business knowledge in surgeons.June 17th, 2007
Business knowledge in surgeons.
“This article was published in American Journal of Surgery, Business knowledge in surgeons, Volume 188, Satiani B, pages 13-16, copyright Elsevier, 2004.”
For full text see link: http://www.ajsfulltextonline.com.
Abstract
Satiani B. Division of Vascular Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus 43210-1250, USA.
BACKGROUND:
Surgeons and residents in training receive little, if any, formal education in the economic side of clinical practice during medical school or residency. As medical professionals face shrinking reimbursement, loss of control over health care decisions, and limited resources, surgical specialties must reevaluate the need to teach their members business survival skills. Before designing business related-teaching modules, educators must know the exact gaps in knowledge that exist among surgeons.
METHODS:
This article reports a survey of 133 surgeons in the Midwest who were asked to rate their knowledge base in 11 business topics relevant to the practice of medicine.
RESULTS:
The survey showed that the average surgeon perceives himself or herself to be poorly equipped to understand basic financial accounting principles, financial markets, economics of health care, tools for evaluating purchases, marketing, budgets, antitrust and fraud and abuse regulations, and risk and return on investments.
CONCLUSIONS:
Armed with this data, teaching faculty, health care systems, and medical specialty societies should design business education seminars to better position surgical specialists and trainees to communicate with insurers, hospital administrators, health care organizations, and their own personal financial advisors.
New study about business knowledge
One of the competencies required by ACGME for resident training is a ‘systems based practice’ which includes knowledge of healthcare, the practice management and some business knowledge. A recent publication confirms that we based learning of these issues works in fulfilling this requirement as related to practice management. (J Am Coll Surg 2010;211:777–783) The study consisted of measuring knowledge prior to and after 11 modules on the web in 28 PGY3-6 residents. 78% residents completed the courses within the required one year. Residents logged in an average of 21 times and required seven hours to complete the modules with about a 19% improvement in scores after the learning. The topics covered cost of healthcare, payment systems and some care processes. Whether it is web based or not, residents generally are motivated to learn about the world outside the scientific cocoon they live in. Our 2 year curriculum with 24 topics covered in the Department of Surgery provides customized education about practice management and about healthcare in the U.S. All training programs should make an effort to round out the education of their trainees by adding business knowledge to the scientific content.