I'm sorry if this is a loaded question, but I'm having trouble understanding what the potential (or already decided?) end of the 90 day global period for surgical procedures will mean for all surgical specialties.
From what I understand, the current model of care is that surgeons get paid more for a procedure because they are expected to handle and follow ups for 90 days after the procedure. Now, many have gamed the system by sending their patients to other doctors who will get paid for services they should have been performing and were technically already paid for.
So with the end of the global period, the continuity of care will be lost as surgeons will do more procedures instead of taking more follow up visits as procedures will pay better on a time basis than anything else, despite the procedures paying less overall because of the end of 90 day global.
Does this mean that if you want to take care of patients medically after surgery, you should be a hospitalist instead of a surgeon now? I'd love to hear from a more diverse group of surgeons on this as this is the stuff I wish I was being taught in school right now!
From what I understand, the current model of care is that surgeons get paid more for a procedure because they are expected to handle and follow ups for 90 days after the procedure. Now, many have gamed the system by sending their patients to other doctors who will get paid for services they should have been performing and were technically already paid for.
So with the end of the global period, the continuity of care will be lost as surgeons will do more procedures instead of taking more follow up visits as procedures will pay better on a time basis than anything else, despite the procedures paying less overall because of the end of 90 day global.
Does this mean that if you want to take care of patients medically after surgery, you should be a hospitalist instead of a surgeon now? I'd love to hear from a more diverse group of surgeons on this as this is the stuff I wish I was being taught in school right now!
