More Discussion about Discussing Out-Of-Pocket Costs
In the wake of my recent New York Times op-ed, and other writing about patient out-of-pocket costs, I was interviewed by Tammy Worth, a writer at Renal and Urology News. She did a great job of exploring this controversial topic. Here is a sneak peek at her article, followed by a link to the full essay:
Did you know that a hemodialysis session costs about $130, the average surgeon’s fee for a radical prostatectomy is about $1,500, or that it costs nearly $2.500 less for a patient to have a bladder repair operation at an ambulatory surgery center than in a hospital?
You may not know these numbers, but you should be aware that your patients might. With a few minutes of research, patients are now able to find out the relative cost of care on sites like Health Care Bluebook, Fair Health Consumer or Healthcare Atlas.
But keeping up with your patients shouldn’t be the only reason you know how much services cost. Understanding prices can help you contain costs, improve care, and retain patients… (Read more at Renal and Urology News)