Earlier this month an Illinois physician learned her ER as getting a new boss. He called himself "Doctor George." And he was *deeply* unhappy with her failure to do Medicare fraud. A thread on the chaotic collapse of a(nother) private equity ER operator

RANT: The ED is Not Broken But the Healthcare System Is The ED has become healthcare’s universal contingency plan and is asked to deliver inpatient care, primary care, and non-emergent care on top of emergency care. #Healthcare #EmergencyMedicine

(1) Nearly three years later, the Oklahoma Public Health Lab is still dependent on three out of state labs as they cannot perform those tests. Oklahoma has the only State Lab in the #USA that cannot perform TB and bioterrorism testing. @GovStitt made a unilateral decision, without input from #okleg , to move this lab from #OKC to Payne County. This move was unanimously opposed by every medical society in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Public Health Lab has become the worst State Lab in the #USA . The hasty and disastrous decision to move the lab, crippled its ability and is a huge setback in Oklahoma’s ability to perform its public health mission. The OPHL has been under two federal investigations since it’s move that revealed major deficiencies( improper storage of samples, botched newborn testing, and critical staffing issues). This Lab is still limping along.

Q: Why are waits at emergency rooms so long? A: Because the rest of the healthcare system is failing. The patient did everything right, but the healthcare system did them so so so wrong. 🧵… They call their PCP, but can’t get an appointment. So they turn to the ER. They call their specialist, but the call line (automated, no human to respond) says go to the ER. They try to pick up their new medicine, but it’s 3x their monthly rent $ and they already work 3 minimum wage jobs…so they turn to the ER to get a dose of medicine. They try to get their imaging done, but can’t get the prior auth approved. So they come to the ER to get it. Their employer won’t let them take a sick day without a work note (and the ER is the only thing open they can get into TODAY). They need to see their doctor in the clinic, but can’t afford to take time off work to go, much less arrange childcare, and the ER is the only thing open when all those conditions sync up. They lost their job and now have no insurance and can’t see their doctors anyways. So they come to the ER. The list goes on and on and on… Healthcare reform is not about healthcare — it’s about economics, corporate greed, lobby dollars, transportation, housing, politics/policy, culture, and more…

Temperatures will rise today, with the apparent or "feels like" temperature nearing or exceeding 100 F for much of the area. Heat impacts will be a concern today for those without power. Be safe out there! #okwx #arwx