FAST FACTS
• Multiple studies indicate that defensive medicine costs the American health care system from $80 billion to over $100 billion annually, accounting for about 8% to 15% of all health care expenditures.
• Patients subjected to unnecessary imaging tests are exposed to the risks of radiation and possible anaphylactic reactions to contrast dye.
• The current medical liability system has reduced patient access to specialists, especially in high-risk disciplines.
• Well over $1.4 billion was spent on defensive medical procedures and hospitalizations in Massachusetts in 2006.
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FAST FACTS
• Emergency department (ED) visits are on the rise at area hospitals.
• A shortage of primary care physicians is forcing many patients into EDs.
• As of January 1, EDs at Massachusetts’ hospitals are banned from diverting ambulances to other hospitals when the ED is overcrowded» Full Article
FAST FACTS
• Approximately $13.8 billion is spent each year on prescription painkillers.
• It has been estimated that 48 million people have used prescription drugs recreationally in their lifetime.
• Non-narcotic pain medication may be one way to steer patients away from dependency issues.
• The Food and Drug Administration is considering requiring physicians to undergo specialized training before being allowed to prescribe narcotics.
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FAST FACTS
• The incidence of bedbugs has increased dramatically in the last decade, perhaps due to increased international travel.
• Bedbugs feed on human blood during the night, leaving small bites, which can become red, itchy welts.
• To avoid bringing bedbugs into the home, it is important to take precautions when traveling, moving into a new residence, or buying used furniture.
•Professional exterminators are usually needed to treat a bedbug infestation. » Full Article
View health care related press releases from Western and Central Massachusetts, and Connecticut. » Full Article
