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Exploring Alternative Payment Models for Oral Health Care
An examination of the cost and utilization of alternative payment models for oral health care over a patient’s lifetime.
By Sean G. Boynes, DMD, MS, Carolyn Brown, DDS, MEd and Eric P. Tranby, MA, PhD
According to a report by the Commonwealth Fund, the United States pays the most for health care and achieves the lowest performance among comparable countries.1,2 In fact, dissatisfaction with U.S. health care continues to shape political talking points. It also encourages disruptive business models and drives demand for greater transparency, accountability and consumerism.3–6 This changing health ecosystem also affects dentistry. Agencies, organizations and care teams are shifting operational and financial constructs to better align with the changing health care landscape. Currently, the transition includes a switch from a silo-based construct driven by tertiary care to a person-centered format based on inclusive, holistic health care and enhanced quality of life.7–11
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Oral health assessment of children in rural Pa. demonstrates disparities
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — While the overall supply of dentists in Pennsylvania is sufficient to meet the current demand when assuming equal access for all residents, geographic access to oral health services is not equal across rural and urban areas. In a report, researchers in the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH) at Penn State found that urban rates of dentist supply are nearly twice that of rural rates, and that inequalities exist between areas of higher socioeconomic status and those of lower socioeconomic status.
Continue reading “Oral health assessment of children in rural Pa. demonstrates disparities”
Nonprofits, Medical Profession Tackle Human Trafficking as a Health-care Crisis
Washington Post, Jan. 4, 2020 at 7:30 a.m. EST
Because of a lack of data, it’s difficult to estimate how many victims live in the United States. In 2018, the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which is operated by an anti-trafficking nonprofit group called Polaris, helped identify more than 23,000 survivors. That’s thought to be just a tiny fraction of the real number.
Trafficking doesn’t just jeopardize human freedom — it threatens public health. Victims experience injuries, sexually transmitted diseases and problems with everything from cardiovascular health to teeth. Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions are also common.
Trafficking happens under the table, but its survivors come into contact with health-care workers more than you might think. One study found that nearly 88 percent of victims interacted with a health-care worker while being trafficked.
There’s a growing push among doctors, paramedics and other health-care professionals to help end trafficking. Organizations such as HEAL Trafficking, a group of survivors and professionals in 35 countries, are teaching health-care systems to identify potential victims and respond to their needs.
In 2018, Congress passed legislation that created a federally sponsored trafficking-related continuing education program for health-care workers. The SOAR protocol trains health-care workers to Stop, Observe, Ask and Respond to potential trafficking and teaches them how to connect victims to needed care and relevant services. Data collection also is improving because of recently implemented diagnostic codes that allow health-care providers to identify cases of suspected and confirmed trafficking.
It will take more work to end trafficking, but change could well start in the doctor’s office.
If you are being trafficked or suspect someone else is, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888, or text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733.