News in brief - March 20, 2006

Clinical quality data for some Mass. physician groups now public - Utah physicians being sued after reporting parents to child services - N.C. aims to put more physicians into shortage areas

Clinical quality data for some Mass. physician groups now public

For the first time, the performance of 150 Massachusetts physician practice groups on 15 measures of clinical quality were made publicly available by a broad-based coalition known as Massachusetts Health Quality Partners. Formed in 1995, MHQP has previously released performance data only at the hospital and health-plan level.

The 5,500 primary care physicians involved in this study were measured in 2004 on how often they administered 15 recommended tests and treatments to patients covered by the state's five major private health plans. The data are available at the MHQP Web site (www.mhqp.org).

Physician group performance is rated on a four-star system, with four stars meaning a group is in the top 10% nationally and one star indicating that a group performed below state and national quality averages.

Patients can search by physician group name or ZIP code. Bay State physicians scored well overall, placing in the top 10% nationally on nine of the 15 measures.

Utah physicians being sued after reporting parents to child services

A Utah federal judge in February made a tentative decision to allow a lawsuit to go forward against the state Division of Child and Family Services officials and possibly several physicians who parents say attempted to get cancer treatment for their son against their wishes.

U.S. District Judge Paul Cassel indicated he was "on the fence" about dismissing claims against the Primary Children's Medical Center doctors, who in 2003, removed a small tumor from Parker Jensen's tongue that was diagnosed as Ewing's sarcoma. When the Jensens declined further medical treatment for their son, the doctors reported it as neglect to state officials. A juvenile judge ordered the state to take custody of the boy, but the case was dropped and the boy never left his home.

The Jensens sued in September 2005, accusing the doctors and DCFS officials of violating their constitutional right to decide medical treatment for their son. They allege that the doctors refused to do additional genetic testing.

Karra Porter, the Jensens' attorney, said that they are "thrilled" with the initial ruling.

The doctors deny the allegations, according to their attorney Andrew Morse. "They did what any doctor or state actor would do: to strongly recommend what gives the child the best chances," he said.

The doctors are obligated by law to report the parents' resistance if they suspect it puts the child at risk, Morse added.

Utah Dept. of Human Services spokeswoman Carol Sisco said, "Parker's health and well-being was always our main concern." The DCFS is under the umbrella of the Dept. of Human Services.

Cassell did not indicate when he would issue a final ruling.

N.C. aims to put more physicians into shortage areas

Two charitable foundations joined forces in North Carolina to increase the number of physicians and allied health care professionals in the state's underserved communities.

Contributions from the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation are expected to bring 60 more physicians and allied health professionals to rural and underserved areas by 2010, which would raise the total of Community Practitioner Program health care staff to 160.

A $10 million gift from the Blues foundation and $5 million from the NCMS Foundation will be used to create an endowment to sustain the Community Practitioner Program. The statewide program was started in 1989 by the NCMS Foundation with a $4.5 million grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust.

Bob Seligson, executive vice president and CEO of the NCMS, said, "Since its inception, the program has become an integral part of the safety net in our state." He said the North Carolina Blues grant would allow them "to significantly increase the program's reach, as well as secure the future of this vital program."

The program pays up to half of the medical education debt of physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who agree to serve at least five years in a community designated as rural, economically distressed or one experiencing a shortage of health care professionals. Currently, 95 health care professionals in 50 counties are participating in the program. Since the program's inception, 73% of the participating health care professionals have stayed in rural or economically distressed counties beyond their five-year commitment, and 85% have remained in North Carolina.