Dr. Carl Benner, vice president for medical affairs at Munson Healthcare, parent of Munson Medical Center and three other regional hospitals, said about 20 cents of each health care dollar pays for compliance and documentation. Another area targeted by the report is a lack of assessment of health care providers after they get their license. Michigan, however, requires physicians to have 150 hours of continuing education in order to renew their license every three years. Michigan chiropractors, nurses, podiatrists, dentists, registered dental hygienists and assistants also must renew their licenses in two-year cycles. To verify compliance, the state does a random audit of 5 to 7 percent of licensees annually.
Penalties can include fines and reprimands.
At the hospital level there are other performance requirements, Benner said. The hospital reviews staff every two years. Rates for mortality, infections, complications post-surgery, admissions after outpatient surgery are all tracked. The report also called for more mandatory public reporting of errors. However, doctors said anything that is mandatory would not run into both legal and psychological barriers.