CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson 303-810-1816

Email:   Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com

Golden, Colorado – August 16, 2020

The Caring Generation®: Conflict of Interest in Healthcare

Golden CO- Caregiving expert Pamela D. Wilson hosts The Caring Generation® family talk radio program for caregivers and aging adults this coming Wednesday, August 19, on the Bold Brave Media Network. The program airs live at 9 p.m. EST. The Caring Generation® aired initially from 2009 to 2011 on 630 KHOW-AM in Denver, Colorado.

Conflict of Interest in Healthcare

Caregivers and aging adults are in vulnerable positions when working with a healthcare system that can seem complicated or uncaring.  Fear about the unknown is common when managing health issues.

Conflict of interest in healthcare occurs when the primary goal of supporting the health of patients comes into conflict with any other secondary goal like various types of personal gain to healthcare professionals, focusing on revenue, selling health care products, or services. Boundary Training for professionals is essential. 

Worried About Health

It is critical for caregivers and aging adults to know how money exchanges hands when using any type of referral company. For example referral companies for assisted living communities. Being worried about health can be a distraction that causes healthcare consumers to forget to ask important questions.

Many medical providers have partnership relationships with complementary healthcare providers. These include joint ventures, operating agreements, earnings, and cost-sharing. While there is nothing wrong if these relationships are disclosed, when they are not, patients may feel distrust.

Medical offices may have relationships with labs or imaging centers. Surgeons may own the surgery centers where they practice. Some of these relationships are beneficial for coordinating care.

Other relationships may limit patient choice. It's up to consumers to ask questions about conflict of interest or funds exchanging hands when healthcare providers make recommendations. These recommendations include skilled nursing communities recommended by discharge planners working in hospitals, recommendations for outpatient physical therapy clinics, lab work, or treatment centers.

Leaving AMA - Against Medical Advice

The words "leaving against medical advice" can be viewed as a threat by caregivers who want to take elderly parents home from hospitals, nursing homes, or assisted living communities. A caregiver advised by medical personnel that an elderly parent "must have 24-hour care"—without being given sound reasoning—may lack an understanding of why providers are making this statement.

While these choices belong to elderly parents and their caregivers, some care communities can become insistent that patients not leave without a plan. This type of communication poses benefits and risks.

The benefits can serve as an advisement for caregivers that the task at hand may be difficult and require education and a significant time commitment, ensuring that caregivers are prepared for the task at hand. The risks may be hesitant family members concerned about returning a parent home—leaving a nursing home as the only option for care for an elderly parent.

According to Wilson,

"I became the medical power of attorney or court-appointed guardian for many elderly who wanted to return home but lacked the ability to arrange for care. It's a sad day when the elderly are held captive by care communities because they have no one to advocate for them. In my experience, threats about leaving against medical advice happen most often when the elderly have no family who is available or willing to take on the significant responsibility of care. I served as the responsible party for many of my clients and returned them to safe living environments, whether at home or an assisted living community."

Guest Interview: Dr. Sharmila Dissanaike – Why Physicians Experience Burnout

The guest for this program is Dr. Sharmila Dissanaike, who will talk about physician burnout. Doctors have demanding schedules and are often expected to be super-human individuals. Patients can have unrealistic expectations if they are not committed to patient education and learning that support managing healthcare concerns for themselves or aging parents. 

Sharmila Dissanaike MD FACS FCCM is the Peter C Canizaro Chair of the Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. At the time of her appointment, she became the youngest Chair of Surgery in the USA. Her clinical and research interests focus on trauma, burns, critical care, and emergency general surgery.  She serves as the Chair of the Verification Committee of the American Burn Association, ensuring that burn care continues to evolve to the highest standards, which are met by all 75 ABA verified burn centers.

Dr. Dissanaike is also a member of the Committee of Trauma, serving on their verification and research committees. She is a Governor of the American College of Surgeons and a standing member of the Ethics committee. She also serves on the ACS Program Committee, the Advisory Council for Rural Surgery, and the editorial board of General Surgery News. She has received multiple awards for academic excellence, clinical performance, research, and teaching, and is a national leader in promoting better healthcare systems to prevent burnout among clinicians.

Join Pamela on The Caring Generation to learn more about conflict of interest in healthcare and how caregivers and aging adults can get better care. The Caring Generation® radio program airs live at 6 p.m. Pacific, 7 p.m. Mountain, 8 p.m. Central, and 9 p.m. Eastern every Wednesday night.  Replays of the weekly programs are available in podcast format with transcripts on Pamela's website and all major podcast sites. More information about onsite and online video conferencing, online education, talent optimization, and caregiver support programs are available on Wilson's website.

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