“A satisfied patient is not a cheaper patient: however important such a finding may be in these budget-constrained times, that comes as little surprise. More unexpected is the finding that a satisfied patient is not necessarily a healthier patient — that the patient happy with the medical attention he or she receives from a physician is more likely to die than the patient who grumbles about it. Yet both findings emerge from a study published ‘online first’ on Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine.” — Melissa Healey, BoosterShots Blog, The Los Angeles Times.

 

Jeanne Pinder  is the founder and CEO of ClearHealthCosts. She worked at The New York Times for almost 25 years as a reporter, editor and human resources executive, then volunteered for a buyout and founded...