Episode 035: Changing the Emergency Room with Real Price Transparency. A Discussion with Dr. Christion Rice

For those who have encountered the health care system - the emergency room is the greatest mystery for charges. Although very little of emergency room care is considered truly emergency life threatening care (est. ~3%) the care is some of the most expensive in the hospital. Whether that it is imaging, laboratory, or professional services - patients and insurers are expected to pay the inflated costs. So how do we control costs and not break the bank for all of our patients when they are possibly at their most vulnerable?

My guest, Dr. Christion Rice, is an emergency medicine residency trained physician who has looked to change this narrative on ERs. He is a managing partner for Physicians PremiER which runs five freestanding ERs in Texas and Nutex which has two microhospitals. The newest addition in Oklahoma City will serve as a disruption for the market as it has full price transparency. Not only are the prices of visits visible to all patients - but they are upwards of 80% less than what the same services cost at the local hospitals. By contracting through private employers and working to market to self pay patients - Dr. Rice's hospital looks to deliver a high quality experience at a substantially lower price.

One impediment to creating these innovative hospitals that we discussed is the existence of certificate of need laws or CON which exist in most states. The CON laws restrict all sorts of services and care and vary from state to state. Finally, a provision of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) prevents physicians from owning/running hospitals built after 2011. No doubt, this provision was added to the law by the hospital lobby creating an even greater incentive for physicians to join health systems and provide monopoly protection to the hospitals as well.

Christion Rice, MD — Dr. Rice is an emergency medicine trained physician who is managing partner of Nutex Health which has five free standing ER hospitals and now a new microhospital in Oklahoma City, OK.

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show notes

MD Premier - Round Rock, TX freestanding ER run by Physicians PremiER.

Oklahoma City ER Microhospital: The new hospital being opened by Dr. Rice and his group in Oklahoma City, OK.

Episode 019: The Big CON - Discussion with Dr. Gejendra Singh about his battle with the North Carolina state to run his imaging center.

American Revolution Podcast - One of my favorite podcasts that delves deep into the revolutionary war. Informative, in depth, and best of all - free! Listen to Michael Troy transport you back in time with the characters, stories, and imagery of 1775.

Memorial for Andy Larson: This is the donation link to honor Andy's death with the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys where he blossomed and served as a head chorister.

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Episode 035: Changing the Emergency Room with Real Price Transparency. A Discussion with Dr. Christion Rice

Episode 035