Strategic Planning
In this essay, Bill Pugh, CFO of PinnacleHealth, addresses the challenges and opportunities the Harrisburg, Pa.-based health system experienced moving towards the accountable care model. He offers some "lessons learned" for other health systems embarking on the ACO journey.
The role of the modern hospital CFO has changed considerably in recent years. Not only do they perform a vital strategic role overseeing enterprise planning and performance, by necessity they have become more involved in the clinical aspects of healthcare.
The ability of accountable care organizations to meet the goals of improving care and lowering costs may be hindered by health IT obstacles suggests a new analysis.
New research suggests that socioeconomic factors can account for most of the geographical variation in Medicare spending. As a result, larger socio-demographic issues must be considered when assessing the quality of care offered by healthcare providers.
As the economy continues to improve, more healthcare businesses are making capital investments to fuel their growth. Whether you finance equipment through a lease or loan, it is important to determine which will best balance usage, cash flow and your financial objectives.
The value-based model of healthcare is gradually transitioning from the pilot phase to implementation, as health insurers and providers strive to offer better care while eliminating unnecessary costs. But for providers who have always been paid fee-for-service, it is a different way of thinking.
The current hospital-based system of graduate medical education does not meet the needs of modern healthcare delivery or the training of the future physician workforce, according to a new reform proposal by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
US not-for-profit children's hospitals are likely to remain financially stable in the next year or two although changes on the horizon, including those related to healthcare reform, could affect the sector's traditional niche role.
The currents of health reform and consumerization are getting more treacherous for incumbent hospital businesses, according to a new report by Standard and Poor’s Rating Services.
Accountable care organizations are captivating because they contain elements of care delivery that most experts agree should improve healthcare: financial risk sharing, electronic health records, quality benchmarks, patient engagement and care coordination. But the question remains: can ACOs pull it off?