Strategic Planning
"Clinical integration" and "organizing for value" are two key themes at the HFMA 2014 ANI conference. Both are crucial in preparation for the transition from a fee-for-service reimbursement system. Here's an example of how one health system is preparing, by teaming with a health plan on a new care management venture.
Hospitals are one of the most expensive commercial structures to build or renovate. Before green lighting a project, hospital executives must confirm that new construction will address existing pressures, as well as attract and serve patients for decades to come.
In a move to diversify its business, Tenet Healthcare has expanded into urgent care, launching last month its national brand of 23 urgent care centers called MedPost Urgent Care.
Medicare's ACOs have had mixed early outcomes, but some commercial accountable care ventures, including PPO plans, are showing promise.
Healthcare reform and the shift toward value instead of volume underscore the importance of population health management for improving patient outcomes on a large scale. One essential component of a comprehensive population health program is patient access.
The Affordable Care Act was designed to make medical care less expensive for the American public; it was not intended to put healthcare providers out of business. But a recent analysis of U.S. hospitals suggests the law could contribute to the demise of hundreds of poor performers.
A new study provides even more evidence that physician leadership is the key to success with accountable care organizations. Strong focus on patient needs is a key driver of success, but physician-led ACOs typically struggle with the care coordination piece.
On Monday, Chicago-based Ventas Inc., the largest U.S. healthcare real estate investment trust by market value, approved a pair of deals that total $3.5 billion.
Hospitals in Georgia have struggled financially in recent years, as uncompensated care costs rose after the recession and the state rejected Medicaid expansion. But one standalone facility decided that affiliation and clinical integration might be the right path to stave off closure.
For the first time in decades, cracks are appearing in the traditional fully insured model of healthcare coverage. The time is ripe for health systems to jump into the gap with an old approach delivered a new way -- direct contracting.