Kurt Ullman is a long-time RN and has been a medical writer for nearly 30 years. He has published over 500 articles and has won multiple Apex and National Health Information Awards. He holds an associate degree in nursing from Purdue University as well as a bachelor's degree in public affairs-mass communications media and a master's in health administration, both from Indiana University.
Kurt Ullman
For-profit healthcare entities that haven't incorporated the changes to the MACR into their planning may want to schedule a meeting with their tax advisor soon since there is still time to take advantage of the rule in 2014.
A number of changes have affected the success of subrogation in the healthcare insurance setting - changes that financial executives need to be aware of in order to both mitigate negative impact and maximize opportunities.
As payment moves to value-based models, telemedicine could become an important part of the hospital's financial future. One health system is already planning on the financial benefits by creating a standalone virtual medical center.
Although there are some indications of a possible lull, hospital systems are still buying up private physician practices at a high rate. With that come concerns about maintaining the revenue cycle during transition, but there are steps hospitals can take to smooth the process.
Putting technology in the hands of doctors that can provide real-time data can help cut costs, but such technology can be expensive for health systems. The question then becomes is it worth it economically?
When it comes to speeding up the revenue cycle, the hospital pharmacy has its own part to play.
The relationship between payers and providers has often been adversarial, but healthcare reform has been changing that -- which leaves the former adversaries trying to figure out how to forge new partnerships.
An extension of presumptive eligibility coverage takes away Medicaid payment uncertainty if hospitals make the effort to participate and follow the rules.
With the rise of value-based payment and care models, long-term hospital viability may depend on not only getting a better handle on costs, but also being able to link them to outcomes. To achieve this, hospitals need cost accounting on steroids.
Predictive analytics is becoming an important part of the revenue cycle in hospitals in the effort to deliver higher quality care at lower cost.