Operations
Hospital ownership of physician practices appears to lead to statistically and economically significant increases in hospital prices and spending, according to a recent study published in Health Affairs. But that doesn't mean providers should retreat from integration and tighter alignment.
Disasters, natural and man-made, threaten more than hospital property. With many healthcare information technology systems integrated and focused on patient care, the threat of an IT or communications shutdown can be both dangerous to patients and costly to the health system.
Hospitals confront extraordinary challenges in the aftermath of a natural disaster. These risks seem to have enlarged in recent years, and can shut down hospital operations, temporarily or entirely. Consequently, many hospitals have upgraded their business continuity planning.
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published a final rule that reforms federal health policy regulations that CMS has identified as unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome on healthcare providers and suppliers. Here are some highlights.
Almost a third of all hospitalizations now treat diabetic patients, and cost more than average. Diabetic admissions may be a problem that regulators, ACOs and providers need to solve for the long-term.
Our weekly look at career moves in the healthcare finance sector. This issue highlights promotions, hires and fires for the week ending May 16, 2014.
According to a study published this week in Health Affairs, the Great Recession did not have a permanent negative financial impact on vulnerable hospitals, such as safety net facilities, or those considered financially weak prior to the recession. However, this doesn't mean these same hospitals will fare so well in coming years.
Our weekly look at career moves in the healthcare finance sector. This issue highlights promotions, hires and fires for the week ending May 9, 2014.
Increased admissions drove revenue gains for Tenet Healthcare Corporation and Community Health Systems in the first quarter of 2014 compared to 2013. Both for-profit hospital firms appear confident midway through Q2.
Although they're not expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, Texas, Florida and other states are expanding managed care, bringing insurers opportunities as well as challenges, including competition from provider-based health plans.