Patient Engagement
Many babies born to mothers who are covered by Medicaid are automatically eligible for that coverage during the first year of their lives. In a handful of states, the same is true for babies born to women covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program. Yet, this smart approach is routinely undermined by another federal policy that requires babies' eligibility be reevaluated on their first birthday. Although they're likely still eligible for coverage, many of these toddlers fall through the cracks.
Even when patients were grouped by characteristics such as age or severity of illness, hospitals differed significantly in inpatient costs, length of stay, and time spent in the intensive care unit.
Provider directories for some health plans sold through Covered California and in the private market are so inaccurate that they create an "awful" situation for consumers trying to find doctors, according to the lead author of a new study published in the journal Health Affairs.
Between 1997 and 2011, there was a nearly 50 percent reduction in emergency department mortality rates for adults in the United States, according to a new study published by Health Affairs.
The data show that prices vary widely even within the most expensive regions. Patients, however, rarely know how much a procedure will cost until they receive the bill.
The study's authors said research into practice-level implementation should be the next step, particularly since the vast majority of research conducted to date has been under old -- and possibly soon-to-be-outdated -- care delivery models.
The first product suite, Pain RelieVR, offers immersive VR games that divert the patient's focus away from the procedure or recovery process.
Company has partnered with MemorialCare Health System on a customized health plan option for Boeing's 37,000 employees and their family members in southern California.
Less than a decade ago, telemedicine was mainly used by hospitals and clinics for secure doctor-to-doctor consultations. But today, telemedicine has become a more common method for patients to receive routine care at home or wherever they are -- often on their cellphones or personal computers.
A survey by Nielsen, and sponsored by the Council of Accountable Physician Practices, has found that when it comes to patients' experiences with coordinated care, there's still some room for improvement.