Patient Engagement

"The very advantage of telehealth, its ability to make care convenient, is also potentially its Achilles’ heel."

As hospitals see revenue squeezed, many also face pressures to raise prices even though consumers watch costs closely, Ernst & Young consultants tell a crowd at the Healthcare Financial Management Association 2015 Annual National Institute.

InstaMed shows healthcare providers must give consumers more online and mobile choices for paying their bills while protecting patient data.

Nearly one American in three with private health insurance got a surprise medical bill in the past two years.

As giants like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna and Humana target smartphone access, the payers must think hard about the kind of experience they're offering patients through an app.

While it's clear that second opinions can help individual patients make better medical decisions, there's little hard data showing that second opinions lead to better health results overall.

Patient engagement can ensure the delivery of patient- and family-centered care while bolstering the ability of accountable care organizations to meet quality and savings goals.

The consumer demand for price transparency is growing as patients pay more out-of-pocket expenses as deductibles rise.

Walgreens said it is cutting ties with two accountable care organizations, though the nation's largest pharmacy chain has also launched a new partnership on the West Coast to help manage ACO patients.

As 2014 winds down, we've taken a look back at some of the biggest stories in healthcare finance in the past year. See what you may have missed.