Here are five articles recently published by Becker's Hospital Review that offer insight on health systems' financial performance, healthcare spending and more.
1. CHI's operating loss widens in Q3, but finances improve over longer term
Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives saw its operating loss widen in the third quarter of fiscal year 2018, but the health system's financial picture improved over the first nine months of the fiscal year.
2. How automation can improve a hospital's revenue cycle operations — 6 experts weigh in
Rising labor costs, fluctuations in payer mix and regulatory changes, among other issues, are pressuring hospitals and health systems to reduce costs and increase revenue.
3. Care New England improves finances in Q2 following closure of Memorial Hospital
When excluding costs related to closing Pawtucket, R.I.-based Memorial Hospital, Providence, R.I.-based Care New England ended the second quarter of fiscal year 2018 with a $4.4 million operating income — a $30.4 million improvement from the same period the year prior.
4. US spends twice as much on healthcare per person as other high-income countries: 5 takeaways
Patients in the U.S. are likely to pay more for a number of healthcare services and prescription drugs than patients in nations with comparable economies, according to study from Kaiser Family Foundation.
5. Inspector general: Billing, clerical errors cost Cook County Health and Hospitals System $165M
In the past three years, Chicago-based Cook County Health and Hospitals System lost at least $165 million in potential revenue due to widespread errors, including employee mistakes and billing lapses, according to an inspector general report.
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