1. CMS releases 2014 Medicare ACO quality, financial results
CMS announced Tuesday that 20 Pioneer and 333 Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organizations generated net savings of $411 million in 2014 and improved in most quality measured. According to CMS, 97 ACOs qualified to share in savings by meeting quality and cost benchmarks. For more information on the ACOs’ financial performance in 2014, click here.
2. Health centers’ former board members say Erlanger illegally fired 4 top administrators
Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System fired four top administrators and moved to dissolve the board of two of its community health centers earlier this month. Now, five of the health centers’ former board members are asserting that the health system and Erlanger CEO Kevin Spiegel had no legal right to fire the administrators or dissolve the board, according to a Times Free Press report.
3. 2 patients shot by off-duty police officers at hospitals in Ohio, Texas
Two patients were shot by off-duty police officers Thursday in two separate incidents — one at Garfield, Ohio-based Marymount Hospital, which is a Cleveland Clinic facility, and another at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Houston. At around 11 a.m. Thursday, a “combative” patient was shot by an off-duty Houston Police Department officer at St. Joseph’s Medical Center after officers and the 26-year-old patient got into an altercation, according to a KRTK report. The patient was taken to the intensive care unit to be treated for his injuries. Two officers were also injured in the incident. The second incident, which also occurred Thursday morning, involved a patient who authorities also described as “combative” being shot during a scuffle at Marymount Hospital. After the 45-year-old patient grabbed an officer’s Taser and used it against three officers and a nurse, one of the off-duty officers shot him. The patient is now in critical but stable condition.
4. Moody’s revises outlook for nonprofit healthcare to stable from negative
Moody’s Investors Service revised the outlook for the U.S. nonprofit and public healthcare sector to stable from negative. The outlook on the sector had been negative since 2008. Moody’s said the revision represents a significant increase in the number of people with insurance, rising patient volumes and substantial reductions in bad debt that are contributing to very strong growth in operating cash flow.
5. HRSA releases 340B Program ‘mega guidance’
HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration released long-awaited guidance on the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The guidance addresses a broad range of topics within the 340B Program, including the definition of patient, contract pharmacy compliance requirements, hospital eligibility criteria and eligibility of off-site outpatient locations. To view 18 key points on the 90-page guidance on the program, click here.
6. How CHS, Tenet, UHS, LifePoint and HCA fared on ‘Black Monday’
Some of the major for-profit hospital operators fared better than others on Monday as China’s market crash left investors unsettled and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 1,000 points in early trading. Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems’ stock opened the day at $52.32 and finished the day at $52.63, down 5.46 percent from the previous day’s close. Nashville, Tenn.-based Hospital Corporation of America’s stock opened the day at $81.34 and finished the day at $84.31, down 2.25 percent from the previous day’s close. Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health’s stock opened the day at $77.04 and finished the day at $76.54, down 4.19 percent from the previous day’s close. Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp’s stock opened the day at $47 and finished the day at $46.90, down 4.73 percent from the previous day’s close. King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services’ stock opened the day at $133.12 and finished the day at $132.85, down 5.57 percent from the previous day’s close.
7. GE Healthcare, Temple University Health System sign value-based radiology agreement
GE Healthcare and Philadelphia-based Temple University Health System are collaborating to incentivize high-quality radiologic imaging services, according to a HealthImaging report. The seven-year partnership focuses on improvements in clinical, financial and operational outcomes. TUHS will update its radiological imaging equipment with technology from GE, according to the report. The collaboration aims to save $39 million in operational costs over the course of the contract.
8. Sierra Leone celebrates release of last Ebola case, end of outbreak
For the first time in more than a year, there are no people in Sierra Leone being treated for Ebola virus disease and no confirmed cases of the virus, according to the World Health Organization. Adama Sankoh, a palm oil trader and the last Ebola patient being treated in the West African country, was released from an Ebola treatment unit in Makheni as healthcare workers and locals celebrated.
