When it comes to accountable care organizations, hospitals and health systems face a lengthy checklist for infrastructure requirements. Certain items, such as licenses and electronic medical records, are concrete and quantifiable, while others are more difficult to measure. Stickiness, or…

If we were to convene a panel of healthcare experts to choose a goal that holds the promise of being both achievable and influential at improving the value of healthcare, it may very well be the reduction in variation of…

Blackstone Valley Community Health Care is a federally qualified health center that provides primary medical, dental and behavioral healthcare in Pawtucket and Central Falls, R.I. The providers at BVCHC — currently eight physicians, five dentists, two pharmacists and a myriad…

Physician recruitment is a difficult process for most hospitals and health systems. It requires months of planning and effort to get a physician in the door. So, after all of that work and effort, it is especially painful — and…

Patients undergoing minor surgeries experienced disproportionately high levels of pain, according to researchers who examined more than 50,000 pain responses for 179 types of surgery, according to News-Medical.  

As the accountable care organization model spreads across the country, some organizations have sought and received ACO accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

A free medication safety self-assessment for hospitals is available from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices.

Columbia Valley Community Health, Central Washington Hospital and the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, all in Wenatchee, Wash., are discussing plans to establish a family medicine residency center, according to a report by The Wenatchee World.

Patient-centered care projects at practices in four communities illustrated the value of engaging patients in their care, according to a study in Health Affairs.

Patient-centered care requires patients, providers and healthcare systems to have certain competencies, according to a Health Affairs commentary.