April 2021 Issue of Becker's Hospital Review

ON THE COVER

State-by-state breakdown of 897 hospitals at risk of closing
More than 500 rural hospitals in the U.S. were at immediate risk of closure before the COVID-19 pandemic because of financial losses and lack of reserves to maintain operations, according to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform.

'Building authentic partnerships' + other strategies to lead mass vaccination events: 3 health systems weigh in
Stadiums, racetracks and more — something health systems have become increasingly familiar with as they spearhead mass COVID-19 vaccination events. They've proved a successful model to quickly get shots in arms, but what does it take to hit the ground running with an effort of such scale?

Yale economists: These 1% steps can reform healthcare
A series of 1 percent solutions could collectively lower healthcare costs by hundreds of billions of dollars, according to an article published in Health Affairs.

11 numbers that show how big Optum's role in healthcare is
Optum continues to expand, recently making headlines for its plans to acquire Change Healthcare for $13 billion.

22 US hospitals among Newsweek's 100 best in the world
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic was named the best hospital in the world in 2021 by Newsweek.

'Birthday rule' leaves parents with $270K hospital bill
A little-known rule that stipulates a child born with double health insurance eligibility must be enrolled in the plan belonging to the parent whose birthday comes first in the calendar year can induce outrageously expensive bills for parents who are unaware of it, according to a Jan. 27 NPR report.

Tennessee hospital abruptly closes
Jellico (Tenn.) Medical Center closed March 1, days after the city council voted to send a contract termination notice to the hospital's operator, Rennova Health, according to TV station WBIR.

Former Haven CEO Dr. Atul Gawande on what went wrong for the healthcare venture
Haven, the healthcare partnership formed by Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathway, is disbanding less than three years after forming. Atul Gawande, MD, Haven's former CEO, explained why the venture wasn't set up to succeed in a discussion Feb. 26 with Robert Wachter, MD, chair of the University of California San Francisco's department of medicine.

How hospitals are preparing for future public health crises
The COVID-19 pandemic has tested hospitals' disaster preparedness plans and prompted them to assess crucial areas to prepare for future health crises. Some have strengthened partnerships with local organizations, invested in diagnostic testing platforms and updated workflows and oxygen infrastructure.

14 health systems team up on 'ethical innovation' with launch of provider-led data platform
Fourteen health systems, including Trinity Health, Northwell Health and Tenet Health, are partnering to create a comprehensive, de-identified data platform that will glean more robust insights on medical conditions such as rare diseases and COVID-19.

Sutter to cut 277 jobs, mostly in IT
Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health is laying off hundreds of employees, most of whom work in information technology, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.

North Carolina hospital loses physicians after contract negotiations
At least 55 physicians have decided to part ways with Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health since it was acquired by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare in February 2019, according to TV station WLOS.

Northern California hospital CNO target of no-confidence petition
A no-confidence petition on the performance of San Joaquin General Hospital CNO Belva Snyder, RN, was recently delivered to San Joaquin County supervisors and hospital CEO David Culberson by nurses at the French Camp, Calif.-based facility, California Nurses Association/National Nurses United said.

Lisa Prasad
One of the reasons Lisa Prasad, vice president and chief innovation officer at Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System, enjoys her job is that it presents "limitless" opportunities, with new challenges constantly emerging.

Eduardo Conrado
As executive vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer at St. Louis-based Ascension, Eduardo Conrado has led several tech-based initiatives over the past year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lorraine Lutton
Lorraine Lutton joined Mount Carmel Health System as president and CEO in April 2020, near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brad Tinnermon
Brad Tinnermon joined Phoenix-based Banner Health as vice president of revenue cycle management and revenue integrity in late 2017, before the organization launched its revenue cycle modernization and the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Jenni Alvey
The COVID-19 pandemic, due to its disruptive and enduring nature, has forced hospital CFOs to rethink the way we do our jobs. What became apparent is that CFOs must be more agile than ever in budgeting and planning.

Rick Evans
It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged healthcare in almost every conceivable way. It has had a powerful impact on the key metrics of any healthcare organization. Quality, financial, employee engagement and patient experience metrics have all been affected in ways we are still trying to understand.

Kara Martinezmoles
Kara Martinezmoles serves as vice president of revenue cycle at Reno, Nev.-based Renown Health, and her healthcare leadership journey to get to that role has been shaped by various learning experiences and mentors.

Stephen Klasko, MD
We need a new, refreshing, ethical and ultimately empowering "marriage" of healthcare and technology. And we need it now.

Nishant Anand, MD
Nishant Anand, MD, FACEP, serves as President at BayCare Physician Partners and Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at BayCare Health System.

Cynthia Moore-Hardy
Cynthia Moore-Hardy has been able to live out her passion for improving community health during her decadeslong career at Lake Health in Concord Township, Ohio.

CFO / FINANCE

Baylor Scott & White to cut, outsource 1,700 jobs
Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health will outsource, lay off or retrain 1,700 employees who work in information technology, billing, revenue cycle management and other support services, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Billionaire buys SpaceX flight to raise $200M for St. Jude
Billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman is chartering a rocket and spacecraft from SpaceX, and he is raffling off one of the seats with the goal of raising at least $200 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., according to The New York Times.

CHS sheds 18 hospitals, swings to $511M profit
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, which operates 85 hospitals in 16 states, saw revenues decline in 2020 but ended the period in the black.

PE firm wants to sell its stake in a hospital chain, but Rhode Island is standing in its way
Private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners is looking to sell its controlling stake in Los Angeles-based Prospect Medical Holdings, leaving it with $1.3 billion in financial obligations, according to ProPublica. While four states have approved the deal, Rhode Island has not.

CEO/STRATEGY

Performance reviews 'more important than ever': 4 tips on addressing performance gaps
Some managers may have put performance reviews to the side amid the pandemic, but Tom Gimbel, CEO of recruiting firm LaSalle Network, said they are more important than ever in a March 1 column published in The Wall Street Journal.

22 US hospitals among Newsweek's 100 best in the world
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic was named the best hospital in the world in 2021 by Newsweek.

CEO confidence hits 17-year high: 4 takeaways
CEOs are the most confident they have been since 2004, according to The Conference Board's "Measure of CEO Confidence" in the first quarter of 2021.

Healthgrades' 50 top hospitals for 2021
Healthgrades released its 2021 America's Best Hospitals lists Feb. 9.

WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP

'From almost no patients to a full hospital': How this physician investor revitalized a rural Oklahoma hospital
The healthcare investment firm Rural Wellness Fairfax has invested $500,000 in facility and technology upgrades at Fairfax (Okla.) Community Hospital since buying the rural hospital for $2.1 million in March 2020.

North Carolina health system CEO recipient of state's highest civilian award
Kathy Bailey, president and CEO of Morganton, N.C.-based Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge, recently received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award — the state's highest civilian honor.

Biden's pick to run CMS: 5 things to know about Chiquita Brooks-LaSure
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is President Joe Biden's pick to lead CMS, according to Politico, which cites four sources familiar with the decision.

Health innovation insider: 7 rapid-fire Qs with Henry Ford Health System innovation chief Lisa Prasad
One of the reasons Lisa Prasad, vice president and chief innovation officer at Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System, enjoys her job is that it presents "limitless" opportunities, with new challenges constantly emerging.

Physician named first CMO of NYC health agency
Michelle Morse, MD, has been tapped as the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's first chief medical officer.

INNOVATION

Anthem creates digital health incubator: 3 notes
Indianapolis-based payer Anthem recently established a new digital incubator focused on helping healthcare startups expand their business plans and innovations, according to a Jan. 28 Inside Indiana Business report.

20 medical apps most downloaded by iPhone users
IPhone users have begun downloading more medical apps, as increased demands for convenience influence health technology companies to adapt their services into mobile apps.

Amazon unveils design of HQ2 campus in Virginia
Amazon introduced the design plans for its new second headquarters in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 2, signaling the retail giant's commitment to office workspaces, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Former Cerner, Livongo exec Zane Burke joins health innovation startup
Zane Burke, former CEO of Livongo Health and president of Cerner, has joined the board of directors for workers compensation digital health company Bardavon Health Innovations, according to a Feb. 3 news release.

CIO/HEALTH IT

GAO urges VA to pause $16B Cerner EHR rollout, cites need for 'critical tests'
The Government Accountability Office is recommending the Department of Veterans Affairs pause the implementation of its $16 billion Cerner EHR system to perform "critical" tests before deploying the system at any additional facilities.

Hackers publish thousands of patient records from Florida, Texas hospitals online
Hackers have posted thousands of files containing protected health information of patients at Leon Medical Centers and Nocona General Hospital to the dark web, according to a Feb. 5 NBC News report.

Athenahealth settles kickback allegations for $18M+
Watertown, Mass.-based Athenahealth agreed to pay $18.25 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by paying illegal kickbacks to sell its EHR products, according to a Jan. 28 Department of Justice news release.

Bethesda Hospital employee fired for alleged EHR snooping, altering patient health order
Bethesda Hospital, part of Coral Gables, Fla.-based Baptist Health, said it recently terminated an employee for accessing patients' medical records and altering a home care patient's health order.

CMO/CARE DELIVERY

3 nurses sue Pennsylvania hospitals over alleged 'no-poach' deal
Three registered nurses have sued Geisinger and Evangelical Community Hospital, alleging the Pennsylvania hospitals had a secret "no-poach agreement" that suppressed healthcare wages in the region, according to court documents.

Washington physician charged with unprofessional conduct after patient dies
The Washington state Department of Health has charged a physician with unprofessional conduct after he allegedly failed to test a patient for heart problems, and the patient died days later of cardiac arrest, according to the Tri-City Herald.

Avoid painkillers before getting COVID-19 vaccine, experts say
People should avoid taking pain relievers such as ibuprofen right before getting a COVID-19 vaccine, which may affect the body's immune response, experts told USA Today.

Saliva test may predict COVID-19 severity, Yale researchers say
Saliva tests are not only a less invasive way to screen for COVID-19, but could also be a predictor of which patients will develop severe cases, according to research from the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

'Sit at the next table up': Mount Carmel CEO Lorraine Lutton's advice for developing leaders
Lorraine Lutton joined Mount Carmel Health System as president and CEO in April 2020, near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How Banner Health modernized its revenue cycle
Brad Tinnermon joined Phoenix-based Banner Health as vice president of revenue cycle management and revenue integrity in late 2017, before the organization launched its revenue cycle modernization and the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Staying agile: A key to financial planning during a crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic, due to its disruptive and enduring nature, has forced hospital CFOs to rethink the way we do our jobs. What became apparent is that CFOs must be more agile than ever in budgeting and planning.

NewYork-Presbyterian CXO Rick Evans: How do you maintain patient experience during the pandemic?
It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged healthcare in almost every conceivable way. It has had a powerful impact on the key metrics of any healthcare organization. Quality, financial, employee engagement and patient experience metrics have all been affected in ways we are still trying to understand.

Renown Health's Kara Martinezmoles on her leadership journey, revenue cycle goals and inspirations
Kara Martinezmoles serves as vice president of revenue cycle at Reno, Nev.-based Renown Health, and her healthcare leadership journey to get to that role has been shaped by various learning experiences and mentors.