Health IT Implementation: How Complex Systems Turn Action Into the “Most Difficult Thing In the World”
Health IT has the potential to be the magic bullet for quite a few problems in healthcare, or, at least, that’s how it’s advertised. Click to continue »
EHRs and Health IT Projects: Are They Battering Hospitals’ Financial Profiles?
This past November, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services downgraded the credit rating of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., from “AA-” to “A+”. Click to continue »
Meaningful Use Outside of the Metropolis: The Challenges of Rural Health IT Adoption
Michael Archuleta is more than just the director of IT of Mt. San Rafael Hospital, a 25-bed critical-access hospital in Trinidad, Colo. Click to continue »
100 Hospital and Health System CIOs to Know
Becker’s Hospital Review has named “100 Hospital and Health System CIOs to Know” based on the selected leaders’ abilities to leverage existing and new technology to further the mission of their organizations while elevating the level of patient care. Click to continue »
5 Things to Know About the MU Extension
In December, CMS announced a one-year extension for meaningful use stage 2. Click to continue »
Health IT Employment Snapshot: EMR Technicians
Electronic medical record technician is one of the fastest-growing, nonclinical healthcare jobs, projected to grow 21 percent by 2020, according to a report from College for America. Click to continue »
Bipartisan Legislation Would Create Federal Definition of Telehealth
Bipartisan legislation introduced into the House of Representatives in December would both create a federal definition of telehealth as well as provide guidelines for states in developing telehealth governance policies. Click to continue »
ONC: The Most Commonly Used MU2-Ready EHR Vendors
Of all eligible hospitals that attested to meaningful use stage 1, 84 percent used a primary vendor that has a 2014 edition certified product, according to a report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. Click to continue »
Keeping With the Fortune 500
An oft-cited 2012 exposé in The New York Times revealed the extent of Target’s data analytics capabilities. Click to continue »
It’s Not Easy to Engage Patients — Even for ACOs
Patient-centered care is a cornerstone of any accountable care organization, but creating or joining one doesn’t necessarily make patient engagement any easier. Click to continue »
CMS Names 123 New Medicare Shared Savings ACOs
CMS has named 123 new accountable care organizations in its Medicare Shared Savings Program, effective Jan. 1. Click to continue »
10 States With the Most Physicians 60 or Older
The United States is aging, and so are its physicians: 27.6 percent of the nation’s physicians are 60 years old or older, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges’ 2013 State Physician Workforce Data Book. Click to continue »
Survey: Number of Providers in ACOs to Double by 2016
Within six months, the number of hospitals and health systems that joined or created an ACO grew by roughly 5 percent, according to Premier’s 2013 Fall Economic Outlook. Click to continue »
Transforming ACO Physician Practices Into Patient-Centered Medical Homes
The role of primary care is extremely important when it comes to the success of accountable care organizations. Click to continue »
Up Your ICU Management Game with a Tele-ICU Program
The demand for intensive care services is rising. Click to continue »
S&P Overhaul of Credit Ratings Could Affect 20% of Its Hospital Base
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services is looking to revamp how it issues credit ratings to nonprofit, standalone hospitals, and it could tinker with several hospitals’ current credit position. Click to continue »
Top 5 Most Expensive Inpatient Conditions by Payer
The top five most expensive inpatient conditions in 2011 were septicemia, osteoarthritis, complication of devices, general childbirth and heart attack, but the most expensive conditions change slightly depending on the payer. Click to continue »
Study: Lower-Price Hospitals Trigger Price Reductions at Other Hospitals
When patients were steered to hospitals that had lower prices for hip and knee replacements, other hospitals in the market reduced their prices for these procedures as well, according to a study from the Center for Studying Health System Change. Click to continue »
Fitch: 2014 Does Not Look Good for Nonprofit Hospitals
Joining the opinions of Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Fitch Ratings believes nonprofit hospitals and health systems face a negative operating environment in 2014. Click to continue »
AHA: Providers Like Tuomey Should Not Be Penalized for Trusting Attorneys’ Advice
Hospitals and health systems should not be punished for trusting the advice of qualified legal counsel when determining the legality of a transaction under the Stark Law, according to a friend-of-the-court brief filed by the American Hospital Association and the South Carolina Hospital Association. Click to continue »
Judge: Halifax Violated Stark Law With Bonuses to Oncologists
A federal judge issued a summary judgment in November that found Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Halifax Health’s contracts with six oncologists violated Stark Law. Click to continue »
ACLU Sues Catholic Bishops Over Directives for Catholic Hospitals
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Michigan have filed a lawsuit against the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, challenging their guidelines for Catholic hospitals. Click to continue »
DOJ Recovers $2.6B From Healthcare False Claims Act Cases
The Justice Department recovered $2.6 billion in settlements and judgments from healthcare fraud in fiscal year 2013. Click to continue »
Doctors, First Heal Thine Manners
I was disappointed to read of a recent study that found medical interns have trouble with basic courtesy in their interactions with patients. Click to continue »
The Corner Office: Quick Thoughts From Dr. David Bailey of Nemours
David Bailey, MD, MBA, was named president and CEO of Nemours, a children’s health system based in Jacksonville, Fla., on 2006. Click to continue »
Hospital & Health System Executive Moves
Hospital & Health System Transactions
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
