July 2019 Issue of Becker's Healthcare Review
ON THE COVER
How UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's new president aims to create ultimate patient care experience
With 26 years of experience at UPMC, Mark Sevco is familiar with the Pittsburgh-based system's operations.
Sentara CEO Howard P. Kern: 3 core strengths for success in 2019
We read about so many disruptive forces within the healthcare industry that we often struggle to prioritize resources to ensure success.
How a diverse workforce drives value-based care: Q&A with Mass General's first equity & inclusion chief
On May 15, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston named Joseph Betancourt, MD, its first chief equity and inclusion officer.
Michael Dowling: One question that tests the integrity of your health system
How many qualified veterans does your organization employ?
Corner Office: Sanford Health's CMO Dr. Allison Suttle on the importance of storytelling
Allison Suttle, MD, knew at a young age that medicine was her calling.
'Beyond horrifying': Cardiologists warned UNC Children's of heart program issues
Cardiologists at UNC Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill expressed serious concerns about the safety and quality of the hospital's pediatric heart surgery program in 2016, after noticing an uptick in surgical complications and deaths, according to a 7,000-word investigative report from The New York Times.
CMO Dr. William Shrank on Humana's physician strategy, 'Medicare for All' and home care as the Netflix of healthcare
Humana wants to do for healthcare what Netflix did for home entertainment.
61 hospital and health system CISOs to know | 2019
Becker's Hospital Review named 61 hospital and health system chief information security officers to know in 2019.
71 community hospital CIOs to know | 2019
Hospitals and health systems rely on CIOs and IT department leaders to develop long-term technology strategy and oversee EMR implementation, as well as support telehealth, data-gathering and cybersecurity initiatives.
These 10 physician specialties generate the most revenue for hospitals
The amount of revenue physicians generate for hospitals is typically considerably more than their annual salaries, according to a recent survey by physician staffing firm Merritt Hawkins.
UnitedHealth CEO: Optum won't build hospitals
OptumCare, the healthcare delivery unit of UnitedHealth Group, won't own inpatient care or post-acute care services, the health insurer's CEO said during an annual strategy conference, according to Business Insider.
The 16 health systems to which Walmart sends employees for care
Through its Centers of Excellence program, Walmart partners with health systems that have demonstrated appropriate, high-quality care and outcomes for defined episodes of care.
Why MBA programs are shutting down
A strong job market is suppressing demand for master's in business administration degrees, leading many universities to shutter their in-person programs in favor of online versions, The Wall Street Journal reports.
88% of hospital execs feel threatened by Optum, CVS Health, Amazon: 4 notes
UnitedHealth Group's Optum poses the biggest perceived threat to hospital and health system executives worried about non-hospital competitors that offer consumer-friendly health services, according to Kaufman Hall's 2019 State of Consumerism in Healthcare report.
Why patients are giving up on portals
Although patient portals often have a lot of valuable features, patients' use of the portals is declining at surprising rates, according to an American Medical Association blog post.
Physicians quit Maine hospital as morale hits 'all-time low'
At least eight physicians resigned from Bangor-based Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, and physicians from several departments warned that more physicians could leave if changes aren’t made, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Where are the 41 ‘straight-A’ Leapfrog hospitals?
The Leapfrog Group has assigned letter grades to hospitals based on their patient safety performance twice annually since spring 2012. Forty-one hospitals have earned an “A” in every update, including the spring 2019 update released May 15.
CFO / FINANCE
These 10 physician specialties generate the most revenue for hospitals
The amount of revenue physicians generate for hospitals is typically considerably more than their annual salaries, according to a recent survey by physician staffing firm Merritt Hawkins.
Hedge fund manager predicts CHS will go bankrupt
Firefly Value Partners Co-Founder and Portfolio Manager Ryan Heslop is bearish on Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, according to Reuters.
CEO Wayne Smith bets on CHS turnaround with $3M investment
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems Chairman and CEO Wayne Smith has purchased nearly 1 million shares of CHS since May 3, according to the Nashville Business Journal.
Supreme Court sides with hospitals in multibillion-dollar payment dispute
In an opinion issued June 3, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that HHS improperly failed to undergo formal notice-and-comment rulemaking before announcing a new Medicare rate calculation for disproportionate share payments to hospitals.
Patients sue HCA over emergency room 'cover charge'
Three patients who received emergency care at hospitals operated by HCA Healthcare are suing the Nashville, Tenn.-based company for allegedly billing them and other emergency room patients a "cover charge."
CMS terminates Kentucky hospital's Medicare contract
CMS ended its provider agreement with Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center in Pineville on May 24.
Massachusetts hospitals stockpile $1.6B in offshore accounts, nurses say
Sixteen hospitals and health systems in Massachusetts have more than $1.6 billion in the Cayman Islands and other tax havens, according to a report issued by the Massachusetts Nurses Association.
UnitedHealth CEO: Optum won't build hospitals
OptumCare, the healthcare delivery unit of UnitedHealth Group, won't own inpatient care or post-acute care services, the health insurer's CEO said during an annual strategy conference, according to Business Insider.
Indiana hospital to close, lay off 437 employees
Fayette Regional Health System, a single-hospital system based in Connersville, Ind., is in the process of selling its assets and plans to cease operations by July 31, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice filed with the state.
Washington health system files for bankruptcy, cites issues with revenue cycle vendor
Astria Health, a three-hospital health system based in Sunnyside, Wash., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 6.
Private equity-owned hospital chain files for bankruptcy
New LifeCare Hospitals, a long-term acute care hospital operator based in Plano, Texas, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection May 6, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Is Mayo Clinic primarily a school or a medical center? Federal judges will decide
In July, federal judges will consider dueling motions for summary judgment in a lawsuit Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic filed against the IRS more than two years ago, according to the Post Bulletin.
Tennessee hospital to lose Medicare contract
Jamestown (Tenn.) Regional Medical Center is facing financial troubles and is set to see its Medicare and Medicaid funding cut in June, according to The Tennessean.
HCA hospitals won't get full $150M in Aetna arbitration case
Aetna will not have to pay Florida hospitals owned by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare $150 million related to an arbitration case, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing from Aetna's parent company, CVS Health.
CMO Dr. William Shrank on Humana's physician strategy, 'Medicare for All' and home care as the Netflix of healthcare
Humana wants to do for healthcare what Netflix did for home entertainment.
CEO / STRATEGY
UPMC enters unprecedented 10-year contract with Highmark
Pittsburgh rivals UPMC and Highmark entered into an agreement that allows Highmark members to access UPMC hospitals and physicians at in-network prices for the next decade. Click here to continue.
California hospital CEO gets no-confidence vote from medical staff
Medical staff at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif., part of CommonSpirit Health, unanimously approved a no-confidence vote in the hospital's president and CEO late last month, according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
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Nurses union calls for CHS chief's ouster; health system affirms his board support
The largest union of registered nurses in the U.S. is calling on Wayne T. Smith, chairman of the board and CEO of Community Health Systems, to step down, but the hospital operator is calling the union's move a publicity stunt.
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UNC Health Care CEO's memo to staff after NYT exposé
Wesley Burks, MD, CEO of UNC Health Care, sent a five-paragraph email to staff members May 30 in response to an investigative report about the Chapel Hill, N.C.-based system's pediatric heart surgery program, according to NC Health News.
Florida hospital faces blowback for executive search firm's opacity in finding CEO
NCH Healthcare System hired a search firm to help the Naples, Fla.-based system find a new CEO, but community leaders said the process lacks transparency, according to the Naples Daily News.
18 states with the highest hospital CEO turnover
Eighteen percent of hospital CEOs left their roles in 2018, a rate that has been steady for the past five years, according to data from the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Physician viewpoint: Hospitals exploit the goodwill of physicians, nurses
As healthcare becomes increasingly corporatized, administrators lean on the good faith of clinicians to get the job done — and they may be leaning too hard, according to an op-ed published in The New York Times by Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, an attending physician at Bellevue Hospital in New York City.
Mike Pence's quiet takeover of HHS: 3 things to know
Vice President Mike Pence may be quietly influencing HHS' policies on family planning and religious protections for healthcare workers through top-level appointments and other ties to the agency, according to Politico.
From cleaners to the top exec, the average salary for 30 hospital jobs
Across the nation's more than 6,000 hospitals, chief executives made an average annual salary of $242,550, compared to phlebotomists, who made an average of $34,750 per year, according to Business Insider.
Why Arizona's suburbs are telling for healthcare in 2020
In Arizona, residents are concerned about healthcare as the 2020 election approaches, an issue that may sway many independent and suburban voters to vote for candidates based on healthcare over party affiliation, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Highest-paid CEOs in 2018: Who made the list from healthcare
Thirty-two healthcare CEOs made The New York Times and Equilar's 2018 ranking of highest-paid CEOs in 2018.
Haven's COO is out: 5 things to know
The COO of a health joint venture started by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase stepped down, according to CNBC.
Money no object, but Haven health venture will be long journey, Buffett says
There's no guarantee that Haven, the joint healthcare venture formed by Berkshire Hathaway, JP Morgan Chase and Amazon last year, will be successful at making healthcare more efficient, Warren Buffet told CNBC in an interview May 6.
The 16 health systems to which Walmart sends employees for care
Through its Centers of Excellence program, Walmart partners with health systems that have demonstrated appropriate, high-quality care and outcomes for defined episodes of care.
Why MBA programs are shutting down
A strong job market is suppressing demand for master's in business administration degrees, leading many universities to shutter their in-person programs in favor of online versions, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Tenet to move headquarters out of Dallas
Tenet Healthcare plans to move its headquarters from Dallas to Farmers Branch, Texas, as part of a cost-cutting move, according to the Dallas Morning News.
CIO/HEALTH IT
What Cleveland Clinic looks for in the ideal IT team member — it isn't just technical knowledge: Q&A with CIO Ed Marx
Ed Marx is a veteran in the health IT space and currently leads the IT team at Cleveland Clinic as CIO.
EHR intervention teams may help reduce clinician burnout, study finds
A team-based intervention approach to improve EHR use and efficiency may help alleviate burdens that physicians report feeling when dealing with computer-based clerical work, according to a recent study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
88% of hospital execs feel threatened by Optum, CVS Health, Amazon: 4 notes
UnitedHealth Group's Optum poses the biggest perceived threat to hospital and health system executives worried about non-hospital competitors that offer consumer-friendly health services, according to Kaufman Hall's 2019 State of Consumerism in Healthcare report.
How hospitals are responding to Microsoft operating system vulnerability
Hennepin Healthcare activated a command center in the evening of May 14 after learning that versions of Microsoft's Windows operating systems had a vulnerability that could be used similar to the WannaCry worm, according to the Star Tribune.
Methodist University Hospital installs tech for patients to track nurses
Memphis, Tenn.-based Methodist University Hospital deployed new technology that allows patients in its Shorb Tower to track when nurses will arrive to their rooms, according to Commercial Appeal.
Cerner unveils near-site health network: 3 things to know
Cerner launched its new near-site health network Anuva Health, which aims to combine in person and virtual care services for organizations to offer to their employees at lower costs.
Quest Diagnostics vendor data breach exposes 11.9 million patients: 5 things to know
Quest Diagnostics is notifying 11.9 million patients of a data breach that happened at one of its billing collections vendors, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Penn Medicine employee 'misused' a patient's information, hospital privacy chief says
Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine alerted around 900 patients that their information may have been improperly viewed by a former medical assistant at the hospital, according to The Inquirer.
Leaked NSA cyberweapon causes Baltimore shutdown
A previously leaked cyberweapon created by the National Security Agency has been confirmed as the source for Baltimore's ransomware attack, according to The New York Times.
AI retinal scanner that can detect Alzheimer's given FDA 'Breakthrough Device' status
A retinal imaging platform that uses artificial intelligence to evaluate eye scans for biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders has received the FDA's "Breakthrough Device" designation, Canadian startup Optina Diagnostics announced this week.
Harvard Business Review: What boards need to know about AI
Board members not used to taking a hands-on role in the daily operations of a company should be prepared to do so as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent, according to the Harvard Business Review.
Epic gets green light on $21M power line for growing electricity needs
Epic will construct a $21 million underground power line at its Verona, Wis.-based 1,100-acre campus due to its growing electricity needs, which the EHR vendor expects to double in the next decade, Wisconsin State Journal reports.
Why patients are giving up on portals
Although patient portals often have a lot of valuable features, patients' use of the portals is declining at surprising rates, according to an American Medical Association blog post.
Novant Health opens Institute of Innovation & AI
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health announced on June 5 the launch of its Institute of Innovation & Artificial Intelligence, which will use advanced technology to provide personalized patient care and accelerated solutions.
Optum funnels $16M into AI startup Health[at]Scale
Health[at]Scale, a San Jose, Calif.-based startup developing machine learning solutions for precision medicine, has raised $16 million in a Series A funding round, with UnitedHealth Group's Optum as the sole investor, TechCrunch reports.
61 hospital and health system CISOs to know | 2019
Becker's Hospital Review named 61 hospital and health system chief information security officers to know in 2019.
CMO/CARE DELIVERY
‘Beyond horrifying’: Cardiologists warned UNC Children’s of heart program issues
Cardiologists at UNC Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill expressed serious concerns about the safety and quality of the hospital's pediatric heart surgery program in 2016, after noticing an uptick in surgical complications and deaths, according to a 7,000-word investigative report from The New York Times.
60+ patients allege sterilization failure at Porter Adventist Hospital
Sixty-seven patients and 22 spouses filed a lawsuit June 15 against Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver, claiming the hospital caused infections and death due to improper equipment sterilization, according to The Denver Post.
Physician burnout costs $4.6B annually, study finds
Direct expenses tied to physician burnout cost the U.S. more than $4 billion annually, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Physicians quit Maine hospital as morale hits 'all-time low'
At least eight physicians resigned from Bangor-based Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, and physicians from several departments warned that more physicians could leave if changes aren’t made, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Nurse understaffing linked to higher HAI risk
Nurse understaffing increases the risk of healthcare-associated infections in hospital units, a study published in the Journal of Nursing Administration found.
Mold forces Seattle Children’s to close operating rooms
Seattle Children’s Hospital postponed and diverted surgeries after detecting mold in
its operating rooms, reported KIRO 7.
Where are the 9 Leapfrog ‘F’ hospitals?
The Leapfrog Group gave nine hospitals failing grades in its spring 2019 Hospital Safety Grades released May 15.
Physicians liable for malpractice even when treatment is indirect, rules Minnesota Supreme Court
A court ruling in Minnesota seeks to clarify the legal boundaries of the patient-physician relationship, the Star Tribune reported.
Where are the 41 ‘straight-A’ Leapfrog hospitals?
The Leapfrog Group has assigned letter grades to hospitals based on their patient safety performance twice annually since spring 2012. Forty-one hospitals have earned an “A” in every update, including the spring 2019 update released May 15.
Closed ICU model linked to 100% reduction in several HAIs, study shows
A closed intensive care unit model, in which a patient is evaluated and admitted under an intensivist and patient care orders are written by ICU staff, can help reduce rates of several healthcare-associated infections, according to new research.
How UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s new president aims to create ultimate patient care experience
With 26 years of experience at UPMC, Mark Sevco is familiar with the Pittsburgh-based system’s operations.
How a diverse workforce drives value-based care: Q&A with Mass General’s first equity & inclusion chief
On May 15, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston named Joseph Betancourt, MD, its first chief equity and inclusion officer.
Corner Office: Sanford Health's CMO Dr. Allison Suttle on the importance of storytelling Allison Suttle, MD, knew at a young age that medicine was her calling.
Allison Suttle, MD, knew at a young age that medicine was her calling.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
How UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's new president aims to create ultimate patient care experience
With 26 years of experience at UPMC, Mark Sevco is familiar with the Pittsburgh-based system's operations.
Sentara CEO Howard P. Kern: 3 core strengths for success in 2019
We read about so many disruptive forces within the healthcare industry that we often struggle to prioritize resources to ensure success.
How a diverse workforce drives value-based care: Q&A with Mass General's first equity & inclusion chief
On May 15, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston named Joseph Betancourt, MD, its first chief equity and inclusion officer.
Michael Dowling: One question that tests the integrity of your health system
How many qualified veterans does your organization employ?
Corner Office: Sanford Health's CMO Dr. Allison Suttle on the importance of storytelling
Allison Suttle, MD, knew at a young age that medicine was her calling.