Whitepapers & E-Books

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked dramatic transformations in the patient experience. From a heightened emphasis on safety to the massive expansion of telehealth, one thing continues to remain constant: The importance of the provider-patient relationship.

Survey finding themes explored in the report:

• Key aspects of the care experience that have always been central to the patient satisfaction
• Patients are more attuned to safety
• Patients are using telehealth services in record numbers
• COVID-19 patients are straining hospital capacity and reporting poorer experiences

Telehealth adoption has skyrocketed due to COVID-19, and the demand for virtual tools is here to stay: Two-thirds of patients plan to continue using telehealth after the pandemic.

Download this white paper to learn:

• What an integrated hybrid care delivery model is and how it differs from just adding telehealth care options
  
• The risks of not offering a variety of care-delivery options—to both patients and system revenues
• 4 best practices to get you started

Cloud communication technologies can enhance member engagement, support new collaboration-based workflow models, boost employee retention and increase payers’ flexibility, agility and efficiency.

In this whitepaper, you’ll learn:

• The kind of personalized experience members expect from payers
• How cloud-based communication technologies give payers better security and efficiency
• How analytics from digital member engagement platforms can optimize payer performance
• How digital engagement tools generate higher employee satisfaction and retention

Enterprise imaging — or EI — plays an important role in the shift toward value-based care and is the next logical investment for many following the electronic health record.

In this report you will learn:

• What are the different technology approaches to managing imaging across the enterprise?
• How can converging imaging workflow and infrastructure support my business growth initiatives?
• What are the key financial and clinical care metrics that can be used to measure the benefits of enterprise imaging?
• How do I build an effective governance team to oversee my enterprise imaging project?

Health systems striving to deliver quality care at a sustainable cost are facing turbulent times. Leaders across the healthcare spectrum are collaborating with strategic partners to co-create innovative solutions.

In this whitepaper, you’ll learn:

• Ways long-term strategic partnerships can improve health systems
• Practical considerations for selecting strategic partners
• Case studies about innovation approaches and successful outcomes

Now that the COVID-19 vaccine is here, patients have questions. To ensure a smooth vaccine rollout, it's critical to be proactive and deliver clear information to patients via text, email, and other channels. Strengthen your organization's vaccine communication efforts with templates from this booklet.

The E-book shares key templates on:

• Frequently asked questions
• Dispelling common myths
• The vaccine’s safety and efficacy
• Vaccine appointment reminder check-list

We are seeing a paradigm shift in healthcare solutions following a tumultuous 2020. Finally, the need for patient self-scheduling is aligning with the patients' embrace of its adoption.

In this ebook, we'll take a closer look at six significant facets of scheduling for 2021 to paint a clearer picture of what's in store for smart scheduling and healthcare operation. Trends include:

• Personalization
• Instability and agility
• Hybrid care
• And more!

Your health system cannot improve unless you consistently track data on quality of care, patient engagement and internal efficiency. However, with a surplus of data and digital tools, health system leaders can be unsure about what metrics to pay attention to.

Download this whitepaper to learn:

• 9 critical marketing metrics for healthcare
• How to find each metric (with examples)
• A clear action plan to improve in each area

Precision health has the potential to dramatically transform the healthcare landscape, but the reality of leveraging it effectively can be complex. WIth the right data insights, precision healthcare can produce better patient outcomes by accurately matching the right treatments with the right patients.

In January 2020, news of the novel coronavirus began to hit headlines. At the time, it was just background noise for most of the population, but Medxcel was already prepared to face what would become one of the greatest healthcare challenges the United States has ever faced. This white paper details how proactive planning allowed for the continuation of hospital operations during COVID-19.

Download this whitepaper for a closer look at:

• Laying the foundation for a proper emergency plan.
• How associates can ensure the highest level of care during a crisis.
• Preparing for future pandemics and other difficult situations.

Collaboration between payers and providers has been essential to healthcare's pandemic response. Payers have enhanced reimbursement for virtual care services to help providers deliver the care patients need remotely. The widespread adoption of virtual care technologies and the commitment of payers and providers to collaborate signifies a paradigm shift in the industry. This shift will have broad implications for payers, providers and patients.

There’s no denying the delicate balancing act between prioritizing patient care and staying financially afloat. So, when actions can be taken to advance both of these pressing priorities, it’s a win all around. It’s also where specificity comes into play.

Download the guide for a closer look at:

• The effect of capturing and keeping data granularity at the patient and population levels
• The implications of “specifically specific” standardized codes
• How clinical interface terminology solutions can bolster a wide range of data-driven initiatives

When building or renovating hospital sterile processing departments, the importance of uptime and sterility assurance cannot be overlooked. Implementing the STERIS Mobile SPD, a mobile sterile processing solution, helps hospitals eliminate phases of construction in the sterile processing environment without restricting designs, increasing risk of contamination, or interrupting care.

Whether it's in a single hospital or in a large health system, on average the healthcare workforce accounts for more than 54 percent of operating costs. These dynamics have spurred organizations to focus on strategies to optimize their workforce to reduce costs and enhance productivity.

The pandemic has highlighted how critical a real-time communication tool like text can be, especially in getting out urgent messages to huge numbers of patients.

Think phone calls are the way to go? The response rate for text messages is 209 percent higher for text messages than phone calls.
That's just one reason to consider texting your patients.

Since 2015, the average hospital turned over 89 percent of its workforce, according to an analysis of industry data conducted by DailyPay. Market analysts say that healthcare's turnover is second worst, only to hospitality.

Read the guide to learn:

• How you can improve attrition in the healthcare industry
• The true cost of turnover and staffing gaps
• An overview of a payment tool designed to fight turnover

Stronger, more resilient care organizations can respond faster, adapt easily and provide higher-quality care to more people both virtually as well as inside hospital walls. This is a critical moment in our nation's history. To help people stay healthy, prevent illness and receive care when and where they need it, hospitals — the foundation of our healthcare system — must extend care beyond their walls.

Patient communication has changed dramatically since the onset of the pandemic. Relying on call centers to answer patients' questions and reschedule appointments isn't adequate in the quickly changing environment of COVID-19. New workflows have emerged to reach patients, and have been validated by leading hospitals.

In this report you'll learn how to:

• Enable touchless patient intake through a virtual waiting room
• Automate telehealth appointment coordination
• Reach chronic care patients to reduce gaps in care and improve outcomes

"Business as usual" is a thing of the past.The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted businesses, professionals and consumers worldwide. No single industry has proven immune, and organizations now face new operating processes, safety protocols, public health guidelines, and federal and state regulations. 

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in most parts of the country, health systems are faced with dual short- and long-term threats related to their supply chains, operational resiliency, remote work and infrastructure. Their reality is the ultimate juggling act: Meeting the virus' demands on the system and keeping employees and patients safe, while also assessing whether they have the critical information, assets and processes in place to best respond to current and future crises.

This e-book explores the critical role of information in health systems' pandemic response: Is it accurate and trustworthy? Is it secure? Is it easily accessible? Does it provide insight to inform decisions? Successful organizations can answer "yes" to all of these questions. If yours cannot, this e-book just became a must-read. 

Learn how we worked with this fully-integrated healthcare system to deliver a whole-person approach to care for its employees and spouses with chronic conditions.

Results include:

• A coordinated experience across conditions for people living with both diabetes and hypertension Multiyear impact on clinical diabetes measures, including reduced HbA1c levels and a fewer hypoglycemic readings
• Measurable impact on systolic and diastolic blood pressure rates among those with uncontrolled hypertension
• Reduced spending incurred through medical care, emergency room visits and pharmacy costs associated with managing chronic conditions, resulting in a positive ROI

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging data suggests that glycemic control for patients with and without a previous diagnosis of diabetes is a critical component for managing the care of critically ill patients.

In this executive summary, you'll learn:

• The striking mortality results of recent COVID-19 research about patient outcomes related to hyperglycemia
• How hyperglycemia in COVID-19 patients impacted length of stay
• Best practice for inpatient glycemic management and what you can do now to improve glycemic management for your patients

Before COVID-19, the opioid epidemic was the nation's most consequential public health threat. The pandemic has magnified the impact of the opioid crisis on communities as unemployment, homelessness and behavioral health disorder rates soar.

Learn how eight organizations across the country have used technology and collaboration to achieve the following:

• 61 percent reduction in opioid prescriptions
• 32 percent reduction in opioid deaths
• 50 percent decrease in emergency department visits for patients with high utilization patterns
• $34 million in cost savings

This downloadable whitepaper will cover:

• Four proven strategies for addressing the opioid epidemic on an organizational and community level
• Statewide efforts to reduce opioid prescribing and use, including implementation of seven best practices for prescription opioids
• How collaboration helped achieve measurable results outside opioids — including decreased ED visits and significant cost savings

Did you know that Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System named David L. Callendar, MD, as their new president and CEO and that Kaiser Permanente appointed Prat Vemana as their chief digital officer, a newly created role in August 2019? There were also a handful of unique positions filled this quarter!

The second quarter of 2019 continued to have exciting healthcare executive moves, including more than 50 CEOs and presidents who stepped into new roles, retired, or resigned during the quarter. Altogether, at least 122 hospital and health system C-suite executives were on the move during this time of the year.

Keep track of all the 2019 second quarter C-suite executive moves with this report.

Tissue and medical device implants offer significant benefits to patients, as well as the hospitals and surgical centers that implant them. However, the potentially life-saving benefits of implants come at a hefty price.

Fortunately, there is an innovative platform that integrates the complete implant lifecycle and provides enterprise analytics. The platform’s increased supply chain visibility can help hospitals and health systems enhance patient safety, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency while improving the economics of healthcare.

Evolving patient expectations have forced health systems to rethink how they digitally engage patients. In 2021, touchless digital registration and intake has emerged as a mission critical priority for providers.

Download this whitepaper to learn:

• 6 essential strategies for designing and implementing a digital front door that patients love
• Common pitfalls that delay development and reduce adoption of patient engagement solutions
• How Notable uses robotic process automation and AI to power digital intake experiences with over 80% pre-visit completion and 97% patient satisfaction
• How to reduce call volume by automating pre-visit patient registration
• How modernizing patient intake can help optimize revenue cycle management

Health systems have wrestled with thin margins for decades. Now, in the wake of COVID-19, it has become even more difficult to hold the line on costs while also shoring up revenue.

The good news is that organizations that champion behavioral health integration — or BHI — can accomplish both goals.

In this new report from NeuroFlow, you’ll learn how tech-enabled BHI — or tBHI — can help your organization:

• Achieve cost savings and increase revenue
• Reduce patient leakage and strengthen patient engagement

• Vaccine appointment reminder check-list

The deadline for hospitals to comply with the May 1, 2021 e-notifications CoP included in CMS’s Interoperability & Patient Access Rule is quickly approaching.

Download Part 1 of the Route to Compliance eBook Series for:

• An overview of the CMS E-notifications CoP and all requirements included
• Survey results revealing hospital CIO familiarity with the CMS rule
• An assessment framework for hospitals and CIOs to find compliance solutions
• E-notification solutions available to guarantee full CoP compliance for hospitals 

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of telehealth shifted into hyperdrive. Adoption has occurred at unprecedented levels, cramming years' worth of telehealth integration into months and weeks.

Healthcare organizations have long prioritized telehealth solutions that emphasize customization, data security, and seamless integration with EHRs and clinical workflows. While those elements have remained as important as ever, the COVID-19 pandemic has also created an urgent need for seamless, easy-to-use video connectivity for patients and providers. In response to this need, Amwell developed Amwell Now, a lightweight, intuitive and secure solution for video visits that prioritizes simple connectivity and rapid implementation.

Download the case study to learn how the two health systems:

• Mobilized virtual visits at an unprecedented scale
• Introduced new tools and additional support to its care teams
• Are leveraging key features of Amwell Now to deploy telehealth across the enterprise to deliver high-quality care

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the "business as usual" mentality in healthcare. No longer can hospitals tolerate the operational inefficiencies that have plagued the industry for years, and most organizations are already sitting on the key to their salvation — data.

Articles include:

• Proactive security in action: How health systems demonstrate the ROI in risk prevention
• Pragmatic innovation: CIO Dr. Andrew Rosenberg's approach to new tech investment
• The modern CIO's challenge: More tech spending without adding to overall organizational costs
• During the coronavirus pandemic, 'innovation isn't optional, it's required': Key insights from UPMC Enterprise President Tal Heppenstall
• HBR: Relying on data will improve decision-making — 10 steps to foster a data-driven culture
• Healthcare CIOs in 2020: 3 key priorities & how the role is evolving
• Keck Medicine of USC's IT investment strategy: Key thoughts on taking risks and big opportunities in 2020
• The IT roles health systems added in 2020 and the focus for next year
• Health IT one year from today: 8 CIO predictions  

Data breaches that stem from third parties, vendors, or contractors are on the rise. In fact, the increase in third-party data breaches is due to the industrialization of the cybercriminal ecosystem and innovations such as ransomware, which makes cybercrime much more profitable and easier to carry out. Plus, the tools used for remote access, like virtual private networks (VPNs), aren’t properly secured to keep your network (and your company) safe from bad actors. This eBook covers the ins and outs of third-party data breaches including the attack methods, the most common phases, and the importance of a vendor access management platform.

Download this comprehensive eBook to learn:

• The most common ways hackers use third-party access, like VPNs, phishing, ransomware, and privileged credential use.
• The top breaches that stemmed from a vendor or third party, like Target, Hancock Health, and the auto industry.
• About the top 5 phases: Investigation, attacking the vendor, spreading the attack, movement of the attack, and the finale.
• How to lower the risk from cyberattacks that stem from a third-party.
• Strategies to reduce impacts from those attacks.

Modern surgical excellence is less the product of virtuoso talent than it is the collective efforts of a team that not only includes individual clinicians, but also operational administrators and executive-level, decision-makers all aligned under the tenets of the Quadruple Aim.

• Key learnings include:
• The three pillars of surgical excellence
• Insights on measuring clinical and economic performance
• A breakdown of a cohesive surgical ecosystem
• Looking at the total cost of care

The latest data from the Change Healthcare 2020 Revenue Cycle Denials Index shows denial rates are climbing, up 23% over Change Healthcare’s 2016 Denial Index. The report analyzed over 102 million hospital transactions across more than 1,500 U.S. hospitals from July 2019 - June 2020 and found that while denials continue to climb, the majority are avoidable and revenue loss that is occurring is preventable.

Read the 2020 Denials Index eBook to learn about:

• Denial rates in each region of the country
• Trends during the pandemic
• Denial root causes and where in the revenue cycle most denials are occurring
• Which denials are potentially avoidable and not recoverable
• Strategies to help you better prevent and manage denials in your organization

 

Healthcare organizations rely on vast amounts of data, capturing information on everything from patients' clinical interactions to payer behaviors. This surplus of data has driven the industry to adopt smart devices. The potential benefits to patients and providers are extraordinary.

Leading hospitals and health systems have been working to crack the code on consumerism and chronic disease management by delivering a holistic experience for patients, and interconnected technology is essential to these efforts.

Key Learning Points:

• Interconnected care technology
• The rise of ransomware
• Business email compromise
• The IoT ecosystem
• The mobile threat landscape
• Supporting a cyber secure home
• Focusing on the fundamentals

Community healthcare providers have always played a special role in serving their populations — and faced unique challenges in delivering that support. The effects of COVID-19 have made these providers even more crucial to community health.

Healthcare is rapidly evolving with technology that puts patients, and the caregivers that serve them, first.

Read this report for insights on how telehealth is becoming:

• More effective by connecting providers to patients via remote access, helping ensure more convenient care with better outcomes
• More efficient with mobile solutions for home healthcare workers, which helps with HIPAA compliance and streamlines data collection
• Technology-driven with cellular-enabled tablets, mobile hotspots and electronic visit verification to help staff provide better care

The healthcare revenue cycle has become increasingly complex over the years. For health systems to improve financial performance, RCM and finance leaders must closely evaluate and optimize every stage of the healthcare revenue cycle process.

Highlights include:

• Why early patient engagement saves healthcare providers money in the long run
• How to collect from all payment sources
• Where in the revenue cycle to implement technology-driven solutions to boost revenue

The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has generated severe financial challenges for patients and health systems. While many elements of this economic downturn are out of healthcare leaders' control, one element — the patient financial experience — is an area where health system financial teams can have more influence.

2021 is here, but that doesn't mean any of last year's challenges aren't. While no one has a crystal ball, thanks to practice experience and research, we do have a reasonable understanding of which trends will influence the industry the most this year. 

Three learning points from the eBook:

• The four primary challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic will mark providers' next 12 months
• The immense burden patients and providers face due to rising healthcare costs and what to do about it
• Insights on the technology that is altering the healthcare landscape, including telehealth, workflow automation, information security and digital payments

Since CMS' Hospital Price Transparency rule took effect Jan. 1, CMS has already started auditing a sample of hospitals for compliance. But what effect will the rule have on healthcare's affordability crisis?

Additional insights from the advisory call, featured in an e-Book sponsored by Flywire, include:

• Many systems are already providing their patients tools like online price estimators, but hospital and revenue cycle leaders are concerned that disclosing contractual rates won't be helpful for patients
• Price transparency alone can't solve for healthcare's affordability challenge, especially as more patients have high-deductible health plans
• Advocacy, experimentation and new technologies will all be necessary as healthcare providers promote patient engagement and revenue recognition.

Cutting headcount alone won't transform costs. Instead, revenue cycle leaders have come to realize that only a multidimensional approach will help them meet their strategic priorities and cost reduction goals.

Readers of the eBook will learn: 

• What multidimensional approaches the systems' revenue cycle teams have adopted to cut costs
• New talent management strategies the organizations are deploying to keep work-from-home a reality
• What realistic expectations for technology and automation look like, and how both can be used to increase patient satisfaction

A better patient access experience means a stronger revenue cycle. Experian Health’s Patient Access Survey — with responses from providers and patients — offers a glimpse of what the digital front door may look like in 2021 and beyond. But are providers and patients on the same page?

The importance of understanding the current marketplace and types of creative transaction structures that are available to healthcare providers cannot be overstated. In our current landscape, by coordinating messaging and strategy among transaction assets (e.g. real estate, practice, surgery center, etc.) physicians can better position themselves and their Practices for success long-term while maximizing value. Whatever strategy is decided upon, it is essential to consider the options and advocate for consistent communication between transaction advisors, whether they be investment bankers or healthcare real estate transaction specialists.

Key points:

• Macro economic trends are allowing physicians to consider a coordinated transaction strategy among their most valuable assets.
• Coordinating transaction messaging and strategy across assets (real estate, practice, surgery center, etc.) is ideal for long-term success and maximizing value.
• A sale-leaseback allows physician partners to monetize all or a portion of their real estate while securing long-term sustainability for the practice.

The economic landscape of the healthcare market has been forever altered by the COVID-19 crisis. Existing challenges have intensified, and the pace of change is accelerating, raising the bar for organizations to adapt strategically and quickly.

Download the e-book to learn more about how health leaders can ready their organization for growth with forward-thinking strategies that include:

• Meeting the consumer on their terms
• Adapting to new competition
• The growing role of strategic partnerships
• Mastering the new indicators of growth
• Tracking the spend of the health care dollar

Amid the transformation of 2020, it's worth remembering that change has always been one of the few constants in healthcare. The events of not just the last year, but the previous decade, are evidence of the adaptability and innovation of those who work in the healthcare industry.

As 2021 approaches, forward-looking healthcare leaders are doing what they do best — preparing their teams for what could come next. In October, Becker's Hospital Review and global consulting firm Guidehouse convened an advisory call with several leaders to discuss the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare. This e-book is based on their conversation.

Organizations represented on the call include:

• Tacoma, Wash.-based CHI Franciscan
• Scottsdale, Ariz.-based HonorHealth
• Sarasota (Fla.) Memorial Health Care System
• Flemington, N.J.-based Hunterdon HealthCare Partners

The 2020 VisitPay Report is based on survey responses from more than 3,500 patients. The report dives deep into current trends in healthcare finance and sheds light on the needs, motivations and behaviors of Americans.

You will learn:

• Why patients are facing an impossible decision
• The rising demand for billing transparency and digital solutions
• The seven patient audiences to address

Operating health systems and physician practices has always been hard, but COVID-19 has created extraordinary profitability challenges in 2020. Lower volumes, changing case and payer mixes and greater operating margin anxiety make revenue optimization more essential than ever.

We asked physician management and healthcare organization leaders to share their strategies for overcoming the considerable challenges of this altered landscape. They offer 10 strategies for using data and analytics to better manage capacity, coordinate care and optimize revenues, including:

• Tracking real-time practice COVID-19 volumes
• Managing productivity and modifying physician incentive compensation
• Capturing charges efficiently and accurately at the point of care
• Improving throughput across the continuum

The white paper features expert views from:

• Dennis Deruelle, MD – Executive Director of Hospital Medicine, American Physician Partners
• Andrea Funk, RN, MEd, CPHQ – Vice President of Integrated Acute Care Operations, US Acute Care Solutions
• Derick D. Perkins – Founder and Managing Partner, Metis Advisors LLC

COVID-19 has pushed healthcare delivery beyond its breaking point, heightening the urgent need for accelerated patient care, improved clinical efficiencies and secure clinical communication with real-time critical patient updates.

Before the arrival of COVID-19, specific environmental trends were challenging the healthcare industry, such as acquisitions of smaller health systems by larger health systems, clinician shortages and burnout. These trends had already created an urgent demand for clinical communication platforms (CCP) that would work securely across growing networks of diverse care provider organizations. The arrival of COVID-19 has applied untold new pressures to already strained systems.

In this white paper, you will learn about:

• The impact and cost of COVID-19 on healthcare
• How clinical collaboration platforms improved communication during COVID-19
• Where you will see cost savings from leveraging clinical collaboration platforms
• What to look for in a clinical collaboration platform in order to achieve savings
• How clinical collaboration platforms can help your organization increase efficiency and achieve return on investment

Technology continues to make it easier for dentists to engage digitally with their patients, and recent stressors are prompting practices to adopt this technology faster than ever.

Among the key takeaways:

• Digital tools are transforming patient interactions, such as scheduling appointments and notifying patients when to enter the office.
• Organizational culture plays a significant role in determining whether a dental practice is receptive to digital tools.
• Culture change starts with buy-in at the top.
• Despite widespread acceptance of digital tools, some practices resist adopting new technology.
• Organizations that have adopted the use of digital capabilities attest to the positive responses from their patients.

Today's most significant business operation problem in dental offices is repetitive, consistent, and boring manual processes and tasks. DentalRobot solves this problem with its proprietary automation platform specially designed for dental practices, and its unique approach of Pre-Built Robots and Automated Workflows.

Regardless of how you built the processes in your DSO, MSO, or Group, DentalRobot provides a custom-fit automation solution that matches your current context and vision for operations and growth. We understand each specialty and its journey. We impact your organization's outcomes by rapidly automating every process from insurance verification or EOB posting to Accelerated Patient Scheduling or Customized Treatment Plan Follow-Ups.