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Medical marijuana’s influence on Medicare drug spending
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Medical & Allied HealthcareIs the use of marijuana as a medical prescription treatment saving the government money? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is one of the largest purchasers of prescription drugs in the U.S. The amount the government spends on prescription medications through Medicare Part D may have come down in states that allow for the use of marijuana as a treatment for several medical diagnoses, according to a recent study.
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Data analytics for the patient population
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationTraditional electronic health records are designed around the care delivered during encounters with individual patients. However, incentives for improved outcomes, value, and expectations of those paying the bills, including patients and taxpayers, require more efficient and effective care processes and decision-making. These factors are driving a shift in the healthcare delivery system and the way we think about care processes.
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Racial diversity matters in public health
Dr. Samer Koutoubi Healthcare AdministrationEvery day, our nation is becoming more diverse — in classrooms, workplaces, neighborhoods and communities. According to a 2010 study from the United States Census Bureau, "The Two or More Races Population: 2010," the number of biracial Americans (reporting themselves as both black and white) grew by more than 1 million people between 2000 and 2010, a 134 percent increase. Similarly, people who reported their race as both white and Asian grew by about three-quarters of a million people, an 87 percent increase.
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As final rule on MACRA nears, some call for delayed rollout
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) was designed to change the way healthcare is paid for. True to government form, it is about a 1,000-page rule drafted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that is meant to provide the working guidelines of its implementation.
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Straddling the fence: Guiding staff through the value-based care shift
Ryan Clark Healthcare AdministrationManaging a staff shift from the long-held quantity-of-care model to the new quality-of-care model can be daunting and cumbersome, but it is a challenge that must be met for the progress of the healthcare industry. In a follow-up interview with MultiBriefs Exclusive, Cheri Bankston, RN, MSN, director of clinical advisory services for Curaspan, explains the ways hospital managers can help staff deal with the transition and "straddling the fence."
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As out-of-pocket costs rise, patients seek value and convenience
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationConsumers are assuming more and more responsibility for their healthcare costs — higher deductibles and growing out-of-pocket costs. As a result, they are starting to ask about the value and convenience they receive in return. This includes educating themselves on pricing, lower-cost strategies and convenient options.
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Investing in the future: Positive workplace culture in healthcare
Keith Carlson Healthcare AdministrationThe healthcare workplace environment has a deep impact on staff experience, including satisfaction, productivity and institutional loyalty. Workplace culture is a crucial aspect of the workplace environment, although it is less obvious than physical aspects such as cleanliness, air quality, safety concerns, ergonomics and layout.
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CMS proposes removal of pain management questions for funding
Joan Spitrey Healthcare AdministrationIn a response to pressure from stakeholders, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed to remove the pain management dimension from the current Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) for purposes of funding. Currently, HCAHPS scores are used for the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program, which redistributes a portion of Medicare payments to hospitals based on performance in the surveys.
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Study: Workarounds quite common with EHRs
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationPhysicians using electronic health records often still resort to the paper workarounds, according to a study published recently in Applied Clinical Informatics. While electronic health records (EHRs) have potential to facilitate reliable communication and followup of test results, limitations with functionality remain.
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A new normal: Graduate nursing students paying for clinical rotations
Patrice Brown Healthcare AdministrationAspiring advanced practice nurses enter their prospective graduate programs each semester with the good faith of excelling at their course work and practicum. Unfortunately, that notion may be tarnished by the misfortune of not finding a clinical site.
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