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Survey: Prior authorization remains a pain for a huge majority in healthcare

Scott E. Rupp Healthcare Administration

A consensus has been reached in healthcare, and the crescendo of hatred for prior authorization is clear. Medical practice professionals are sick of the red tape associated with the practice of getting the OK from an insurer regarding a proposed course of treatment for a perhaps-stricken patient. The opposition's angst for the process is overwhelming. According to a Medical Group Management Association survey, medical practice leaders say they are frustrated with "red tape and reporting requirements." Eighty-six percent say regulatory burdens increased in the past 12 months.

Survey: Healthcare costs rise at greater pace than workers’ wages

Seth Sandronsky Medical & Allied Healthcare

There is a reason that healthcare is so contentious in the Democratic Party’s presidential debates this year. "The single biggest issue in healthcare for most Americans is that their health costs are growing much faster than their wages are," Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) President and CEO Drew Altman said in the group’s Employer Health Benefits Survey. While the rate of unemployment is at a 50-year low, the amount of money that "employers and workers pay toward premiums continues to rise more quickly than workers’ wages and inflation over time," the survey found.

Podcast: Building a cash-based sports rehab practice and membership website

Jarod Carter Sports & Fitness

During PT school, Greg Schaible found a fantastic sports rehab website and set up a clinical rotation with its founder, Joe Heiler. That experience was life-changing for him. After graduation, he found work as a physical therapist and later decided to start his own cash-based practice part-time. When presented with the opportunity to take over the sports rehab website he knew and loved, he enthusiastically jumped in, because it provided a welcome source of stable revenue as his practice gradually found its market. Ever since, Schaible has been building two businesses.

5 ways your hospital can better ensure C-section safety

Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare Administration

As a hospital administrator, you know that C-sections represent a potential minefield for health and malpractice issues. You want all OB-GYN patients who need or request a C-section for legitimate medical reasons to receive this important option immediately and safely. However, minimizing risk for your physicians and facility is an important consideration, too. The good news: research has looked at these concerns and has great guidance to offer.

Study reveals the best time to take blood pressure medications

Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied Healthcare

About 7 in 10 adults with high blood pressure use medications to treat the condition. However, what time of day should patients take their blood pressure medications? A new large study investigated the effect of time of day when people take their blood pressure medications on their risk of cardiovascular problems. The study, led by Professor Ramón C. Hermida, found that patients who took their medications at bedtime had nearly half the risk of dying from or suffering heart attacks, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure or requiring coronary revascularization compared to patients who took their medications in the morning.

Researchers make a huge step towards a universal flu vaccine

Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Researchers around the world are feverishly working to develop a universal flu vaccine that would cover all influenza strains. They may now be a step closer to creating such a vaccine, thanks to researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who collaborated with the international nonprofit PATH, the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the University of Chicago, and the Duke Early Phase Clinical Research Unit. The team of researchers focused their attention on hemagglutinin, which is a protein present on the surface of flu viruses.

How to identify depression in the healthcare field and provide support

Amanda Ghosh Mental Healthcare

Medical professionals are at higher risk for depression given the difficulties in creating a healthy work-life balance, the stressors of the profession, and the emotional toll of caregiving. With National Depression Screening Day having just passed, now is the perfect time to assess your workplace for at-risk employees. Here are a few strategies to prevent and identify depression among healthcare workers.

Federal government urged to address disability bias in organ transplants

Chelsea Adams Medical & Allied Healthcare

In a new report to the president, the National Council on Disability acknowledged that people with disabilities are often barred from receiving organ transplants even though federal law and some states specifically prohibit it. "We live in a world where organ denials are based on disability, rather than suitability," said Neil Romano, chairman of the National Council on Disability. "Receiving an organ to save your life should never be jeopardized because of fears, myths and stereotypes about disability. Especially not with so many federal laws making that practice illegal."

How to help your dementia patients have a comfortable hospital experience

Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare Administration

As a hospital manager, you know how dementia patients in your facility often experience physical and emotional discomfort that seems difficult or impossible to ease. This is distressing to you, your doctors, your nurses, and, of course, to your patients’ families. To address these concerns, science has uncovered some innovative ways that hospital facilities can bring comfort to inpatients with dementia and make their stays less frightening, safer and more engaging. Implement the following research-driven advice at your organization to benefit everyone involved.

Infographic: Optimizing reputation management with AI

Brian Wallace Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Customers read the reviews, but it's not enough to have good reviews. Those reviews also have to be believable. Your company's online reputation can make or break your business, and your ratings even influence your ranking in searches. Increasing your company's ratings from three to five stars can increase your visibility on Google by up to 25%. Learn more with this infographic.

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