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HHS responds to arguments against hospital price transparency
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareRegarding healthcare pricing transparency, the Trump administration says patients should have the right to know how much care will cost before they receive it. The argument seems to hold water, because in all other transactions where are wallets are concerned, consumers know the price of the products and services before they buy. These are the points continually made by leaders at HHS. These are also the arguments made in a brief filed last week in response to a lawsuit challenging the price transparency rule. HHS also argues that Congress meant for hospital pricing be made public.
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Healthcare mergers and acquisitions: Navigating the landscape
Tory Barringer Healthcare AdministrationThe past few years have seen a marked increase in hospital mergers and acquisitions (M&A), with deals closing at an average pace of about 100 annually, according to an estimate from the Los Angeles Times. In many cases, these mergers are a net positive for the communities they impact. Yet, healthcare observers and researchers argue that takeovers have the downside of eliminating competition and driving up prices, to say nothing of the risk to patient safety. Regardless of the debate surrounding M&A, activity is likely to continue at a brisk pace unless regulators step in or the healthcare landscape changes enough to force another shift. With that in mind, hospitals are advised to keep a few pointers in mind when it comes to a successful merger.
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Happy hygge! Get cozy this Valentine’s Day to boost your happiness
Amanda Ghosh Mental HealthcareAccording to World Happiness Reports, Denmark consistently ranks in the top three happiest countries on earth. Their practice of hygge (pronounced "hyoo-ga") may be the secret to their exceptional happiness. But what is hygge, and how can you gain happiness from it? Read on to find out.
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Hotspotting: The pros and cons of a key healthcare trend for 2020
Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare Administration"Hotspotting" is a new strategy in healthcare meant to reduce the medical expenses of the highest-cost patients in your system. The basic idea: "super-utilizers," or patients who have been admitted to a hospital three times in a brief time period, are identified. Using a range of healthcare team members, patients’ lifestyles and needs are analyzed to determine where their treatment costs can be cut without compromising their care. There are both pluses and minuses to consider. Take these considerations into account to see if hotspotting may be appropriate at your facility.
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Infographic: The future of health insurance for millennials and Gen Z
Brian Wallace Healthcare AdministrationThe way people work is changing, and that means how people access healthcare and buy health insurance is changing, too. But what are younger generations looking for in health insurance? Learn more with this infographic.
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Epic Systems wages interoperability war on CMS
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThere's a major hubbub going on in healthcare right now regarding interoperability. This includes a campaign from the CEO of an EHR company to health system leaders encouraging them to rally against federal interoperability reform; tech giants telling the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to enforce its rules; and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma suggesting that some healthcare EHR vendors are attempting to protect "short-term profits." Where to start? In this case, we'll begin to break this drama down at the top — with the regulators, CMS.
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Workplace fatalities are at their highest levels since 2008. What’s…
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIn December 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics released workplace injury data from 2018. There were 5,250 fatal workplace injuries, which represents a 2% increase over 2017. This is also the highest amount since 2008, and it should be noted that from 2009-15, workplace fatalities were in the 4,500 to 4,600 range. Two particular causes of workplace fatalities increased significantly. Deaths from unintentional overdoses as a result of nonmedical consumption of drugs or alcohol while at work increased 12%. Work-related suicides increased by 11%.
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Red in February isn’t just for Valentine’s Day
Amanda Ghosh Medical & Allied HealthcareHeart disease is the single greatest threat to women's health. According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death amongst women; it's estimated that one in five will die from cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, the future doesn't need to be so bleak. The American Heart Association states that 80% of cardiac events are preventable so long as you're taking the proper steps to prevent them.
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Healthcare cybersecurity threats continue with no end in sight
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationIn 2019, healthcare organizations were the fourth most common target for ransomware attacks, according to a report released by Cylance, a BlackBerry company. Healthcare made up 7% of attacks overall, after technology (28%), consumer goods (15%) and manufacturing (11%), but the sophistication of attacks is growing more complex. A year prior, in 2018, Cylance said it saw a decline in overall ransomware attacks and an increase in malicious coin miners.
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New resources in precision medicine that every doctor should know about
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcarePrecision medicine, or personalized medicine as it is sometimes referred to, is a most significant and promising healthcare trend. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines precision medicine as an individualized plan that uses a patient's genetic makeup and their environment and lifestyle to deliver the right preventative advice or targeted disease treatment. There are several exciting developments in this field that you, as a physician or hospital administrator, should know about and investigate further.
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