Lola Butcher

About the Author

Lola Butcher

Latest Work

Avoid ED Claim Challenges by Developing CDI Teams

UnitedHealthcare’s new policy of auditing certain emergency department claims should prompt hospitals to seek the expertise of clinical documentation improvement teams in outpatient claim processing. 

Lola Butcher May 9, 2018

The Business Case for Fighting Physician Burnout

Mitigating physician burnout may help to reduce turnover and the many costs that come with it, and industry leaders are taking steps to quantify the ROI.

Lola Butcher April 26, 2018

Palliative Care in the ED Improves Value

Although implementing palliative care processes in the ED is challenging initially, such care can reduce avoidable costs and unnecessary suffering.

Lola Butcher April 25, 2018

How Diversity in Executive Teams Contributes to Financial Success

Organizations with high levels of diversity and inclusion perform better on key business metrics, according to a new report and the experiences of health system leaders.

Lola Butcher April 24, 2018

Contracting for Primary Care and Value Improves Patient Outcomes and Lowers Costs

Humana offers primary care practices four types of value-based contracts, but also customizes plans that emphasize population health or other initiatives.

Lola Butcher April 6, 2018

New Program Seeks to Enhance Care of Elderly Patients

Two national organizations seek to spread the “Age-Friendly Health Systems” movement to 20 percent of all health systems by 2020.

Lola Butcher March 19, 2018

CHRISTUS Health’s Digital Check-In Process Receives High Patient Ratings

CHRISTUS Health introduced a paperless check-in process that received overwhelmingly positive patient satisfaction rates. Within six months of completing the launch, per-patient revenues increased by 5.9 percent, which more than covered the expense of the digital check-in technology.

Lola Butcher March 15, 2018

Addressing Social Determinants of Health

Recognizing that hunger, housing instability, and other problems make it difficult for people to get and stay healthy, ProMedica is transforming its care delivery model and making substantial investments. The health system is starting with a $50 million initiative to research and address social determinants of health in the communities it serves.

Lola Butcher February 23, 2018

Healthcare Consumerism Requires Comparable Quality and Cost Data

Provider organizations and health plans can advance the use of cost and performance data to support consumerism, as collaboratives in Massachusetts and Minnesota are showing.

Lola Butcher February 20, 2018

Developing a Specialty Medical Home Contract

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center gastroenterologists have teamed with UPMC Health Plan to develop a specialty medical home contract for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. 

Lola Butcher February 16, 2018