Cover Story
Closing the Price Gap for Commodity Services
Healthcare leaders looking to be competitive in certain services must carefully consider strategies to lower prices.
By Jamie Cleverley, MHA
From the President’s Desk
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Expanding on thoughts in his August 2017 column in hfm, HFMA President and CEO Joe Fifer discusses the upside of change. |
HFMA Video Spotlight
Video: Healthcare Trends and Technology
Julie Williamson, PhD, chief growth enabler for Karrikins Group, talks about healthcare trends and technology, as well as the changing roles of women and men in health care.
Early Edition
Plateau Busting: Transforming a CDI Program to Optimize Quality and Revenue
United Health Services, a not-for-profit health system serving New York, realized substantial benefits by implementing a clinical documentation improvement program.
By Laura Jacquin, RN, MBA, Tricia Jewson, MHA, RHIA, CHDA, and Michele Palmer, RHIT
Five Lessons Health Systems Can Learn From Intuit
Increasing patient access to healthcare data can bolster population health management efforts for consumers.
By Dinesh Sheth
Healthcare Matters
The Abuse and Misuse of Observation Services
Lack of limitations on observation status has led to confusion and increased expense among patients.
By Paul Shoemaker
From the Editor
Public Health Emergencies: Is Health Care Ready to Respond?
Healthcare organizations that prepare for natural and man-made disasters can help manage the inevitable.
By Daniel R. Verdon
Features
Gamification: A New Tool for Improving the Performance of Healthcare Organizations
Through gamification, healthcare organizations can engage staff in performance improvement efforts by offering them nonmonetary incentives to pursue these efforts in the spirit of a game.
By Brian D. Washburn, MHA, PMP, LSSBB
A Data-Driven Approach to Improving Clinical Care and Reducing Costs
The experiences of two health systems provide insight into how healthcare providers can use advanced data analytics to sustainably improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.
By Jennie D. Dulac, RN, Robert W. Pryor, MD, and Walter W. Morrissey, MD
Taking Control of Pay-For-Performance Contracts
To ensure their organizations perform effectively under risk contracts, healthcare finance leaders should implement a work plan to manage the contracts.
By Paul Selivanoff, CPA
Medicare Advantage 2.0: Next Generation Growth Strategies
Healthcare organizations looking to expand their Medicare Advantage programs should look to market data for guidance.
By Cary Badger and Brad Helfand
Focus Area
Payment
Closing Health Care’s Value Gap
To ensure current and future success, healthcare providers must take deliberate action to bridge the gap between volume-based payment and value-based payment.
By Rulon Stacey, PhD, FACHE
Revenue Cycle
Financial Leaders Are Key Collaborators in Patient Access Restructuring
Finance leaders provide critical information and expertise in healthcare organizations that are looking to improve patient access.
By Rik Baier, CMPE
Columns
From the Chair
On Being Bold: Inspirations From HFMA’s ANI
Healthcare finance professionals can take an inspirational lesson on being bold from of healthcare leaders who shared their stories at HFMA’s 2017 ANI in Orlando.
By Carol A. Friesen, FHFMA, MPH
From the President
The Upside of Change
Reframing organizational change can be the key to making change management easier for all concerned.
By Joseph J. Fifer, FHFMA, CPA
Eye on Washington
Skyrocketing Prescription Drug Crisis: Action Needed
Legislative action by Congress is needed to address the problem facing the U.S. healthcare system from cost pressures caused by rising prescription drugs prices.
By Ceci Connolly
Integration
How Consolidation Is Changing Healthcare Markets
Healthcare organizations contemplating opportunities for consolidation can benefit from performing a detailed analysis that considers potential impacts of a variety of possible scenarios.
By Keith D. Moore, MCP and Dean C. Coddington
Advertising
Business Profile
Priority Advantage: Helping Organizations Optimize Their Medicare Advantage Plans
Gene Cronin, vice president for Priority Advantage, discusses the value and benefits of working with a top-notch Medicare Advantage service vendor.
Supplement
HFMA/Change Healthcare: Pre-Authorization and Medical Necessity Opportunities
Change Healthcare and HFMA partnered on a research study that analyzed the state of claims denials in the United States. It focused on understanding providers’ first-pass claim rates, denials occurring from lack of pre-authorization and medical necessity processes, and pain-points that are opportunities for innovation.