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Aligning Executive Compensation to Strategic Priorities

As hospital boards and executives embark on transformational strategies like clinical integration and population health management, finance leaders are key in helping to set performance targets that are appropriate relative to industry-wide statistics as well as past performance.

David Bjork February 21, 2019

Healthcare Predictions Focus on Innovative Corporate Structures and Alternative Financing

An alternative corporate structure called a “benefit corporation” is at the center of one of 10 predictions issued by BDO. Two others one related to telemedicine and the other related to sources of alternative capital pertain to hospital finance.

Ed Avis February 21, 2019

An ‘Outside View’ Helps Achieve Return on Analytics

An “outside view” can counter biases and organizational pressures that can skew internal decision-making processes. It also provides a framework for target setting that helps define realistic expected returns.

Scott R. Engel February 21, 2019

No-Divert Policy, Strategic Growth Help Erlanger Increase Revenue by $300 Million

A strategic plan that focused on growth and expanding specialty services helped Erlanger Health System improve its balance sheet while maintaining high-quality performance. A pay-for-performance program also increased nurse productivity. 

Laura Ramos Hegwer February 21, 2019

Annual Hospital Costs for Opioid Overdose Patients Approaches $2 Billion

The average cost for an overdose patient who was treated and released totaled $504, but the average cost rose to $11,731 for those that were treated and admitted to a hospital.

HFMA February 15, 2019

Evaluating Cost-of-Care Progress

Although more time and evidence are needed to prove the efficacy of population-based VBP models, there are other models that may be more appropriate for different populations.

HFMA February 15, 2019

The Hospital’s New Agenda: Pharmacy Cost Savings

Pharmacists who have defined roles focused on effective and efficient use of medications in hospitals are the best-equipped leaders to control rising and unsustainable drug costs. For example, one health system realized a $6 million cost savings through a combination of surveillance technology and empowered, motivated pharmacy leaders.

Karen Kobelski February 15, 2019

When Indirect EHR Communication Drives Up Medical Costs

Indirect communication among primary care team members using EHRs is associated with increased hospital visits and higher medical costs for their patients with diabetes, according to one study. Researchers found that medical costs rose by $223 per patient with diabetes in a six-month period for every increase in one percentage point in indirect communication.

Laura Ramos Hegwer February 15, 2019

Community Paramedicine Saves Organization $6M in 1 Year

By training paramedics to treat patients at home under a physician’s supervision, Commonwealth Care Alliance is reducing unnecessary emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

Laura Ramos Hegwer February 15, 2019

Determining the Long-Term Value of Labor Costs

Various methods can help healthcare leaders express the savings realized from a reduction in staff time and effort required to complete a task.

Pat Edmonds February 15, 2019
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