Jill Geisler: Leadership is the best antidote to office politics
I ’m accustomed to hearing people refer to office politics when talking about challenges at work. It’s a negative descriptor, one that implies success is determined by game-playing. Such games may involve deception, information hoarding, power plays, sucking up, passive aggression, opportunistic coalitions, backstabbing and hidden agendas. People see or suspect that others are doing…
Kristina Bouyea and Cynthia Low Johnson earn women of the year laurels
Two HFMA members were recently named women of the year by the Northern California Chapter. The awards, which comprise two categories and are selected by an independent, non-HFMA review committee, were presented May 10 at the Chapter’s 11th Annual Women’s Conference. The Emerging Leader: Woman of the Year Award was presented to Kristina Bouyea, government…
Marc Scher: Successful innovation calls for an ‘always forward’ approach
During one of my favorite presentations at HFMA’s Annual Conference, healthcare entrepreneur and best-selling author Suneel Gupta described Betty Crocker’s unexpectedly bumpy path to launching an instant cake mix. Betty Crocker believed instant cake mixes were destined to become a best-selling product. Leaders had done the research, and they put a lot of marketing behind…
HFMA recognizes top 9 articles published in hfm, 3 awarded for editorial excellence
HFMA is recognizing the top nine articles published in hfm during FY23-24, with three selected as the winners of the Helen Yerger/L. Vann Seawell Best Article Award for outstanding editorial achievement. Also lauded are the top three runners-up and top three staff-written articles. Myriad topics from increasing adoption and refinement of payer scorecards to using data…
Julie Lautt: Success in healthcare finance leadership is about setting ambitious goals
Julie Lautt, CFO of Avera Health, has successfully led her team in achieving ambitious goals, overcoming challenges such as healthcare finance policies and the COVID-19 pandemic, and emphasizing the importance of teams and innovation in promoting cost-effectiveness in healthcare.
HFMA remembers Gail Wilensky
Gail R. Wilensky, PhD, a leading figure in healthcare policy, passed away at the age of 81, leaving behind a legacy of contributions to the healthcare industry and a lasting impact on healthcare policy.
How nonprofit health systems can benefit from post-acute care partnerships
Nonprofit health systems are increasingly partnering with for-profit operators to deliver post-acute care, which is necessary due to margin compression, difficulty in delivering cost-effective care, and lack of core competencies.
How healthcare providers can streamline A/R through partnerships
The efficient management of accounts receivable (A/R) is essential for maintaining the fiscal health and operational effectiveness of any healthcare organization. Finance leaders are increasingly recognizing the benefits of leveraging strategic A/R partnerships to improve revenue cycle operations, decrease costs and boost liquidity. It is imperative, however, that they take a systematic approach to understand…
David Johnson: Walmart Health’s demise is emblematic of the nation’s primary care conundrum
Walmart’s announcement on April 30 that it was pulling the plug on Walmart Health stunned the healthcare ecosystem.a Few saw it coming. Launched amid much fanfare in 2019, Walmart Health has operated 51 health centers in five states, with a robust virtual care platform. Walmart’s news release noted that “the challenging reimbursement environment and escalating…
CMS’s 2024 MA rule brings some improvements but falls short of addressing all providers’ concerns
Hospitals and other healthcare providers welcomed CMS’s release in 2023 of the 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D final rule (CMS-4201-F).a The rule represents CMS’s effort to refine the practices of MA organizations by placing limitations on prior authorization, elevating requirements for provider directories and making comprehensive adjustments to the MA and Part D quality…