6 ways to ease physicians’ burden from coding, documentation and risk adjustment
The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the need for U.S. health systems to gain physician cooperation in documenting and coding patient risk. Yet these organizations also should be mindful of the administrative burden many physicians feel from having to perform these processes, which has contributed to feelings of burnout among them. This article describes six steps hospitals and health systems can take to help ease the administrative burden for physicians, which is necessary to ensure the future quality and effectiveness of the nation’s healthcare system.
8 ways healthcare providers can smooth the DRG audit process
A health system’s financial sustainability depends on its being paid appropriately for the services it delivers. Yet routine payer audits can all too often result in downgrades of a health system’s billed diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), resulting in lower payment. It therefore behooves health systems to be well prepared for such audits and thoroughly understand why payers’ are most inclined to take such action.
Eric Jordahl: Preparing health system balance sheets for the journey to normalization
The Federal Reserve's recent signal that it will transition to a tighter monetary policy is an indication that the organization and the economy have entered a new, more stable stage.
Paul Keckley: The healthcare regulatory climate for 2022 — What to expect
Hospitals, physicians and long-term care and ancillary service providers can anticipate significant changes in the regulatory climate in 2022. Although such changes are predictable, context is key: Regulatory policymaking in healthcare in the current environment is limited by disfunctional gridlock in Congress, the fact that 2022 is a mid-term election year and a high level of public anxiety about the economy and healthcare.
News Briefs: Supreme Court ruling allows the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers to proceed
A roundup of top news stories for healthcare finance professionals.
Joe Fifer: Reflections on the pandemic, year 3, and its impact on healthcare’s frontline workers
HFMA President and CEO Joe Fifer shares a perspective on ways to acknowledge healthcare’s frontline workers as the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic begins.
Tammie Jackson: In healthcare finance, bold pursuits require persistence and curiosity
HFMA's 2021-22 Chair says addressing health system challenges such as racial and ethnic disparities in quality of care and limited access to care among some populations due to social determinants of health requires boldness and persistence.
JIll Geisler: Resolve to give your team the gift of time (well spent)
Leaders are one of the greatest influences on work-life harmony. Jill Geisler shares how healthcare finance leaders can give their teams the gift of time well spent and create a culture where work-life harmony flourishes.
Bold pursuits require persistence and curiosity
I hope this message finds you and your family safe, healthy and having had the opportunity to enjoy the holiday season. Safe and healthy is no small hurdle to surpass as of late. Over the past few months, we have encountered tornadoes, fires, storms and a new COVID variant that is making its way through…
Success Awards presented at 2021 Annual Conference
Ten HFMA chapters and three regions have been named as the first-ever winners of HFMA’s Success Award. The new award was established by HFMA’s Regional Executive Council to recognize positive outcomes resulting from the Chapter Success Plan. The plan is designed to help chapters focus on improving and sustaining excellence in four key areas: individual…