OIG describes how hospitals can use NPs to treat patients without violating the Anti-Kickback Statute
An advisory opinion from the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) appears to give hospitals leeway to expand their use of nurse practitioners in specific situations without violating the Anti-Kickback Statute. OIG issued the opinion in December in response to an inquiry from an unnamed acute care hospital. The hospital was seeking clarification on whether…
Healthcare News of Note: 100 hospitals receive funding for new physician residency slots to boost healthcare access
CMS distributed 200 Medicare-funded physician residency slots to 100 hospitals, aiming to bolster healthcare access in areas with a shortage of qualified professionals. Overall cancer mortality has dropped 33% since 1991, averting an estimated 3.8 million cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society’s latest report. Patients’ ratings of specialist care were markedly higher when…
Healthcare News of Note: Nurses, doctors and pharmacists rank highest in Gallup’s latest ethics poll
Although nurses, medical doctors and pharmacists recently garnered the highest ethics rankings among 18 professions in a consumer poll, each group’s ratings have fallen over the past two years. There are now at least 15 private-equity-backed management companies that own orthopedic practices across the country. A substantial reduction in the odds of 30-day use of…
Healthcare News of Note: How to prevent pediatric mental health revisits
A new study provides a better understanding of the trends and factors associated with an increase in pediatric mental health ED revisits. Black and brown skin tones are underrepresented in medical training and textbooks, which can lead to missed diagnoses and inequities in care. Dermatologists are doing what they can to address the issue. A…
Healthcare News of Note: What healthcare sector innovations are consumers most excited about?
Some 48% of healthcare consumers surveyed said improved insight into how much care would cost was the No. 1 item they were excited about when it came to innovation in healthcare. Employers can expect an increase of more than 20,000% in adolescent mental health telehealth costs, according to a study showing telehealth appointments cost an…
Healthcare News of Note: What were the 5 most-read Healthcare News of Note blog entries of 2022?
This week’s edition of Healthcare News of Note is devoted to the top five Healthcare News of Note blog posts from 2022. Find out what topics healthcare finance professionals found most interesting in this year-end wrap-up.
Healthcare News of Note: How many hospitals earned a Leapfrog Top Hospital Award in 2022?
The Leapfrog Group said 115 facilities earned Top Hospital Awards and 12 earned Top ASC Awards. Around 1.3 million people with diabetes rationed insulin this past year because of the cost, according to recent study findings. Reducing burnout among nurses of color and those under age 35 is the goal of a three-year, $3.1 million…
CareCredit healthcare credit card provides flexible payment options for both patients and healthcare providers
Read about one company's payment solution that gives patients a way to pay for out-of-pocket healthcare costs while enabling health care organizations to receive payment for services within two business days.
The Quadruple Aim: How robotic-assisted surgery helps organizations provide high-quality care at a lower cost
Read about how RAS can improve physician and patient satisfaction while simultaneously lowering costs, reducing complications and generating new net revenue.
Healthcare News of Note: The Walmart Healthcare Research Institute could bring more diversity to medical research
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Walmart launches a new healthcare research institute, people with more chronic disease are more likely to suffer adverse financial outcomes, and one-third of Black Californians say they have experienced racism by a healthcare provider.