The media blame game regarding patient financial conversations
Brad Dennison, HFMA chief content executive, discusses the March hfm cover story about patient-friendly payment and what some media organizations get wrong.
Data capture and coding for social determinants of health are works in progress, per reports
In the effort to bring social determinants of health (SDoH) more under the purview of healthcare providers, one tricky aspect is establishing a data and coding infrastructure. Recent reports highlight this challenge. For example, a survey conducted for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) found that although 78% of 2,637 respondents said their organizations…
Financial and operational pressures continue for hospitals amid some positive signs
New financial data for the hospital industry illustrate continuing challenges even as some trends improve. Fitch Ratings released an analysis in early March that offers scant reason for optimism. Titled “Early NFP Hospital Medians Show Expected Deterioration; Will Worsen,” it draws on data from hospitals with earlier 2022 financial year-ends. Those numbers show “materially weaker…
Healthcare News of Note: New PCORI initiative targets industry’s slowness in adopting results of comparative effectiveness research
Over the past few weeks, I have found these industry news stories that should be of interest to healthcare finance professionals. 1. Goal of PCORI initiative: Reduce the estimated 17-year wait time to adopt new and better treatments Forty-two health systems have signed on to an initiative to translate new research into changes in…
Hospitals face increased need amid pandemic to improve patient throughput
An acute care hospital cannot begin to be able to deliver cost-effective care if it lacks a fully coordinated approach for moving patients from admission to discharge.
Collecting with compassion: Patient financial care grows in importance
Health system leaders increasingly believe more communication is better when it comes to telling patients what they owe. When the pandemic began, Henry County Health Center’s revenue cycle department took a gamble to relieve the financial stress of care for patients. Executives for the 25-bed, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, critical access hospital, which serves a large…
2022 midterms aftermath: Gridlock or bipartisanship?
Studies conducted over the past several years have found the polarization is increasing in American society.a And not surprisingly, the 2022 midterm elections reflected the deep divisions. Two fiercely contested Senate seats in this past election are emblematic. Democrat John Fetterman won Pennsylvania’s hotly contested Senate race over Republican Mehmet Oz, MD, taking over the seat…
News Briefs: Healthcare industry disrupter CVS Health to shell out billions to buy Oak Street Health
A month after stating it hoped to gain a presence in primary care, CVS Health accomplished that goal with a massive deal that could fortify its efforts to advance value-based payment in healthcare. The proposed $10.6 billion acquisition of Oak Street Health, a provider of senior-focused primary care, adds to a portfolio of assets that…
How R1 RCM’s technology-driven solutions address health system challenges
Seeing challenges in labor shortages, shrinking margins and other complexities? Enter technology-driven solutions for revenue cycle management. Read the details in this peer review spotlight.
Healthcare News of Note: Amazon closes its deal with One Medical, touts opportunity to scale a new primary care model
Amazon closes its deal with One Medical