David Johnson: Why healthcare’s cupboard is bare — its funding gravy train has run out of steam
Gravy train is a railroad term that originated in the early 1900s. It described a well-paid train run that didn’t require much effort. In modern parlance, speakers use it to describe easy-to-do tasks and cushy situations. The problem with gravy trains is that riding them too long engenders lazy, sloppy and wasteful behaviors. New York…
Jill Geisler: 4 ways to give positive feedback with impact
May I give you a pleasant assignment? Think about a high performer on your team. Next, write a few bullet points about what that person does to earn your high regard. Finally, take 90 seconds and format it as a message to that person. This is a class exercise I use when teaching managers about…
Brent Feickert joins Jefferson County Health Center as CFO
Jefferson County Health Center (JCHC) recently welcomed Brent Feickert, MBA, as its new CFO. In addition to providing fiscal leadership for Iowa’s oldest county hospital, Feickert will oversee several departments at JCHC, including the business office, main hospital registration, materials management and environmental services. A current member of HFMA’s Iowa Chapter, Feickert has more than…
Healthcare News of Note: 7 hospitals earn a Press Ganey award for outstanding nursing quality
Seven hospitals were recognized for elevating nursing excellence and improving patient outcomes with Press Ganey’s National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators Award for Outstanding Nursing Quality. Only 48% of Americans rank the quality of U.S. healthcare as excellent or good, according to results of a Gallup Health and Healthcare survey. Nearly half of Americans are…
Various data highlight the ongoing labor challenges facing hospitals and other healthcare providers
The healthcare labor picture may be stabilizing in some respects, but hospitals and other providers continue to feel the squeeze. The industry added 58,200 jobs in January, including 10,900 at hospitals and health systems, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That jump follows an average monthly increase of…
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…
How healthcare providers can break down barriers to effective data governance
Promoting improved data governance in the hospital and health system sector has become a just cause of sorts for Randy Albert, who serves as vice president of finance – operations and analytics at Maine-based Northern Light Health and is a member of HFMA’s Northern New England Chapter. “This is a topic that I’m incredibly passionate…
Aaron Crane: Collaboration and problem-solving ignite cost-effective health
Happy New Year! Reflecting on my “Ignite the Spark” theme, I’d like to offer more guidance for those inspired to take action in 2023. My message focuses on three key areas that inhibit cost-effective health in this country ― waste in our healthcare delivery system, health inequity and an American lifestyle contributing to significant chronic…
Joseph J. Fifer receives HFMA UK’s highest honor
HFMA President and CEO Joseph J. Fifer received an honorary fellowship from HFMA UK. David Hughes and Steve Oglesby retire, while Kim Shrewsbury, Andy Zukowski and Rick Carrico have new CFO jobs.
During a potentially tumultuous Congress, healthcare stakeholders should communicate their policy priorities
With the 118th Congress bringing the potential for policy upheaval, one of the best things healthcare stakeholders can do is make themselves heard on Capitol Hill. The new Republican majority in the House of Representatives has signaled its intent to use the federal debt ceiling as leverage in budget negotiations. President Joe Biden and the…