Cost Effectiveness of Health Report, March 2022
The March 2022 edition of HFMA’s Cost Effectiveness of Health Report addresses a key prerequisite to achieving cost-effectiveness: engaged caregivers. A preview of the April 2022 hfm cover story details how one health system has responded to its nurses’ need for increased scheduling flexibility, and a commentary explores steps for enabling physicians to play a leadership role in promoting CEoH. Also included is a Q&A exploring activities on the world stage aimed at achieving the United Nation’s sustainable development goals for healthcare and health equity – and how U.S. organizations can play a role.
Healthcare News of Note: Staffing shortages in hospitals and healthcare settings are ‘actively jeopardizing’ patient safety, says ECRI
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Staffing shortages top the list of patient safety concerns, nearly a third of surveyed nurses said they may leave their direct patient care jobs, and MA plans collected $12 billion more in 2020 than traditional Medicare.
Chapter’s essential spreadsheet skills training goes regional
HFMA’s Hudson Valley Chapter has been providing members with Excel training for more than 20 years. The program was so popular, it’s now offered regionwide.
How to future-proof your travel nurse and clinician staffing
Nursing and clinician staff have long faced pressures, exacerbated by the pandemic, that have caused many of them to experience burnout and some to leave the profession. Recognizing such concerns among its staff, including a desire for greater flexibility in scheduling and types of assignments, Trinity Health in Livonia, Michigan, developed an innovative in-house travel staffing approach that would address the concerns and promote increased nursing staff engagement with its health system, without which it could not deliver the highest possible quality of care.
Bringing the healthcare back to healthcare
Affording greater freedom to physicians to practice medicine by easing administrative strictures on them may be the best strategy for ultimately promoting cost effectiveness of health, says Martin Bluth. But physicians also should be well educated in the economics and business of healthcare.
Providers implement automation and explore staffing options to streamline revenue cycle
In this roundtable, finance leaders discuss tactics they’ve used to implement automated tools and extend their workforce to reduce waste in their revenue cycle processes, aiming to improve patient experience and control costs.
MedPAC says 2023 hospital payments shouldn’t increase in response to COVID-19
CMS shouldn’t increase Medicare payments to hospitals for the upcoming year beyond the annual update that is based on current law, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.
Latest hospital financial and jobs data reflect an environment that remains challenging
January financial data for hospitals show the continuing toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, while February labor numbers suggest an operational recovery that could further increase expenses.
CMS’s overhaul of the Direct Contracting program draws praise from supporters of value-based payment
Value-based payment advocates see reason for optimism in CMS’s recent decision on the future of its Direct Contracting model.
Healthcare News of Note: Oracle’s $28.3 billion Cerner deal faces anti-competition scrutiny, and a pension fund sues Cerner for access to files related to the possible merger
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: The Oracle/Cerner deal is under scrutiny through March 16, minorities in rural areas live farther from hospital services than their white counterparts, and a study shows mental health services could benefit nursing students.