Operations Management

Hospital-at-home programs are gaining traction and have well-documented benefits, experts say

A Medicare waiver issued in late 2020 has spurred more health systems to implement home-care programs for acute conditions.

Nick Hut July 30, 2021

Fitch describes the heightened risk posed by cyberattacks on not-for-profit hospitals

Cyberattacks on NFP hospitals increased substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic and show no signs of abating, Fitch says.

Nick Hut July 26, 2021

Financial Sustainability Report: July 2021

The July 2021 issue of the Financial Sustainability Report, sponsored by Kaufman Hall, includes an account of how one health system assessed the benefits and risk associated with moving its 340B covered-entity pharmacy enterprise to a Limited Liability Company. The issue also includes a commentary on CMS’s new Acute Hospital Care at Home program and a discussion of a new metric, equivalent net patient revenue (ENPR), which organizations can use to assess the relative value of proposed investments in alternative revenue sources.

HFMA July 23, 2021

Study establishes a link between surges in COVID-19 cases and risk of mortality at hospitals

Statistical analysis shows nearly a quarter of COVID-19 deaths during the first six months of the pandemic could be ascribed to high caseloads at hospitals.

Nick Hut July 22, 2021

In 2022 OPPS rule, CMS plans to reinstate policies pertaining to the inpatient-only and ASC covered-procedures lists

The 2022 proposed rule for the Outpatient Prospective Payment System would reverse 2021 policies that began to phase out the inpatient-only list of procedures and expand the covered-procedures list for ambulatory surgical centers.

Nick Hut July 21, 2021

Moving a 340B covered entity’s pharmacy enterprise to an LLC may prove beneficial, but it requires a feasibility study

University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics (UUHC) in Salt Lake City performed research to assess the feasibility of moving its 340B covered-entity pharmacy enterprise to a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), with a focus on risks that should be factored into the decision. Other organizations that are considering such a move could benefit from adopting UUHC’s assessment approach.

Nathan Hagen, PharmD, MS July 21, 2021

CMS’s 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule: A look at telehealth provisions and overall payment rate changes

Clinicians will be able to seek payment for providing mental health visits to Medicare beneficiaries via audio-only telehealth, according to newly proposed regulations from CMS.

Nick Hut July 15, 2021

Newer payment models should be part of holistic transformation efforts, CMS deputy administrator says

Healthcare industry stakeholders can expect a new approach to how federal payment models are formulated, as a newly released rule for Medicare coverage of kidney care illustrates.

Nick Hut July 9, 2021

Local production, living stockpiles part of effort to secure hospital supply chain

Hospital executives are still working to correct deficiencies in the supply chain that were exposed by the pandemic.

HFMA July 7, 2021

Financial metrics show a steady recovery for hospitals as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides

The latest financial data from the hospital sector paints a picture of a continuing recovery from the depths of the pandemic.

Nick Hut July 2, 2021
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