Gail R Wilensky, PhD
About the Author
Gail R Wilensky, PhD
Latest Work
Gail Wilensky: How the pandemic created a new impetus for improved care coordination
The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a catalyst for many significant changes in healthcare delivery. Some were intentional, representing seized opportunities to improve processes. But other changes were forced on the industry as a result of constraints imposed by the pandemic. One of the most significant of these changes, for example, has been the industry’s…
Gail Wilensky: No Surprises Act — where things stand after 16 months
Few areas of concern within our nation’s healthcare system have caused patients, their families and caregivers more consternation than surprise medical bills. Most of the new protections under the 2020 No Surprises Act became effective on Jan. 1, 2022. Last August, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Treasury released a statement providing…
Gail Wilensky: Cybersecurity in healthcare has emerged as a national priority
The threat of cyberattacks on healthcare facilities has taken on a new immediacy with the increased use of electronic communication during the pandemic. The issue of cybersecurity has rapidly risen to become a predominant concern for healthcare organizations, with profound implications for the nation as a whole.a The issue is particularly concerning where cyberattacks can…
Gail Wilensky: Achieving health equity in the U.S. requires a preventive approach
Social determinants of health (SDoH) present a severe challenge for our nation by perpetuating inequities both in access to care and in the quality-of-the outcomes of care. Although interventions that address the challenges posed by SDoH are helpful throughout a person’s life, they can be most helpful if they occur early on, with a focus on enhancing early childhood education and food security.
Gail Wilensky: Labor issues dominate hospitals’ concerns
The first quarter of 2022 saw a confluence of trends emerging from the pandemic, some good and some bad for hospitals, making it important for hospitals to take time now to review where they are and what actions they should take to address these trends.
Gail Wilensky: Physician payment and SDoH challenges loom large on nation’s path to value
Two primary obstacles stand in the way of the nation's ability to achieve cost-effective health and healthcare delivery: the slow transition to value-based payment by physicians and the need to address social determinants of health.
Time for another extension of the COVID-19 public health emergency?
Hospitals and other healthcare providers are starting to ask whether it would be prudent and appropriate for the government-declared public health emergency (PHE) to be extended once again.
The 2021 outlook for hospitals: Reviews are mixed despite the large number of people already vaccinated in the United States
Most industry voices are predicting 2021 will be a financially challenging year for U.S. hospitals. But the outlook for some hospitals actually may be positive.
U.S. faces a challenging road to recovery after COVID-19
President Biden faces an enormous challenge in achieving his promise of distributing the COVID-19 vaccine nationwide and bringing the nation back to economic prosperity. Time will tell if the President can delive on that promise.
U.S. hospitals face bleak future after difficult 2020
The nation's hospitals face a long and difficult road ahead before they will see anything like a recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.