How design thinking in healthcare can improve customer service
Healthcare organizations should use the concept of design thinking as an approach to problem solving, placing innovations in a larger, multidimensional context.
Geriatric EDs improve care, reduce utilization
Main article: Innovation in action: The genesis of the geriatric ED Adults ages 65 and older account for about 18% of total emergency department (ED) visits, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). That percentage has increased steadily in the past decade and will do so for the foreseeable future. There were 43…
Analysis: American Well and Cisco develop telehealth offering for MA plans
HFMA’s Chad Mulvany says it makes sense that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans would invest in virtual health options for older patients, like the recently announced American Well/Cisco partnership, which could lead to a significant impact on hospital discharges.
The art of execution: Identifying and mitigating risks in healthcare provider organizations
Three provider examples, a physician dashboard, and planning tool illustrate the steps required to put designed processes, structures, policies, and systems into action.
Comparative analytics: putting data to work
An effective comparative analytics platform requires four attributes: single sourced, structured, appropriate, and timely.
Coordinated care reduces hospitalizations
Aetna joint ventures reduced unnecessary hospitalizations by 7% in the first four months of 2018 as compared to CY17, according to Brigitte Nettesheim, president, North Central Region & Joint Ventures for Aetna. Nettesheim says the improvement in hospitalization rates is supported by coordinated care and direct contact with patients and their physicians. “As an example,…
Dental center prevents ED visits, provides hospital referrals
St. Bernard Hospital Dental Center offers comprehensive and hard-to-access oral health services and surgeries to pediatric and adult patients on Medicaid, particularly special needs patients, which reduces costly emergency department visits and offers referral opportunities to other hospital services.
Analysis: New HELP draft surprise-bill legislation bases payments on geographic median rate
Recent changes to the HELP draft surprise-bill legislation indicate there is unity in Congress around calculating payments to providers for out-of-network services, but challenges to the geographic-median approach are on the horizon.
Analysis: No surprise, legislators split on surprise-bill draft legislation
The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee was split on how to pay providers in the No Surprises bill draft discussed during a legislative hearing June 12.
Analysis: UHC calls out price variation for commodity services
Why health systems and providers need to prepare for potential changes by either Congress or employers, which could be triggered by recently published reports on the price differentials for healthcare procedures and services.