In federal ACO programs, advocates see signs of slow but steady progress
Growth in accountable care organization (ACO) programs has been inconsistent since the Affordable Care Act made accountable care part of the healthcare lexicon in 2010. Nonetheless, proponents are optimistic about the state of ACOs and their potential in upcoming years, even if there’s uncertainty about CMS’s ability to achieve its stated goal of ensuring every…
Healthcare News of Note: Most healthcare CEOs are optimistic about the future of their business despite a potential recession
Most of the CEOs in the Healthcare, Media & Entertainment, Telecom & Cable, and Aerospace & Defense sectors indicated being somewhat or extremely optimistic about the future of their business even in the face of a potential recession. While roughly one-third of 2021 hip and knee replacement episodes were performed by providers with 100 or…
Honor Roll: HFMA awards certifications to 2,746 members between September and December 2022
HFMA offers eight certifications for members to validate their expertise and demonstrate their commitment to the profession. The HFMA certifications are as follows: Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP), Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR), Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) – GCC, Certified Specialist Accounting & Finance (CSAF), Certified Specialist Business Intelligence (CSBI), Certified Specialist Physician Practice…
Healthcare News of Note: Is a public health crisis looming for the generation born during the pandemic?
Infants born during the pandemic, regardless of maternal SARS-CoV-2 status, scored significantly lower on the gross motor, fine motor and personal-social subdomains of the Ages & Stages Questionnaire, 3rd Edition when compared with a cohort born pre-pandemic at one hospital. Opioids were prescribed at discharge during fewer emergency department (ED) visits in 2019-20, compared with…
Norton Healthcare and other health systems are making big moves to reduce health inequity
When Louisville police officers killed Breonna Taylor, a young Black woman not suspected of any crime, in her home in March 2020, the president and CEO of Norton Healthcare took it personally. “As an employer of 18,000 people and a very prominent organization in our community, we needed to be the ones to step up…
Healthcare News of Note: How to prevent pediatric mental health revisits
A new study provides a better understanding of the trends and factors associated with an increase in pediatric mental health ED revisits. Black and brown skin tones are underrepresented in medical training and textbooks, which can lead to missed diagnoses and inequities in care. Dermatologists are doing what they can to address the issue. A…
How “Dr. Mom” became the family CMO
Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew of Allegheny Health Network and Highmark Health discusses how better care of women leads to a healthier society.
Healthcare News of Note: More than 3,500 deaths in the US attributed to long COVID during a 30-month period
For a 30-month period beginning in January 2020, long COVID played a part in the deaths of 3,544 people, according to a report by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. The Department of Justice has support from hospital advocates as it looks to appeal a court ruling that allowed UnitedHealth Group to acquire Change…
10 Steps Toward Health Equity
The push to achieve equity in health and healthcare is daunting. It’s a multifaceted societal quest in which the goal is to fix disparities that have been entrenched throughout U.S. history. HFMA’s 2022 Thought Leadership Retreat brought together stakeholders from across healthcare Sept. 15-16 in Washington, D.C., to advance the dialogue in this effort. Although…
Aaron Crane: Poker lessons for healthcare finance
HFMA Chair Aaron Crane believes the game of poker provides valuable lessons for healthcare finance professionals navigating the current industry environment.