Data indicate hospital operational logjams haven’t ceased after the public health emergency (updated)
Note: The fourth section of this article has been updated with news of proposed mandatory staffing ratios for long-term care facilities. Some of the problems that strained hospital operations during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic have eased, but not enough to mark a true industrywide recovery, a recently released report suggests. Notably, the process…
Healthcare News of Note: 5% of U.S. adults are forgoing healthcare due to transportation barriers
This blog share synopses of three stories for healthcare finance professionals, including Adults with transportation issues forgo needed healthcare and pediatric hospital admissions involving ICU care are increasing.
Healthcare News of Note: Healthcare private equity deals amounted to a strong $90B in 2022
In 2022, healthcare private equity deals reached nearly $90 billion, the second highest on record. Concerns about increased workloads, staffing shortages and burnout have been felt most acutely by less experienced nurses, according to a newly published study. Patients seeking care in safety-net clinics are accruing chronic diseases at high rates in middle age, indicating…
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: 7 hospitals earn a Press Ganey award for outstanding nursing quality
Seven hospitals were recognized for elevating nursing excellence and improving patient outcomes with Press Ganey’s National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators Award for Outstanding Nursing Quality. Only 48% of Americans rank the quality of U.S. healthcare as excellent or good, according to results of a Gallup Health and Healthcare survey. Nearly half of Americans are…
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…
Healthcare News of Note: Nurses, doctors and pharmacists rank highest in Gallup’s latest ethics poll
Although nurses, medical doctors and pharmacists recently garnered the highest ethics rankings among 18 professions in a consumer poll, each group’s ratings have fallen over the past two years. There are now at least 15 private-equity-backed management companies that own orthopedic practices across the country. A substantial reduction in the odds of 30-day use of…
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…
Healthcare News of Note: What were the 5 most-read Healthcare News of Note blog entries of 2022?
This week’s edition of Healthcare News of Note is devoted to the top five Healthcare News of Note blog posts from 2022. Find out what topics healthcare finance professionals found most interesting in this year-end wrap-up.
Healthcare News of Note: Cancer is now the top driver of large employers’ healthcare costs
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: The No. 1 driver of healthcare costs for large employers is cancer, the gender pay gap for physicians has gotten larger, and NRC Health names the top facilities for consumer loyalty and patient experience.