May 2018

Although today’s healthcare capital markets support continuation of their investment strategies, hospital and health system’s current should be prepared for changes that may require a shift in focus.

To be successful with population health management, healthcare provider organizations should take a lesson from the strategies health plans use to improve the quality of population-level outcomes and performance around costs. 

Health systems should develop strong networks of post-acute care providers as part of strategic efforts to deliver high-quality service across the care continuum, from wellness to end-of-life care.

Tying employee compensation directly to performance, rather than experience, can encourage better job performance.

To be able to ensure patients receive high-quality care under value-base payment arrangements, primary care physicians require well-developed specialty networks for patient referrals.

By considering maintenance and other costs, hospitals and health systems can work more efficiently to replace equipment.

Variable rate demand bonds, created in an inflationary environment, have waned in popularity but remain a viable credit source for hospitals and health systems.

Health systems that are pursuing a merger or acquisition require a structured planning process to achieve full integration across the merged organizations’ clinical, administrative, and operational areas.

The experiences of a large urology group practice can provide finance leaders with insight into key considerations involved with developing an advanced alternative payment model (APM) for a healthcare specialty area.

A recent study identifies key factors that may be influencing total cost of care in the United States and provides recommendations for addressing those factors.

The purchase of new revenue cycle technology should include stakeholders from across the organization to ensure the needs of each group are met.

A well-structured affiliation agreement between university and health system partners will enable the parties to execute joint strategic priorities and advance the shared goals of the academic medical center.

Aligning incentives among providers and exploring telehealth opportunities are two ways in which hospitals and health systems can respond and adapt to a changing environment.

Carol Friesen, FHFMA, MPH, reminisces about her experiences as 2017-18 Chair of HFMA and shares ideas and insights gleaned from her “HFMA leadership journey.”

In addressing social determinants of health and social services, a recent Medicare Advantage ruling by CMS may have taken the first steps toward providing more integrated and comprehensive care to the nation’s aging population.

Providers with concerns about the elusive success of ACOs should adopt some key strategies for implementation.

Value initiatives introduced by the Affordable Care Act have met with varied success. Under the Trump administration, the future of these initiatives is uncertain.

Value-based payment won’t bend the cost curve unless healthcare organizations commit to fundamental change. Not everyone will come out whole. 

Poor data interoperability is limiting healthcare organizations’ progress with value-based models. In this roundtable, several healthcare financial and IT leaders discuss the challenges of poor interoperability and how organizations can overcome them.

This article examines how DHG Healthcare partnered with a health system to improve care coordination for hip replacements due to fracture.