July 2019
Cover story
Solid written policy and agility are key to preparing for disaster
Former hospital CFO Ed Tucker shares a disaster preparedness budget model he created after Hurricane Katrina.
Features
How a dashboard and an 8-step process helped a hospital slash drug costs
Penn-Presbyterian Medical Center reduced its cost for anesthesia medications by creating a dashboard to assess usage patterns and using a change management process to encourage providers to embrace improvement opportunities.
Why PAC discharge choices are key to success under risk-based payments
As demonstrated by the experiences of two health systems, developing an effective post-acute care strategy requires a focus on the discharge-planning process, stakeholder engagement, and data to promote stakeholder awareness.
How one hospital improved patient access, specialty referrals and completed-appointment rates
Texas Children’s Hospital achieved financial and operational improvements after streamlining referral and scheduling processes to better accommodate providers and patients.
Focus on care transitions brings substantial new LOS-reduction opportunities
Hospitals can derive multiple operating and financial benefits from focusing care improvement efforts on reducing patients' length of stay in acute care.
Why LTC providers should prepare for a whole new wave of payment challenges
As the patient population requiring long-term care (LTC) continues to grow, the success of LTC facilities will depend on their ability to turn payment challenges into opportunities, in part by steering clear of false beliefs and implementing effective revenue-recovery processes.
Columns
Fear Factor, HFMA style
HFMA's current Chair, Michael Allen, urges finance professionals not to shy away from fear and failure, but to embrace them and grow as a result.
Primary Care First Model holds promise but faces challenges
CMS's Primary Care First Model aims to create incentives for primary care physicians to take on risk under value-based payment, but whether it will be successful remains to be seen.
Improving the patient financial experience starts with us
HFMA President and CEO Joe Fifer discusses new legislative proposals related to consumerism in the context of HFMA’s best practices.
Turning conflict into collaboration: How to manage workplace disagreements
Dealing with the increased likelihood of workplace conflict, healthcare leaders can use best practices to turn conflicts into positive situations.
Departments
Understanding the value of an HFMA membership for students and professionals
A Q&A with a Saginaw Valley State University professor who recruited 12 college students to become HFMA members.
Advertising
Pursuing a Proactive Denials Strategy Helps Resolve Denials and Prevent Recurrence
A look at how one company is partnering with healthcare organizations to use data and technology to address the root causes of long-standing problems, including denials.
AMN Healthcare: Innovator in Workforce Solutions
An innovative workforce solutions company details how its array of staff and technology options help healthcare organizations address workforce challenges and improve patient care quality and efficiency.