Council: Eliminate excess hospital beds to save $116M
With a shrinking population and declining inpatient use, a new report shows hospitals in Rhode Island will likely face an excess of about 200 staffed beds in 2017, the Associated Press reported.
Integrated care: The bridge between quality and efficiency
UVMC: Coordinate care, engage patients with ED case managers
The University of Virginia Medical Center (UVMC) gave case managers a more empowered role and found they improved their ED in three ways: care coordination, patient transitions and patient engagement.
U.S. News best hospital rankings shouldn't be the gold standard
U.S. News & World Report's best hospital list may mislead consumers about the hospitals' quality of care, according to a Comparion Medical Analytics study that points out what it thinks are flaws in the criteria
Health centers to help uninsured gain affordable coverage
The Health Resources and Services Administration is providing $150 million in funding to help health centers offer eligibility and enrollment assistance to uninsured patients and residents in their approved service areas, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced yesterday.
GOP continues to fight Obama's health reform law
The fighting continues on Capitol Hill as Republicans refuse to offer input on a panel created to slow the growth of Medicare spending and prepare for a vote to repeal the 2010 healthcare reform law.
Hospitals get more revenue from primary care docs than specialists
Primary care physicians generate more revenue for their hospitals than specialists at $1.57 million versus $1.42 million, respectively, according to a May report from recruiting firm Merritt Hawkins.
With National Nurses Week comes hospital strikes
National Nurses Week has brought votes to approve nurse strikes at East Bay, Calif.-based Sutter Health hospitals and also at University of California's medical centers and health centers.
Obama to tout access to mammograms, cancer screenings under healthcare reform
President Obama's health plan will take center stage Friday when he promotes the benefits available to women, including mammograms and cancer screenings, under the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
For many medical societies, money is no object
Many medical societies don't often consider costs when they're developing their treatment guidelines for specific conditions, despite increasing concerns about the rising cost of healthcare.
Safety experts: Hospitals lacking in doc substance abuse policies
All hospitals should randomly test physicians for drug and alcohol use to enhance patient safety, according to a recommendation from two Johns Hopkins physicians and patient safety experts in a commentary published online in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Hospitals making minimal but sustained headway on patient safety
New hospital safety report cards show incremental progress on keeping patients safe from infections, injuries and errors, according to a Leapfrog announcement released today.
Studies: Economy only partly responsible for slowed health spending
The recession was only partly responsible for a slowdown in annual healthcare cost increases between 2009 and 2011, suggesting the deceleration could continue, a new study published in the journal Health Affairs finds.
Nursing staff ratios directly impact pediatric hospital readmissions
There is a direct link between nursing staff ratios and hospital readmissions for children with common medical and surgical conditions, according to a new study.
Tavenner nomination to head CMS will move forward
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) today made an about-face on Marilyn Tavenner's nomination for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator and removing his hold.
OIG targets hospice misuse of general inpatient care
Hospices with their own inpatient units provided general inpatient care (GIP) to more Medicare beneficiaries, and for longer periods of time, than hospices without such facilities, an investigation by the Office of Inspector General found.
Admission to practice-focused doctorate nursing programs up 955%
Barriers such as long hours, finances and childcare responsibilities aren't stopping nurses from obtaining advanced degrees.
Study: Continuously evolving care guidelines improve outcomes, lower costs
Hospitals should consider implementing standardized clinical assessment and management plans (SCAMP), rather than clinical practice guidelines, to reduce variation and improve care, according to a new study in this month's Health Affairs.
Bigger carrots, stronger sticks key to cost containment
Effective cost reform will require stronger Medicare and Medicaid incentives for providers and increasingly stronger sticks to discourage nonparticipation, according to an analysis published in the May issue of the journal Health Affairs.
ED resources burdened by common UTI
Emergency department visits for patients with hematuria, a common outpatient disorder, cost about $238 million a year, according to new research from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
