News From Around the Web
> The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has awarded a $1.9 million grant to RT International in North Carolina to explore how patient centered outcomes research findings can be incorporated into clinical practice through health IT enabled clinical decision support. The company will create a learning network to bring public and private stakeholders together to monitor and measure dissemination of findings, identify barriers and the like. Summary
> The American Hospital Association, this week, expressed support for draft legislation in the Senate to end the "all-or-nothing approach" to Meaningful Use. Letter (.pdf)
> Health IT Leaders has created a hiring guide to help hospitals and health systems implement Epic Systems electronic health records. The free e-book incudes Epic recruiting and tips for hiring success, such as "embrace consultants" and don't skimp on pay and benefits. Website
Health Finance News
> As hospitals continue to look for ways to cut costs and wring more money out of their operations, they may want to explore a revenue cycle management approach. Such initiatives are critical in the hospital environment, particularly to keep facilities and healthcare systems functioning at peak efficiency. Article
> The chairwoman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission expressed concern last week that continued hospital consolidation would have a sustained impact on both pricing and care. Article
Health Insurance News
> Diabetes, a disease that costs the U.S. at least $245 billion each year, can be a health insurer's nightmare--or the perfect candidate for programs that attempt to bend the cost curve, improve health and save lives. Article
> The majority of American adults, 58 percent, support the idea of replacing the Affordable Care Act with a federally funded system of universal coverage, according to a new Gallup poll. Article
And Finally... Forever young. Article