Over the next year, inpatient volume is likely to fall, but outpatient volume is probably going to make up the difference; all this, while inpatient services are likely to shift to a few key areas within hospitals, including cardiac, surgical and intensive care unit/critical care service lines, according to a new survey by the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Two-thirds of healthcare financial executives responding to the group's Heathcare Financial Pulse project said that they're expecting a modest increase in net patient revenue this year over last year, though uninsured and underinsured patients continue to pose major challenges.
To address falling patient volumes, hospitals are cutting back on staffing and staffing-related costs; honing in on service-line management; focusing more closely on physician recruitment, including building better relationships and attracting referrals; and re-examining payer and supplier contracts.
When asked what they see as the most likely targets for longer-term, transformational changes, the execs said clinical and business IT seemed to have the most potential.
To learn more about the study:
- read this HFMA News piece
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