February 13, 2013 John DeGaspari
article
With the advent of policy-driven changes under healthcare reform, the traditional revenue cycle management practices based on encounter-based billing activities are being swept aside. With that inevitability, provider organizations are considering how to best realign their accounts receivable processes to maximize those revenues that are pegged to data-driven quality outcomes in patient care.
February 5, 2013 Ted Reynolds and Chris Miller, CTG Health Solutions
article
The meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs), healthcare reform and ongoing pressure to improve clinical and financial performance will drive six trends that we expect will impact providers in 2013, say two executives at CTG Health Solutions
January 31, 2013 Gabriel Perna
news
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative, which will include more than 500 participating organizations. The initiative, linked to the Affordable Care Act, will have these organizations test how bundling payments for episodes of care can result in more coordinated care for beneficiaries and lower costs for Medicare.
January 16, 2013 Mark Hagland
blog
Visiting senior executives at the UPMC health system in Pittsburgh last week, some of the thoughts I’ve been having lately around what creates and advances a culture of innovation were validated and confirmed for me.
December 28, 2012 John DeGaspari
news
The decision by several states not to expand Medicaid health insurance for the poor may create unintended cuts for hospitals that provide uncompensated care, according to a study by John Graves, Ph.D., a Vanderbilt policy expert in the Department of Preventive Medicine.
November 6, 2012 John DeGaspari
article
One of the challenges of a hospital merger or acquisition is integrating the existing financial systems after the deal is done—which can result in significant revenue losses. It’s an issue worth looking into, given that healthcare mergers and acquisitions are on the rise: healthcare M&A activity is expected to remain robust for the remainder of 2012. Here's the experience of Norton Healthcare following a major acquisition.
November 5, 2012 John DeGaspari
news
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has filed suit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over its alleged refusal to meet its financial obligations for hospital services provided to some Medicare patients. The AHA was joined in the suit by four hospital systems: Missouri Baptist Hospital, a critical access hospital in Sullivan, Mo.; Munson Medical Center, a 391-bed hospital in Traverse City, Mich.; Lancaster General Hospital, a 631-bed facility in Lancaster, Pa.; and Trinity Health Corporation, which owns 35 hospitals.
October 11, 2012 Mark Hagland
blog
We at Healthcare Informatics are passionately committed to bringing forward the exciting case studies of the teams and organizations in healthcare that are showing the way forward to the new healthcare. Does your healthcare organization have a team that should be recognized for its achievements? If so, it's time for that team to submit a nomination to our Innovator Awards program.
September 4, 2012 Jennifer Prestigiacomo
article
Seventy-seven percent of surveyed CIOs said that their healthcare organizations are using data analytics software, according to a joint survey published last week by CHIME and eHealth Initiative. What was consistent across respondents (93 percent) was the fact that data and analytics were “very important” to the future of their organization; however, only 28 percent of organizations have what it takes to meet analytics requirements.
August 30, 2012 Mark Hagland
article
Michelle Cunningham, M.D., a solo practitioner in Houston, has a busier life than most people could even imagine. For her, technology is a must-have set of tools for making all the pieces of her professional and personal life work.
August 9, 2012
news
The Premier healthcare alliance has introduced a new app, accessible in its PremierConnect integrated performance platform, which will aim to provide its members with specific estimates of the impact of health reform on their organizations. The app, called ReimbursementFocus, will help members project differences in payment from 2012 to 2019, with and without the policy changes mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
July 30, 2012
news
According to a survey conducted by Firstsource Solutions USA (Louisville, Ky.), a revenue cycle solution provider, healthcare finance executives are placing a renewed focus on developing accountable care organization (ACO) partnerships after the Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. The survey, of 100 professionals in the healthcare finance industry, found that close to half (49 percent) of respondents said developing accountable-care partnerships should be the top priority for providers.
