September 10, 2012 David Raths
blog
An announcement in late June by four of Iowa’s leading healthcare organizations signals a trend we are likely to see much more of in the near future: competitors cooperating on care coordination and quality measurement platforms, which requires a greater level of collaboration among CIOs.
August 27, 2012 Mark Hagland
article
With greater policy certainty assured by the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the constitutionality of healthcare reform this summer, industry pioneers are beginning to shape the new healthcare, and moving forward on a broad range of population health-based concepts. The strategic challenges—and opportunities—for healthcare IT leaders can’t be overstated.
August 13, 2012
news
The National Quality Forum (NQF) has endorsed 12 quality measures, promoting effective patient-centered care and effective communication in relation to the disparities and cultural competency of meeting the needs of a diverse patient population. Seven of the measures came from an American Medical Association (AMA) resource, called the “Communication Climate Assessment Toolkit.”
August 10, 2012 Mark Hagland
article
Aetna's Charles Kennedy, M.D., heads up a division of that health insurer focused on collaborative development of accountable care organizations with hospitals and physician groups. He offers his perspectives on where accountable care is going, and what provider IT leaders need to do to move their sector forward.
August 10, 2012
news
According to a study from researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, medical group practices can reduce costs for patients with diabetes by investing in improved quality of care.
August 8, 2012
news
On August 7, the Charlotte-based Premier health alliance launched a new collaborative to help health systems apply for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), which, as authorized under the Affordable Care Act, established accountable care organizations (ACOs) as vehicles for care coordination and hospital-physician collaboration through new reimbursement arrangements under the Medicare program.
August 3, 2012 Gabriel Perna
blog
This week was a big one for healthcare in my home state of Massachusetts. Along with announcing the creation of a statewide HIE from CMS funds (making them the first state in the nation to receive federal funding participation approval through CMS to create a HIE), lawmakers from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed another landmark bill. Appropriately named the Health Care Cost Control Bill (HCCB), it has a goal of cutting healthcare costs by $200 billion by 2028 by implementing a spending limit.
August 2, 2012 Mark Hagland
article
Charles Vignos, the COO of NewHealth Collaborative, the Akron-based Summa Health System’s accountable care organization, sees a world of opportunity emerging in ACO development. The keys to success involve achieving physician buy-in to the vision, translating the vision of accountable care into day-to-day operational reality, and building a robust IT infrastructure to support this pioneering work.
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.
July 27, 2012
news
A recent roundtable, hosted by the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) at the American College of Cardiology, which discussed the use of medications through medication reconciliation, concluded that better adherence would equal reduced hospital readmissions rates. In addition, the roundtable discussed strategies that would both reduce readmissions and support better use of medicines.
July 26, 2012 Jennifer Prestigiacomo
article
With the market responding with a number of approaches to value-based care, one provider-led consultancy, Evolent Health (Arlington, Va.), is taking a multi-step approach to helping healthcare organizations prioritize high-risk patients, provide the right intervention and engagement, and align networks to provide economic incentives.
July 24, 2012 Mark Hagland
article
The early morning hours (local time) of Thursday, June 28 reminded me once again of a few of the many reasons why I love being a journalist. On that morning, shortly after 10 a.m. Eastern time, the Supreme Court handed down its much-anticipated ruling in National Federation of Independent Business et al. v. Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al.—the ruling on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), President Barack Obama’s signature domestic legislation, and the focus of debate and the subject of several lawsuits that ultimately coalesced into National Federation.
