In today’s healthcare ecosystem, every health system, hospital and physician is being asked to do more with less. Healthcare providers face increasing pressure to manage revenue, optimize utilization and reduce costs. At the same time, they must also fulfill their primary duties: preventing illness, optimizing care and improving patient outcomes. From clinical decision support systems […]
Nearly 75 percent of primary care practice leaders have invested in additional staff to accommodate the shift to value-based care, while 71 percent have added new technology. Staffing and technology are the top investment areas for primary care practice leaders as they manage the challenges of shifting from fee-for-service (FFS) models to value-based care, according […]
Hospitals are ramping up recruitment and retention strategies as they navigate ongoing workforce shortages and rising expenses. A majority of hospital leaders have increased starting salaries and introduced signing bonuses to attract new employees. The 2022 Healthcare Performance Improvement Report, based on responses from 86 hospital and health system leaders across the U.S., highlights the […]
Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) tend to dominate state and local markets where they provide services to commercial health insurers across the United States. That could mean patients are stuck with higher prescription drug prices, according to new research published by the American Medical Association (AMA). The Policy Research Perspective report, “Competition in Commercial PBM Markets […]
Using telemedicine for primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic did not hurt quality of care for patients, according to a new study. Researchers examined 16 measures of primary care quality and found patients using telemedicine had outcomes as good or better than those making in-office visits, according to the study published in JAMA Network Open. […]
Dozens of additions, deletions, and revisions are effective Oct. 1, 2022. The October 2022 update to the HCPCS Level II code file from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) includes more than 40 changes, and most of them are new codes. The changes are effective Oct. 1, 2022, with a few important exceptions. […]
The October 2022 update to the ASC Payment System brings new codes, payment indicator changes, and corrected drug payments. Fourth quarter updates to the Ambulatory Surgical Center payment system (ASC PS), effective Oct. 1, 2022, include a new device pass-through code, new HCPCS Level II codes for drugs and biologicals, and new low-cost and high-cost […]
Digital transformation accelerated in the last few years and CIOs have elevated responsibility as strategic business leaders for their organizations. Learn how CIOs are thinking about their role, and building teams, at the Becker’s 7th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM event in Chicago, Oct. 4 to 7. The event brought together thousands […]
Adopting the right technology can help allocate or reallocate time from physicians and staff to focus on patient engagement and satisfaction. With all the pressures on physician time these days, it’s no wonder some doctors struggle to engage patients fully in their medical care, overall health and future well-being. Patient engagement efforts compete with all […]
In addition to healthcare spending reductions, Commonwealth Fund also reports that a COVID-19 booster vaccination campaign would also prevent over 75K deaths and 745K hospitalizations. A COVID-19 boost vaccination campaign could seriously impact potential healthcare spending this fall and winter, according to a new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund. The private think tank recently examined […]