The latest United Nations climate report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change gives a stark warning to humanity to change before the window of opportunity runs out. Given that healthcare is affected by climate change, as it brings more disease and illness, as well as contributes 4 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, health systems should consider strategies to decarbonize their practices, according to a Feb. 28 Phillips blog. 

Looking further than 6 months ahead is a daunting task given the volatility of the last 2 years. Peering even farther into 2025 seems an impossibility even though it is right around the corner.

Climate change is affecting many aspects of life, including general health. Scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change spelled out how and what can be done to stop it in the latest report, released Feb. 28.

February is a month for celebrating matters of the heart.

Bed capacity is an underrated issue. Even if the U.S had enough healthcare workers to care for patients, there likely wouldn't be sufficient bed space in hospitals for all patients. More transparency around bed capacity, though, may solve this issue, Regina Herzlinger and Richard Boxer, MD, argued in a Feb. 18 Health Affairs article. 

Former Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon has launched Alpine Advisors, a strategic consultancy firm that specializes in the healthcare, energy, telecommunication and technology industries.

Bingham Memorial Hospital, a non-profit hospital located in Blackfoot Idaho, strives to provide exquisite patient care in a compassionate manner. Established in 1950, the award-winning healthcare provider has grown from just six doctors to over 140 medical providers and 700 staff. Bingham Memorial offers over 100 types of patient services, including in-patient, out-patient, critical care, emergency, rehabilitation, same day surgery, and transitional care services.

Your company probably has a detailed growth strategy that covers everything from marketing and sales to diversification and international strategies. But do you have a payment strategy?

As more people have taken healthcare into their own hands over the course of the pandemic, many are realizing it's not as easy as it seems, The Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 22. 

When COVID-19 infections overwhelmed New York City in March 2020, one of the city’s largest health systems lacked space to store badly-needed new medical equipment. Instead, the new equipment was delivered and stored at two Crothall Healthcare warehouses in Melville, N.Y., where our team of biomedical technicians and clinical engineers tested more than 5,000 pieces of medical equipment that was used to help keep patients alive.

The impermanent nature of a waiver flexibility and intensified staffing shortages leave health systems that have not yet moved forward with "hospital-at-home" programs in a policy-driven, wait-and-see limbo. 

Prior authorizations are a burden for providers and patients alike. Many are hopeful, however, that automation could be transformational, putting patients at the center of their financial care journey and letting them access the healthcare they need.

Sustainability, energy, and climate issues are poised to reshape the 21st century. Every organization will need new approaches to seize opportunities, manage risk, and continue to deliver on their core mission. This is particularly true for healthcare organizations where community health expectations heighten the importance of sustainability and climate performance.

It's time for a shift out of emergency mode into ongoing monitoring of the pandemic, Rajiv Shah, MD, president of the Rockefeller Foundation and a previous administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development, argued in Politico Feb. 11.

Health departments are worried that the extra pandemic funding they've received won't be sustainable in the long term as they face competition for workers with hospitals, Bloomberg Government reported Feb. 14.

Easing vaccine mandates, offering debt forgiveness and increased funding for research and training were touted by experts as ways to mitigate healthcare worker shortages, WebMD reported Feb. 14.

The flu season fills health system leaders with dread. Asking our healthcare workers to do more during flu season is a big ask for an already overburdened workforce.Until June of 2021, I was in this position as Ambulatory Chief Medical Officer for Prisma Health –the largest health system in South Carolina, serving 1.2 million people. Prisma Health needed a strategic plan that would best address our diverse populations but also recognized the practical realities in our practices. 

Some of the most enduring images of the pandemic will surely be those of severely ill patients lined up on gurneys, waiting for hours, even days, for a critical care or inpatient bed.

Creating the Context for Change for Employed Network Strategy and Execution

Coca-Cola, among other corporate giants, is leading the charge to report accurate data on how its operations affect climate and environment, something the U.S. healthcare industry could use as a model, according to a Yale News article published Feb. 10.