February 2021 Issue of Becker's Hospital Review
ON THE COVER
Where are the 29 Leapfrog straight-'A' hospitals?
The Leapfrog Group released its fall 2020 Hospital Safety Grades Dec. 14, assigning "A" through "F" letter grades to more than 2,600 acute care hospitals for patient safety performance.
Hospital workers upset over COVID-19 vaccine distribution
While COVID-19 vaccine rollout has gone smoothly at many healthcare organizations, physicians and nurses at hospitals in Arizona, California, New York and elsewhere say vaccine distribution at their facilities has been chaotic and unfair, according to NPR.
Why pay for public hospital CEOs is kept secret in Indiana
Public employees are typically required to disclose their taxpayer-funded salaries, but executives of county hospitals in Indiana can keep their pay secret because of a rare exemption added to state law in 2016, according to the Indianapolis Star.
The average cost of a hospital COVID-19 test in each state
The cost of getting a standard COVID-19 test at hospitals varies drastically by state, according to a nationwide study conducted by Hospital Pricing Specialists.
From the COVID-19 front lines: What healthcare workers want their leaders to know
During the pandemic, healthcare workers have been on the front lines providing care to patients with and without the virus. They have shown up ready to work, while navigating changing state and federal guidelines, as well as concerns about getting sick or infecting their loved ones.
Baylor Scott & White to lay off 102 employees, outsource jobs to India
Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health said it will lay off 102 employees in finance and accounting roles as part of an effort to reshape operations and reduce costs, according to The Dallas Morning News.
OIG tags Kansas hospital for erroneous billing
Providence Medical Center, a community hospital in Kansas City, Kan., failed to comply with Medicare billing requirements for 13 of 100 inpatient and outpatient claims reviewed by HHS' Office of Inspector General, according to an OIG report released Dec. 18.
South Carolina hospital CEO says Leapfrog is 'increasingly irrelevant,' disputes failing safety grade
The Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg, S.C., was one of 16 hospitals to receive a failing grade from the Leapfrog Group in its Fall 2020 Safety Grades. The hospital's interim CEO Kirk Wilson says ratings from the Leapfrog Group are becoming "increasingly irrelevant," according to The Times and Democrat.
3 reasons Haven failed: A former healthcare CEO's take
There are three main reasons Haven, the healthcare venture formed by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase, failed, according to a Jan. 5 Harvard Business Review article.
15 innovation leaders' most interesting thoughts on health IT in 2020
The pandemic has spurred innovation in the health IT space during 2020, as hospitals and health systems find new ways to optimize workflows, use data to improve care delivery and connect patients to healthcare providers virtually.
How hospitals use algorithms to prioritize COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Hospitals and health systems across the U.S. developed plans to prioritize COVID-19 vaccine distribution based on the CDC's recommendations.
New York hospital fires employee for refusing flu shot
Glens Falls (N.Y.) Hospital fired longtime employee Lisa Amorosi Dec. 1 for refusing to get a flu shot after citing bad reactions from past flu vaccines, The Post Star reports.
COVID-19 'long haulers' identify 205 virus symptoms
Researchers have identified more than 200 long-term symptoms that can affect COVID-19 "long haulers," or people who experience prolonged effects from the virus, according to a survey published Dec. 24 in the medical preprint server medRxiv.
Stephen Klasko, MD
Stephen Klasko, MD, has led Philadelphia-based Thomas Jefferson University as president and Jefferson Health as CEO since 2013.
Rita Khan
Since joining Mayo Clinic in December 2019 as its first chief digital officer, Rita Khan has been leading the health system's COVID-19 digital health initiatives from telehealth expansion to data mapping and consumer engagement.
Kimberly Scaccia
Kimberly Scaccia began as vice president of revenue cycle at Mercyhealth last March, and she has helped the health system navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, while striving to motivate, inspire and listen to members of her team.
Rick Evans
As I write during this holiday season, we are seeing COVID-19 cases rise in the city and much more significantly in other parts of the country. We are facing down this fierce surge — by far the worst nationally in the pandemic — even as we look forward to the arrival of the first vaccine.
Robert Glenning
Robert "Bob" Glenning serves as the president of the financial services division and CFO at Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health, an integrated system with 17 hospitals, 500 patient care locations and 36,000 employees.
Mitch Parker
Solarwinds, a major supplier of network security and management software to governments, private industry, and industry titans like FireEye and Microsoft, was found to have been compromised.
Jaewon Ryu, MD
Since 2018, Jaewon Ryu, MD, has helmed Geisinger, a regional health system with nine hospital campuses, a 550,000-member health plan, two research centers and a medical school. He has always been proud to be part of the organization, but he said that's especially true as he's seen workers navigate the COVID-19 pandemic amid challenges and uncertainty.
CFO / FINANCE
Baylor Scott & White to lay off 102 employees, outsource jobs to India
Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health said it will lay off 102 employees in finance and accounting roles as part of an effort to reshape operations and reduce costs, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Mayo Clinic returns nearly half its federal COVID-19 aid
Mayo Clinic has returned nearly half of its grants from the Provider Relief Fund to HHS, effective Dec. 21, the Rochester, Minn.-based system confirmed to Becker's Hospital Review.
Intermountain, UnitedHealthcare launch ACO
Improved health outcomes for Intermountain Healthcare patients with Medicare coverage through UnitedHealthcare is the goal of a new ACO launched by the organizations.
The average cost of a hospital COVID-19 test in each state
The cost of getting a standard COVID-19 test at hospitals varies drastically by state, according to a nationwide study conducted by Hospital Pricing Specialists.
Tenet strikes $1.1B deal for 45 surgery centers
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare is acquiring up to 45 ambulatory surgery centers from Towson, Md.-based SurgCenter Development, according to a Dec. 10 news release.
CEO/STRATEGY
South Carolina hospital CEO says Leapfrog is 'increasingly irrelevant,' disputes failing safety grade
The Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg, S.C., was one of 16 hospitals to receive a failing grade from the Leapfrog Group in its Fall 2020 Safety Grades. The hospital's interim CEO Kirk Wilson says ratings from the Leapfrog Group are becoming "increasingly irrelevant," according to The Times and Democrat.
2021 to be fiercely competitive for MBA applicants
Acceptance into an MBA program may be especially challenging in 2021 due to the alignment of several factors, Wall Street Journal reports.
Amazon wants to offer primary care to other employers, report says
Amazon wants to provide online and in-person primary care for other large employers, people familiar with its plan told Business Insider.
5 big concerns for hospital CEOs in 2021
Hospital CEOs have faced a year like no other. They have battled an unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, adjusting operations to safely care for patients and staff infected with the virus, while ensuring routine medical services remain available.
Tenet CEO gets $9.6M payout after stock price hits $40
Tenet Executive Chair and CEO Ronald Rittenmeyer sold 408,526 shares of the Dallas-based company, according to a Dec. 14 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP
AI mimics recruiter gender bias against women, study warns
Artificial intelligence algorithms used for hiring show a bias for men over women, according to a new study from the University of Melbourne.
Pandemic could disadvantage female physicians for years, researchers say
The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting gender disparities in medicine and magnifying the burden on female physicians, according to Medscape.
Epic CEO makes Forbes' 100 most powerful women in the world list
Epic CEO Judy Faulkner appeared on Forbes' list of 100 most powerful women in the world.
'It shouldn't be an afterthought': Mayo Clinic's 1st chief digital officer on the importance of equity, inclusion in digital health
Since joining Mayo Clinic in December 2019 as its first chief digital officer, Rita Khan has been leading the health system's COVID-19 digital health initiatives from telehealth expansion to data mapping and consumer engagement.
Allscripts appoints 9 female leaders
Chicago-based Allscripts tapped nine women as executive leaders in 2020.
INNOVATION
Mass General Brigham, Houston Methodist execs: How to launch a successful innovation program
The pandemic has made hospital administrators more aware than ever about the need to improve their operations and care delivery via digital transformation, and many hospitals that can afford to roll out innovation programs are making that move.
Lyft, Anthem, others launch program for individuals needing rides to COVID-19 vaccine appointments
Lyft, along with partners including Anthem and Epic, is launching a new campaign to provide 60 million rides for low-income, uninsured and at-risk communities getting the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available.
Chief digital transformation officer to leave Boston Children's
Jean Mixer, chief digital transformation officer and vice president of strategy at Boston Children's Hospital, is leaving her job at the hospital at the end of the year, the hospital confirmed.
Top children's hospitals for tech, innovation by Parents magazine
Parents magazine selected 15 children's hospitals as the top pediatric healthcare providers for innovation and technology.
What's next for digital transformation in 2021? 7 predictions from Amazon's chief tech officer
The COVID-19 pandemic helped pave the way for a significant shift to the digital world, creating new opportunities for tech adoption and innovation.
CIO/HEALTH IT
Inside UVM Medical Center's ransomware attack: 11 details
Burlington, Vt.-based UVM Medical Center revealed the cybersecurity incident it suffered in October was a ransomware attack, but the health system didn't pay, according to a report in the Burlington Free Press.
Why tech + empathy should be the CIO's new approach to employee health
CIOs ramped up initiatives this year to prioritize and support employees' mental health and well-being as social distancing and isolation due to the pandemic altered the traditional workplace, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Epic, Cerner lead in EHR interoperability, KLAS finds
More than 60 percent of Epic EHR customers reported being able to achieve deep interoperability this year, according to a recent KLAS Research report.
67,000 patient records exposed in California hospital ransomware attack: 5 details
An October ransomware attack at Sonoma Valley Hospital in California exposed tens of thousands of patient records, the hospital notified its patients last week.
Cerner signs 4 new rural hospitals for cloud-based HER
Four rural hospitals in South Dakota, New Mexico, Louisiana and Nebraska have signed on to implement Cerner's cloud-based CommunityWorks EHR system, according to a Dec. 23 news release.
CMO/CARE DELIVERY
Where are the 29 Leapfrog straight-'A' hospitals?
The Leapfrog Group released its fall 2020 Hospital Safety Grades Dec. 14, assigning "A" through "F" letter grades to more than 2,600 acute care hospitals for patient safety performance.
Cardiologist claims Colorado system fired her 1 day after she told CEO concerns of understaffing
A cardiologist claims that Broomfield, Colo.-based SCL Health fired her out of retaliation one day after she emailed the system CEO with concerns about specialist understaffing, according to the Denver Post.
Staff at hospitals in DC, Texas turn down COVID-19 vaccine
Many employees at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., have reservations about taking the COVID-19 vaccine, and CEO Anita Jenkins is trying to get workers to follow her lead by getting vaccinated, according to CNN.
Memorial Sloan Kettering paid $1.5M severance to CMO forced out over disclosure failures
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has paid more than $1.5 million in severance to its former CMO, who resigned in 2018 after he did not disclose financial ties to healthcare companies in research papers he authored, according to The New York Times.
Nurses: The most trusted professionals in America
Americans rated nurses as the most honest and ethical professionals for the 19th consecutive year, according to an annual Gallup poll.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
When COVID-19 is not a shared experience: Suggestions from NewYork-Presbyterian's CXO on how to deal with fatigue and denial
As I write during this holiday season, we are seeing COVID-19 cases rise in the city and much more significantly in other parts of the country. We are facing down this fierce surge — by far the worst nationally in the pandemic — even as we look forward to the arrival of the first vaccine.
Managing cash flow, employee fatigue top priorities of Hackensack Meridian CFO in 2021
Robert "Bob" Glenning serves as the president of the financial services division and CFO at Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health, an integrated system with 17 hospitals, 500 patient care locations and 36,000 employees.
The Solarwinds breach — What do CIOs need to do now?
Solarwinds, a major supplier of network security and management software to governments, private industry, and industry titans like FireEye and Microsoft, was found to have been compromised.
Corner Office: Geisinger CEO Dr. Jaewon Ryu on rising to the challenges of the pandemic
Since 2018, Jaewon Ryu, MD, has helmed Geisinger, a regional health system with nine hospital campuses, a 550,000-member health plan, two research centers and a medical school. He has always been proud to be part of the organization, but he said that's especially true as he's seen workers navigate the COVID-19 pandemic amid challenges and uncertainty.