January 2020 Issue of Becker's Hospital Review
ON THE COVER
19 hospital bankruptcies, state by state
From reimbursement landscape challenges to dwindling patient volumes, many factors lead hospitals to file for bankruptcy.
Ascension leader shares 8 reactions to reports on system's work with Google
Eduardo Conrado, executive vice president of strategy and innovations for St. Louis-based Ascension, has shared several reactions to the Nov. 11 Wall Street Journal report that Ascension and Google began a secret partnership, coined Project Nightingale, in 2018 that allowed the tech giant to amass personal health information on millions of patients.
20 healthcare leaders respond to the sudden death of Kaiser CEO Bernard Tyson
Bernard J. Tyson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, died in his sleep early Sunday at 60 years old. His sudden death led to an outpouring of condolences from the healthcare community.
How the Cerner, Amazon partnership is unfolding
Since partnering with Amazon in July, Cerner has made plans to increase efficiency and lowering costs.
Sanford Health must hire auditor to monitor billing after whistleblower settlement
Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health has entered into a corporate integrity agreement with the HHS Office of Inspector General that requires the health system to hire an independent auditor to monitor Medicare and Medicaid claims, according to the Argus Leader.
CMS finalizes hospital price transparency rule: 6 things to know
CMS issued a final rule Nov. 15 that requires hospitals to disclose the rates they negotiate with insurers beginning in 2021.
Walmart to expand standalone health center model, CEO says
Walmart opened its first freestanding health center in September, and the retail giant is planning to open several more, President and CEO Doug McMillon said in management's commentary accompanying Walmart's third-quarter results.
S&P: 7 healthcare trends to watch in 2020
Healthcare leaders should keep tabs on several trends next year, including a continued threat of industry disruption, deterioration of credit ratings, and mergers among payers that will pressure pricing, according to a new report from S&P Global Ratings
New York hospital unable to access some patient data after ransomware attack
New York City-based Brooklyn Hospital Center is notifying an undisclosed number of patients about a cybersecurity incident that may have exposed their information.
Everything you need to know about Seattle Children's mold issues
Three lawsuits were filed Dec. 2 against Seattle Children's Hospital, the latest developments relating to longstanding mold issues in the facility's operating rooms, according to The Seattle Times.
Geisinger detects source of NICU infections that killed 3 infants
Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Medical Center identified contaminated equipment as the source of Pseudomonas bacteria that killed three infants and sickened five others in its neonatal intensive care unit this fall, reports The Daily Item.
Novant Health leaders talk Walgreens partnership goals for 2020
Novant Health's Oct. 1 announcement that it will open retail health clinics in several Walgreens pharmacies in North Carolina comes amid a stream of retailers taking on healthcare.
'Culture really does start at the top': St. Luke Health's CEO Dr. David Pate reflects on his decadelong tenure
David Pate, MD, president and CEO of Boise, Idaho-based St. Luke's Health System, is stepping down in January after leading the health system 10 years. Here, he discusses key lessons learned as leader of the nonprofit, how St. Luke's has positioned itself for success and why efforts must turn to disease prevention in the next decade.
'If there isn't a seat at the table, bring your own chair': How IU Health is giving nurses a voice in leadership decisions
Michelle Janney, PhD, RN, serves as executive vice president, COO and interim chief nurse executive of Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health.
Michael Dowling: When it comes to health disparities, gaps in mental health treatment are the worst
One in 5 adults experience a mental illness, ranging from mild to severe. Of those 46.6 million adults, only 43 percent received care for their mental health over the course of a year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Corner Office: ChristianaCare CEO Dr. Janice Nevin on 'love' as a professional value
When Janice Nevin, MD, first interviewed at ChristianaCare 17 years ago, she was floored by its mission to serve the community. Now, as CEO of the Wilmington, Del.-based health system, Dr. Nevin is leading a new iteration of that mission that focuses on a slightly unusual professional value.
CFO / FINANCE
CHS slashes net loss by $308M, plans to sell more hospitals
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, which operates 102 hospitals in 18 states, narrowed its net loss in the third quarter of 2019.
Kaiser can't stop Hawaii health system from balance billing
A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan filed against Honolulu-based Queen's Health Systems after a contract between the parties expired May 30, according to The Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Glassdoor chief economist: Healthcare largest, healthiest sector in economy
As the U.S. population ages and more people require healthcare for longer periods of time, healthcare will remain an "employment powerhouse," according to CNN Business.
Sanford Health must hire auditor to monitor billing after whistleblower settlement
Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health has entered into a corporate integrity agreement with the HHS Office of Inspector General that requires the health system to hire an independent auditor to monitor Medicare and Medicaid claims, according to the Argus Leader.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center triples operating income after Epic rollout
Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported higher revenue and operating income in fiscal year 2019 than in the year prior, according to audited financial documents released Nov. 12.
CEO / STRATEGY
20 healthcare leaders respond to the sudden death of Kaiser CEO Bernard Tyson
Bernard J. Tyson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, died in his sleep early Sunday at 60 years old. His sudden death led to an outpouring of condolences from the healthcare community.
3 healthcare execs on whether disruptors like Amazon, Walmart are friend or foe: 'We have to take them incredibly seriously'
Though Amazon, Apple, Walmart and other consumer-centric companies certainly pose major challenges as they move into healthcare, that transition can also greatly benefit more traditional players in the industry.
Walmart to expand standalone health center model, CEO says
Walmart opened its first freestanding health center in September, and the retail giant is planning to open several more, President and CEO Doug McMillon said in management's commentary accompanying Walmart's third-quarter results.
Baylor Scott & White CEO Jim Hinton: Digital-physical fusion will solidify legacy brands' place in the future of healthcare
By interconnecting digital and physical assets to best serve its customers' needs, Starbucks has accomplished what most healthcare organizations are hoping to achieve: a meaningful customer experience, according to James H. Hinton, CEO of Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health.
Amazon buys healthcare startup to power primary care program
Amazon has acquired a medical technology startup to help power Amazon Care, a primary care program launched in September at the company's Seattle headquarters.
INNOVATION
The key to Cleveland Clinic Innovations' 20 years of patents, licensing agreements, spinoff companies: Razor-sharp market focus
Peter O'Neill, executive director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations, can't choose just one of Cleveland Clinic's innovation initiatives to highlight: "It's hard to pick your favorite child," he told Becker's Hospital Review.
How Apple helped inspire Stanford's new hospital
Stanford Health Care incorporated user experience ideas from Apple to leverage technology in ways that make its new Palo Alto, Calif.-based hospital more hospitable, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Malcolm Gladwell: 3 reasons for the 'lag' between innovation and adoption
The years-long gap between developing the technology to improve a product, service or process and actually implementing the technology and reaping the benefits is "one of the great puzzles of our age," according to Malcolm Gladwell.
'At Stanford, it's a team sport': How Eric Yablonka is fostering innovation with Silicon Valley in his backyard
Within healthcare, technology has a purpose: to improve patient care. At Stanford (Calif.) Health Care, CIO Eric Yablonka is focused on leveraging technology to improve the patient and clinician experience.
Cleveland Clinic to split $1B donation for research from Lord Foundation
Cleveland Clinic, Duke University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Southern California will each receive $261 million for medical education and research from the sale of Lord Corp., a private technology and manufacturing company, according to a Nov. 13 news release.
CIO/HEALTH IT
How the Cerner, Amazon partnership is unfolding
Since partnering with Amazon in July, Cerner has made plans to increase efficiency and lowering costs.
Cerner issues another round of layoffs
Cerner will lay off 131 U.S.-based employees as part of its effort to increase operating margins to 20 percent by the end of 2019, according to Kansas City Business Journal.
Google developing enhanced search functions for EHRs
Google Health is looking to improve search functions, both to enhance physicians' abilities to search through medical records as well as the quality of health-related search results presented to consumers across Google and YouTube, according to CNBC.
AMA study: Physicians give EHR usability an 'F' rating
An American Medical Association-led study found that in terms of usability, physicians grade EHRs as an "F" rating and attribute them as a cause of burnout, according to a Nov. 14 report published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Cerner partners with Uber Health: 5 things to know
Cerner will integrate Uber Health's non-emergency transportation services with its EHR platforms to help reduce barriers to patient care, according to the companies' Oct. 28 announcement.
CMO/CARE DELIVERY
Serious deficiencies uncovered at MD Anderson Cancer Center, CMS report reveals
Serious patient care deficiencies, including three that constituted "immediate jeopardy," were discovered at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, according to a Houston Chronicle report.
Everything you need to know about Seattle Children's mold issues
Three lawsuits were filed Dec. 2 against Seattle Children's Hospital, the latest developments relating to longstanding mold issues in the facility's operating rooms, according to The Seattle Times.
New York hospital suspends nurses for declining flu shots
Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center suspended nine nurses who refused to get their flu shots under a new hospital policy, reports CBS 6 Albany.
1,100+ patients potentially exposed to HIV, hepatitis at Indiana hospital
Goshen (Ind.) Hospital is notifying 1,182 surgical patients of a potential exposure to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV due to inadequate sterilization practices, reports CBS affiliate WSBT.
Geisinger detects source of NICU infections that killed 3 infants
Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Medical Center identified contaminated equipment as the source of Pseudomonas bacteria that killed three infants and sickened five others in its neonatal intensive care unit this fall, reports The Daily Item.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Novant Health leaders talk Walgreens partnership goals for 2020
Novant Health's Oct. 1 announcement that it will open retail health clinics in several Walgreens pharmacies in North Carolina comes amid a stream of retailers taking on healthcare.
'Culture really does start at the top': St. Luke Health's CEO Dr. David Pate reflects on his decadelong tenure
David Pate, MD, president and CEO of Boise, Idaho-based St. Luke's Health System, is stepping down in January after leading the health system 10 years. Here, he discusses key lessons learned as leader of the nonprofit, how St. Luke's has positioned itself for success and why efforts must turn to disease prevention in the next decade.
'If there isn't a seat at the table, bring your own chair': How IU Health is giving nurses a voice in leadership decisions
Michelle Janney, PhD, RN, serves as executive vice president, COO and interim chief nurse executive of Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health.
Michael Dowling: When it comes to health disparities, gaps in mental health treatment are the worst
One in 5 adults experience a mental illness, ranging from mild to severe. Of those 46.6 million adults, only 43 percent received care for their mental health over the course of a year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Corner Office: ChristianaCare CEO Dr. Janice Nevin on 'love' as a professional value
When Janice Nevin, MD, first interviewed at ChristianaCare 17 years ago, she was floored by its mission to serve the community. Now, as CEO of the Wilmington, Del.-based health system, Dr. Nevin is leading a new iteration of that mission that focuses on a slightly unusual professional value.