May 2021 Issue of Becker's Hospital Review
ON THE COVER
21 'overpaid' healthcare CEOs
The economic effects from the pandemic may place more pressure on investors to reevaluate the pay packages of CEOs in the future. But for the time being, "we are simply getting wealthier CEOs," according to an annual report from the nonprofit shareholder advocacy group As You Sow.
How competing Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals CEOs view partnership post-pandemic
Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals severed a historical rivalry when they began collaborating shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. Both CEOs discussed four ways a partnership can benefit both healthcare systems post-pandemic during a March 9 radio segment on Radio Advisory.
Putting Equity Into Practice: CommonSpirit Leader Talks COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
CommonSpirit Health is working on the best ways to "operationalize equity" amid the pandemic and beyond, Alisahah Cole, MD, system vice president of population health innovation and policy, told Becker's.
10 top patient safety concerns for 2021, ranked by ECRI
Racial disparities in health and healthcare earned the No. 1 spot on ECRI's list of the top 10 patient safety concerns for 2021.
Amazon expanding Amazon Care telemedicine program nationally: 6 details
Amazon is rolling out its virtual medical service Amazon Care for its employees in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., this summer, with plans to expand the offering to other employers later this year, according to a March 17 news release.
Los Angeles hospital closing after 74 years
Olympia Medical Center, a 204-bed hospital in Los Angeles, is slated to close March 31 at 11:59 p.m.
Baylor Scott & White job cuts, outsourcing expected to save $600M
Baylor Scott & White Health's plan to outsource, lay off or retrain 1,700 employees is expected to save the health system $600 million over a five-year span, according to The Austin American-Statesman.
100 top critical access hospitals, by state
The Chartis Center for Rural Health recently released its annual list of the top 100 critical access hospitals in the U.S.
Walmart heir to build medical school in Arkansas
Walmart heir Alice Walton said she plans to finance and build a medical school in northwest Arkansas.
10 types of cyberattacks to know and avoid
Hospitals are increasingly becoming victims of cyberattacks as the workforce sees major changes amid the pandemic.
Ransomware attack exposed info of 210K MultiCare patients, providers, workers
More than 200,000 patients, providers and employees of Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare began receiving notice that their personal info had been exposed in a recent ransomware attack, according to a March 9 news release from MultiCare's medical practice management company.
Surgeon defends Zoom hearing from OR, says patient safety was not jeopardized
A plastic surgeon in Northern California who appeared for a virtual court hearing from the operating room while another surgeon was performing a facelift in the background said the situation was misunderstood, local NBC affiliate KCRA reported March 8.
5+ early symptoms may predict 'long COVID,' study finds
People who have more than five symptoms of COVID-19 during the first week of illness may be more likely to develop prolonged health issues, known as "long COVID," according to a study published March 10 in Nature Medicine.
Shelly Schorer
Shelly Schorer serves as Chief Financial Officer for the Bay Area at Dignity Health.
John Brownstein, PhD
The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a new light on the importance of digital technologies within the practice of medicine and has served as a catalysis to boost innovation, according to John Brownstein, PhD.
Brandon Webb, MD
While the FDA granted emergency use authorization to Regeneron and Eli Lilly's antibody treatments in November 2020, many healthcare organizations have been slow to adopt these treatments due to a web of logistical challenges.
Laura Smith
Laura Smith has served as CIO of West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health since 2016, and she was promoted from vice president to senior vice president early this year.
Peter Banko
Peter Banko serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at Centura Health.
Kevin Fleming
Kevin Fleming serves as Chief Operating Officer of Clinical Program Services for Providence.
John Couris
Sitting in Raymond James Stadium with my son, Ben, watching Tom Brady lead the Bucs to a Super Bowl victory felt like a full-circle moment for me. A lifelong Pats fan and Boston native, and now a proud Tampa resident and Bucs fan, I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and pride as I reflected over the 20 years of football moments that Ben and I have shared.
Stephen Klasko, MD
Stephen Klasko, MD, MBA, serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health.
Jeffrey Gold, MD + James Linder, MD
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S. more than a year ago, it has been hard for many to imagine what our next day, week or even month will look like, and uncertainties about how to move forward impact nearly every aspect of our lives.
Odette Bolano, BSN
Odette Bolano, BSN, has served as president and CEO of Boise, Idaho-based Saint Alphonsus Health System since August 2018, and she oversees a five-hospital system with nearly 6,100 employees in two states.
CFO / FINANCE
Why rural hospital closures hit a record high in 2020
About 60 million people — nearly one in five Americans — live in rural areas and depend on their local hospitals for care. Last year, 20 of those hospitals closed, making 2020 a record year for rural hospital closures.
At 1 Sutter hospital, commercial insurance rates for same procedure vary sevenfold
Within the same hospital, the negotiated rate for one procedure — a GI biopsy with an endoscope — can vary by nearly sevenfold, according to a new report from the Health Care Cost Institute.
Hospital finances in 2021: 10 things to know
Lower patient volume, canceled elective procedures and higher expenses tied to the COVID-19 pandemic have created financial challenges for some hospitals, while others are seeing their finances begin to improve.
Most big US hospitals are defying price disclosure rule
Most of the largest U.S. hospitals are not in compliance with the CMS rule on hospital price transparency that went into effect Jan. 1, according to a blog post published March 16 in Health Affairs.
New York hospital takes $34M hit from nearly 2,700 canceled surgeries
Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, N.Y., is working to recover revenue lost due to canceled surgeries and lower patient volumes tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CEO/STRATEGY
21 'overpaid' healthcare CEOs
The economic effects from the pandemic may place more pressure on investors to reevaluate the pay packages of CEOs in the future. But for the time being, "we are simply getting wealthier CEOs," according to an annual report from the nonprofit shareholder advocacy group As You Sow.
Leapfrog adds health equity, billing ethics questions to hospital surveys
The Leapfrog Group is introducing two new sets of questions for its 2021 surveys of hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to assess whether facilities practice ethical billing and track and address care disparities that affect patient experience and outcome, the organization said March 10.
How 2 health systems are bringing their remote employees back to work
As progress continues with COVID-19 vaccinations, health system executives are thinking about how they will bring remote employees back to the office after the pandemic.
100 top critical access hospitals, by state
The Chartis Center for Rural Health recently released its annual list of the top 100 critical access hospitals in the U.S.
Mercy Health-Youngstown to open COVID-19 memorial
Mercy Health–Youngstown (Ohio) and the health system's philanthropic arm, Mercy Health Foundation–Mahoning Valley, said they plan to establish a permanent COVID-19 memorial at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.
WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP
How do we operationalize equity? Dr. Alisahah Cole talks CommonSpirit's COVID-19 vaccine strategy
CommonSpirit Health is working on the best ways to "operationalize equity" amid the pandemic and beyond, Alisahah Cole, MD, system vice president of population health innovation and policy, told Becker's.
Former Brigham Health President Dr. Betsy Nabel rejoins Moderna's board
Betsy Nabel, MD, the former president of Brigham Health in Boston, rejoined Moderna's board, effective March 10.
6 ways Hennepin's chief health equity officer is improving healthcare equity in her 1st month
In Nneka Sederstrom's first month as chief health equity officer at Hennepin Healthcare, her team has worked to vaccinate thousands of members of underserved communities and are serious about closing holes in access to healthcare, she told Becker's. Here are six ways a hospital determined to achieve equity can follow Dr. Sederstrom's lead and improve healthcare access.
10 best cities for women in tech
Arlington, Va., is the most accommodating U.S. city for women working in tech, according to research released Feb. 18 from finance tech company SmartAsset.
Walmart heir to build medical school in Arkansas
Walmart heir Alice Walton said she plans to finance and build a medical school in northwest Arkansas.
INNOVATION
10 top healthcare companies for innovation, per Drucker Institute
Ten healthcare companies were ranked among the most innovative by the Drucker Institute, according to a ranking published in The Wall Street Journal.
A primer on Dr. B, the site matching Americans with leftover COVID-19 vaccine doses
Zocdoc founder and former CEO Cyrus Massoumi recently launched Dr. B, a platform that matches Americans seeking COVID-19 vaccines with leftover doses so they don't go to waste, The New York Times reported March 9.
Anthem teams up with EHR startup: 3 details
Indianapolis-based insurer Anthem inked a new partnership with Canvas, an EHR and practice management platform, according to an April 8 news release.
Ascension's innovation arm launches $285M venture fund
Ascension Ventures, the healthcare venture arm of St. Louis-based Ascension, closed a $285 million strategic venture capital fund, bringing the firm's total assets to more than $1 billion, according to a March 5 news release.
How Allegheny General's former president pivoted leadership focus to health innovation
Jeffrey Cohen, MD, stepped down from his role as president of Allegheny General Hospital in 2020 to head up Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network's innovation efforts and biotechnology hub.
CIO/HEALTH IT
Amazon expanding Amazon Care telemedicine program nationally: 6 details
Amazon is rolling out its virtual medical service Amazon Care for its employees in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., this summer, with plans to expand the offering to other employers later this year, according to a March 17 news release.
'We can't exist in a silo': How CVS Health is increasing EHR interoperability efforts
CVS Health is doubling down on efforts to advance EHR interoperability and reduce alert fatigue for clinicians, according to the pharma giant's recent Health Trends 2021 report.
'It's too much fun not to': Hacker who exposed US hospitals' security cameras on inspiration behind attack
Swiss authorities on March 12 raided the apartment of a hacker who claimed credit for breaching San Mateo, Calif.-based security camera company Verkada and accessing its live feeds of 150,000 surveillance cameras from hospitals and other companies, Bloomberg reports.
AI vs. machine learning vs. algorithms: Providence exec explains the differences, their healthcare applications
Digital tools are rapidly changing the way healthcare services are delivered, but technology jargon isn't always widely and accurately understood. Algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning are imperative to digitally transforming healthcare, but the differences between these three terms can be murky to some.
Cerner finalizes Kantar Health acquisition for $375M: 5 things to know
Cerner closed its acquisition of Kantar Health, the clinical research division of data and consulting company Kantar Group, for $375 million, the companies said April 1.
CMO/CARE DELIVERY
Top nursing priorities for spring 2021: 6 CNOs weigh in
Six nursing leaders shared with Becker's what their No. 1 priority is for this spring.
California sues largest US nursing home chain after exposé
California prosecutors are suing the nation's largest chain of senior living communities, claiming Brentwood, Tenn.-based Brookdale Senior Living has manipulated Medicare's star-rating system, according to a March 15 news release.
Spectrum Health ends probe of insensitive Instagram posts, takes 'corrective action'
Spectrum Health said it has concluded its investigation and taken "corrective action" after photos taken in operating rooms accompanied by insensitive comments were posted to an Instagram account linked to 35 medical residents at the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based system.
10 top patient safety concerns for 2021, ranked by ECRI
Racial disparities in health and healthcare earned the No. 1 spot on ECRI's list of the top 10 patient safety concerns for 2021.
Physicians report 1st case of COVID-19 antibodies passed to child through birth
COVID-19 antibodies were detected in a baby girl born to a mother who received her first dose of the Moderna vaccine three weeks before giving birth — the first reported case of antibodies being passed through birth, according to a case report recently published in the preprint server medRxiv.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
UnityPoint Health's CIO on staying inspired, tackling COVID-19 vaccination technology challenges
Laura Smith has served as CIO of West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health since 2016, and she was promoted from vice president to senior vice president early this year.
Becker's 11th Annual Meeting Speaker Series: 3 Questions with Peter Banko, President and Chief Executive Officer at Centura Health
Peter Banko serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at Centura Health.
Becker's 11th Annual Meeting Speaker Series: 3 Questions with Kevin Fleming, Chief Operating Officer of Clinical Program Services for Providence
Kevin Fleming serves as Chief Operating Officer of Clinical Program Services for Providence.
Tampa General CEO John Couris: No days off
Sitting in Raymond James Stadium with my son, Ben, watching Tom Brady lead the Bucs to a Super Bowl victory felt like a full-circle moment for me. A lifelong Pats fan and Boston native, and now a proud Tampa resident and Bucs fan, I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and pride as I reflected over the 20 years of football moments that Ben and I have shared.
Becker's 11th Annual Meeting Speaker Series: 3 Questions with Stephen Klasko, President and Chief Executive Officer at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health
Stephen Klasko, MD, MBA, serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health.