October 2019 Issue of Becker's Hospital Review

October 2019 Issue of Becker's Healthcare Review

ON THE COVER

Living Like a Leader: A day with RWJBarnabas Health’s Hospital Division President Thomas Biga
Between driving growth, meeting clinical objectives and navigating complex payer dynamics, there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day for healthcare executives.

Tampa General Hospital CEO John Couris: Show your team you care
I’m very fortunate. I work in a field and have a job that I love.

How Ascension’s new CEO Joe Impicciche is ushering in the next generation of leadership
In July, Joseph Impicciche took the helm of St. Louis-based Ascension, one of the largest health systems in the U.S., following the retirement of longtime CEO Anthony Tersigni, EdD.

Henry Ford Allegiance Health CEO Paula Autry on the importance of strengthening community health
In July, Paula Autry stepped into the president and CEO role at Henry Ford Allegiance Health in Jackson,
Mich.

Corner Office: Nemours CEO Dr. R. Lawrence Moss on the one commitment he won't break and why he
asks so many questions
R. Lawrence Moss, MD, joined Nemours Children's Health System on Oct. 1, 2018. In his first year at Nemours, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based system was ranked in seven pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report, it welcomed its first class of pediatric residents, and it launched an advanced delivery program with Christiana Care Health System in Newark, Del., for babies who require medical intervention immediately after birth.

Diversity doesn’t happen by chance: How Tennessee hospital CEOs are working to change their C-suites
In 2018, just 13 percent of all voting hospital board members were non-white, according to the American Hospital Association's 2019 governance survey.

Optum, John Muir Health talk partnership: 'The best of both worlds'
UnitedHealth Group's Optum announced last month that it is partnering with John Muir Health to help the system remain independent and become more competitive in the San Francisco Bay Area.

'It's not part of the job': How MUSC is combating workplace violence
Healthcare workers experience serious workplace violence incidents four times more often than employees in the private sector, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Johns Hopkins All Children’s faces record state fines
Florida regulators intend to hit Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital with $804,000 in fines for infractions ranging from failure to secure oxygen tanks to their carts to infection control issues, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Hospitals can expect to spend 4.57% more on drugs in 2020
Including inpatient and outpatient environments, hospitals and health systems can expect a 4.57 percent increase in pharmaceutical spending next year, according to Vizient's July 2019 drug price forecast.

Trump donates salary to HHS for 3rd time
President Donald Trump donated his salary for the second quarter — $100,000 — to the office of the Surgeon General in his third salary donation to HHS, according to USA Today.

America’s Most Innovative Leaders: 24 healthcare leaders on the list
Forbes released its annual list of the country's most innovative leaders, comprising 100 founders and CEOs known for encouraging creative and highly successful innovation at their organizations.

Why AMA, AHA are pushing back against Apple's Health Records
Proponents of new federal rules allowing providers to share medical records to third-party apps say they will empower patients to take control of their healthcare — but groups such as the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association are not convinced.

Hackers demand more than $1M in bitcoin from Washington hospital
Aberdeen, Wash.-based Grays Harbor Community Hospital is notifying around 85,000 patients of a June 15 ransomware attack on its systems that may have exposed patients' personal and medical information, Daily World reports.

How Allina Health is boosting nurse retention rates
Burnout is a growing problem among U.S. nurses, with over half reporting symptoms of poor physical and mental health, according to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

5 most common sentinel events so far in 2019
Incidents involving retained foreign objects were the most common sentinel event in the first half of 2019, according to data The Joint Commission released Aug. 14.

CFO / FINANCE

2 hospitals to close in Ohio, West Virginia
Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, W.Va., and East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry are slated to close within three months, according to The Intelligencer.

New York hospital faces financial peril without buyer
Massena (N.Y.) Memorial Hospital will receive a $20 million state grant and drastically improve its financial position by becoming part of Potsdam, N.Y.-based St. Lawrence Health System, according to NNY360.

Arkansas hospital closes with no notice
North Metro Medical Center in Jacksonville, Ark., shut down Aug. 20, leaving local residents without an emergency room, according to KATV.

New York hospital campus to close in October
To close a $10 million deficit, Eastern Niagara Hospital is cutting 50 jobs and shutting down its campus in Newfane, N.Y., according to Buffalo Business First.

Hospital closures in Ohio, W.Va. will result in 1,200 layoffs
East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry and Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, W.Va., will lay off about 1,200 employees when they close in October, according to The Intelligencer.

Kaiser’s net income surges to $2B in Q2
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente's revenue, operating income and net income for its nonprofit hospital and health plan units increased year over year in the second quarter of 2019.

Texas hospital abruptly closes
Van Zandt Regional Medical Center in Grand Saline, Texas, closed Aug. 5.

Texas hospital closes after 70 years
Chillicothe (Texas) Hospital closed July 22 after years of declining patient volumes, according to KFDX-TV.

Mayo Clinic’s operating income jumps 88% in Q2
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic reported higher revenue and operating income in the second quarter of 2019 than in the same period a year earlier, according to unaudited financial documents.

CEO exits amid Tennesse health system’s financial troubles
Lincoln Health System, a single-hospital system based in Fayetteville, Tenn., is facing financial challenges and is in search of a CEO, according to TV station WAFF.

Banner Health’s revenue climbs to $4.7B in first half of 2019
Banner Health's revenue and net income were up year over year in the first half of 2019, according to unaudited financial documents.

Horizon BCBS sues physician advocacy group over 'smear campaign'
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey sued a physician advocacy group after the group urged patients to fight the insurer's new claim oversight contract, according to the New Jersey Record.

Revenue cycle leaders should be 'unyielding with vision,' MetroHealth's Donna Graham says
Donna Graham uses her strategic planning background to guide revenue cycle initiatives at the MetroHealth System in Cleveland.

Tennessee hospital plans to reopen after abruptly closing in June
West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Rennova Health is taking steps to reopen Jamestown (Tenn.) Regional Medical Center after closing the 85-bed hospital in June, according to the Independent Herald.

Partners HealthCare nearly doubles operating income in Q3
Boston-based Partners HealthCare saw its revenue and operating income rise in the third quarter of fiscal year 2019, according to unaudited financial documents.

Advocate Aurora Health's net income more than doubles in Q2
Outpatient volume growth helped push Advocate Aurora Health's revenue higher in the second quarter of 2019, according to unaudited financial documents released Aug. 22.

Optum, John Muir Health talk partnership: ‘The best of both worlds’
UnitedHealth Group's Optum announced last month that it is partnering with John Muir Health to help the system remain independent and become more competitive in the San Francisco Bay Area.

California hospital set to emerge from bankruptcy after 2 years
A U.S. bankruptcy court approved Tulare (Calif.) Local Health Care District's Chapter 9 plan on Aug. 16. The district, which includes a 101-bed hospital, is now set to emerge from the bankruptcy process, according to The Porterville Recorder.

Quorum's net loss shrinks to $16.9M in Q2
Quorum Health's revenue declined year over year in the second quarter of 2019, and the Brentwood, Tenn.-based hospital operator ended the second quarter with a net loss.

UnitedHealth + 4 other payers fared in Q2
Anthem, Centene, Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealth Group all reported higher profits in the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, while Molina Healthcare saw profits decline.

Cleveland Clinic more than quadruples operating income
Cleveland Clinic's revenues and operating income increased year over year in the second quarter of 2019, according to unaudited financial documents.

Oscar Health strikes Berkshire
Oscar Health strikes Berkshire Hathaway deal
Oscar Health signed a reinsurance deal with a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, the health insurance startup shared in a second-quarter earnings statement cited by Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen.

United-TeamHealth snafu may have industrywide effects: Moody’s
A contract dispute between UnitedHealth Group and physician staffing company TeamHealth could indirectly affect hospitals and other providers, according to credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service.

‘Medicare for All’ would force Colorado hospital to close, CFO says
Estes Park (Colo.) Hospital would be forced to shut down in less than a year if the U.S. adopted a "Medicare for All" system, hospital CFO Tim Cashman told the Estes Park Trail Gazette.

Cigna plans major expansion of Medicare Advantage business
Cigna is planning to expand its Medicare Advantage footprint by 14 percent next year, according to Forbes.

How buying a failing hospital can pay off
Hahnemann University Hospital entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late June, but the Philadelphia-based hospital's real estate was not included in the bankruptcy filing.

Humana completes $1B debt offering
Humana completed its public offering of $1 billion in senior notes Aug. 15.

Kentucky health system to reduce million-dollar 'shock claims' up to 45% under Anthem deal
St. Elizabeth Healthcare, a five-hospital system in Edgewood, Ky., is voluntarily participating in a new effort launched by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to lower unexpected, sometimes million-dollar medical bills.d

How 8 health systems are investing their venture capital dollars
Health systems across the country have launched venture capital arms to invest in a variety of health IT, services, medical devices and solutions.

CEO / STRATEGY

In wake of shootings, medical associations speak out against gun violence
Several healthcare groups spoke out against gun violence after at least 31 people were killed in mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, this weekend.

Tenet appoints former US Army surgeon general to its board, announces 2 retirements
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare selected Nadja West, MD, to serve on its board of directors, effective Oct. 8, and announced the retirements of two longtime directors.

Trinity Health adds CXO, CIO to leadership team
Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health named two new members to its executive leadership team.

Catholic Health announces 7 leadership changes
Buffalo, N.Y.-based Catholic Health has reorganized its senior leadership team.

After internal pushback, Mount Sinai's med school updates diversity pledge
New York City-based Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is revamping its commitment to diversity, inclusion and gender equity, after facing a discrimination lawsuit and student petition to improve culture earlier this year.

Rural hospital had staff making trips to Dollar General, former nurse says
A former nurse says Sheridan (Mich.) Community Hospital was mismanaged by leadership and lacked supplies — so much so that nursing staff went to Dollar General to make purchases, reports local WOOD TV's investigative team, Target 8.

Care New England CEO accuses Lifespan of retaliation after merger talks collapse
The relationship between the CEOs of Care New England Health System and Lifespan has become increasingly tense since the Providence, R.I.-based organizations ended merger talks in July, according to The Boston Globe.

Extroverted CEOs can be bad for business
Extroversion is traditionally seen as a positive leadership trait; however, new research links more extroverted CEOs to lower company financial performance.

Humble leaders viewed as less competent, study finds
Research from the University of Notre Dame (Ind.) suggests humility may be detrimental for top executives, according to Notre Dame News.

Study pinpoints CEO-CFO duos most successful with M&A
Optimistic CEOs and pessimistic CFOs together have a leadership dynamic that is more likely to produce successful mergers and acquisitions, according to a new study from the University of Miami.

The Lancet Group says its editors won’t appear on panels without women
The Lancet Group, publisher of 18 scientific journals, has vowed to increase gender equity, diversity and inclusion in research and publishing.

Median board director compensation hits $300K for S&P 500 firms
Many companies in the S&P 500 are working to streamline their board compensation structure, while increasing overall pay, according to a study conducted by Mercer, a human resources consulting firm.

12 healthcare companies that are the highest-paying employers in their state
Healthcare companies are the highest-paying employers in more than a quarter of all states, according to Money.

HHS helps providers respond to mass violence
HHS has resources to help healthcare providers prepare for, respond to and assist communities in recovering from mass violence events.

MBA applications decline for 2nd consecutive year
Even the nation's top business schools are losing MBA applicants, Forbes contributor John Byrne writes.

6 questions to determine whether a ‘moonshot’ innovation is doomed to fail
For many of history's most transformative innovations — so-called "moonshot" projects such as the internet, the iPhone and, yes, the moon landing — the difference between failure and success is razor-thin.

Coalition of 181 CEOs say society should matter alongside profit
A group of 181 CEOs, including those of many pharmaceutical and health insurance companies, pledged to invest more in communities and customers, according to The New York Times.

Eduardo Conrado is Ascension’s chief strategy and innovations officer, a role that ‘starts and ends with people’
Last September, Ascension named Eduardo Conrado to the system's newly created position of executive vice president and chief digital officer. In July 2019, he was promoted to executive vice president and chief strategy and innovations officer.

Medical group CEO salaries grew nearly 14% in 4 years
The Medical Group Management Association reports compensation is increasing for medical practice leaders, with the biggest increases among CEOs or executive directors.

CIO/HEALTH IT

Hackers steal California hospital's website domain, email addresses
Sonoma (Calif.) Valley Hospital was forced to change the name of its website URL and email addresses after its domain, svh.com, was hijacked Aug. 6, Sonoma Index-Tribune reports.

Stolen laptop puts health information of 7,000 Texas hospital patients at risk
Floresville, Texas-based Connally Memorial Medical Center is notifying 7,358 patients that their protected health information may have been exposed.

Patient data from EHR vendors found for sale online
Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browser extensions were used to extract and sell users' personal information from more than 50 companies, including EHR providers DrChrono and Kareo, according to the Washington Post.

Hacking vulnerability found in Philips ultrasound system
Security researchers have discovered a vulnerability in Philips HDI 4000 Ultrasounds systems that can be exploited to prevent proper diagnosis, according to the HIPAA Journal.

Massachusetts General Hospital alerts 10,000 patients of data breach
Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital has begun notifying 10,000 patients that their personal health information may have been exposed in a data breach, according to the Boston Globe.

Texas supermarket now selling shoppers telehealth visits
Shoppers at Texas-based H-E-B grocery stores can now purchase telehealth visits for as much as $50 while buying produce.

Epic unveils patient data research initiative, new software
At Epic's User Group annual meeting Aug. 27, CEO Judy Faulkner and other executives revealed several initiatives and products the EHR vendor is focusing on to support evidence-based patient care research and enhanced clinical workflows, Wisconsin State Journal reports.

United Health Foundation donates $1M to expand telehealth services in rural Appalachia
The United Health Foundation, UnitedHealth Group's philanthropic arm, is partnering with The Health Wagon, a Wise, Va.-based free clinic for the underserved areas of the Appalachian region.

AdventHealth launches largest AI-enabled Mission Control command center in US
AdventHealth marked the opening of its Mission Control clinical command center at the Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based health system's Orlando campus on Aug. 28.

Viewpoint: AI is incompatible with the real-world practice of medicine
Though some artificial intelligence algorithms developed for use in healthcare have advanced to the point of outperforming clinicians, they still lack the fundamental ability to interpret clinical data as only humans can.

UCHealth launches conversational AI-powered virtual assistant for Amazon Echo
UCHealth launched a skill for the Amazon Echo that allows users to ask the Aurora, Colo.-based system's virtual assistant, Livi, for information about health conditions and hospital services.

Geisinger Holy Spirit CMIO Dr. Richard Schreiber on the 3 most dangerous trends in healthcare
Richard Schreiber, MD, is the chief medical informatics officer at Geisinger Holy Spirit in Camp Hill, Pa., associate CMIO at Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger and regional assistant dean and professor of medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Mayo Clinic invests in breast cancer imaging AI
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic has entered into a collaboration with Imago Systems, a Lansdowne, Va.-based software company using artificial intelligence for the early detection of abnormalities in imaging data.

Tampa General opens high-tech clinical command center
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital launched a new "mission control" center Aug. 20 to improve patient care and cut costs with the help of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics.

Former Lehigh Valley patient claims physician inappropriately accessed his medical records
A former Lehigh Valley Health Network patient is suing the Allentown, Pa.-based health system over claims that an LVHN-affiliated physician who was not treating him illegally accessed his medical records for months, The Morning Call reports.

16 hospitals, health systems launching telehealth services
Here are 16 hospitals and health systems that implemented telehealth technology and services in July:

Meet Prat Vemana, Kaiser Permanente's 1st chief digital officer
Kaiser Permanente named Prat Vemana the Oakland, Calif.-based health system's inaugural chief digital officer on July 29, with Mr. Vemana slated to begin his new role on Aug. 12.

Texas Children's, Houston Methodist & more to partner with woman-led digital health startups
Ignite Healthcare Network, a Houston-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the roles of women in healthcare, announced on Aug. 6 the latest cohort of 13 startups for its accelerator program.

Intermountain expanding use of AI for patient engagement in new Kidney Services department
Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare's new Kidney Services Clinic will use artificial intelligence to develop customized engagement plans for all chronic kidney disease patients, AI software provider SymphonyRM announced.

CHI Franciscan launches AI-powered Mission Control hub for care coordination
CHI Franciscan Health, in partnership with GE Healthcare, opened its Mission Control Center, which uses predictive analytics to coordinate patient care across eight of the Tacoma, Wash.-based health system's hospitals, the Kitsap Daily News reports.

How AdventHealth Orlando is building a future in genomics: Q&A with Dr. Wes Walker
Wes Walker, MD, associate chief medical information officer at AdventHealth Orlando, sees the potential genomics has to help detect and prevent diseases, beginning with the hospital's own recent initiatives.

The most dangerous trend in health IT from 5 execs
Between cybersecurity threats and building robust IT teams, CIOs and C-suite executives focused on health IT for hospitals and health systems face several challenges today.

Cleveland Clinic chair Beth Mooney: 'You've got to lean into the digital world'
With digitization occurring across industries at a rapid rate, the most successful organizations will be those that fully embrace this disruption and ensure their entire workforce has the digital skills necessary to adapt.

105 physician leaders to know | 2019
Becker's Hospital Review is pleased to recognize the following physician leaders in the 2019 edition of the 105 physician leaders of hospitals and health systems list.

130 ACOs to know | 2019
There are 559 Medicare ACOs across the U.S., according to the National Association of ACOs. Around 12.3 million Medicare beneficiaries — 20 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries — participate in an ACO, and hundreds of other patients participate in commercial and Medicaid ACOs.

CMO/CARE DELIVERY

Wrong-site kidney surgery was a 'mistake,' say Vanderbilt physicians
Two physicians admitted they mistakenly placed a medical device in the wrong kidney during a 2017 procedure at Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center, an error for which they are being investigated by the state health department, according to The Tennessean.

UNC Hospitals regains Joint Commission accreditation
Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Hospitals regained Joint Commission accreditation Aug. 30 after spending nearly two months on probation, according to the accrediting body's website.

Jewish Hospital cancels suspension of Louisville heart transplant program
KentuckyOne Health and the University of Louisville (Ky.) have canceled plans to suspend the heart transplant program at Louisville, Ky.-based Jewish Hospital, Becker's has learned.

UCHealth invests $100M into behavioral health
UCHealth aims to improve behavioral health services in the state through a $100 million investment, the Aurora, Colo.-based health system announced Sept. 3.

Nurse viewpoint: 'Workarounds' reveal the dysfunction of American hospitals
Workarounds, in which providers bypass burdensome rules to ensure their patients receive the care they need, are common throughout the American healthcare system and reveal its dysfunction, Theresa Brown, PhD, RN, a clinical faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times.

Mississippi VA hospital cited over patient's death
Health officials cited Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System for the 2017 death of a patient whom staff members failed to perform timely resuscitation on, according to a federal report cited by WLOX News.

Nurse research prompts care improvements at Providence St. Joseph Health
Several nurses have conducted research focused on bedside care to improve patient satisfaction at Providence St. Joseph Health hospitals in California's Los Angeles and Orange counties, according to a press release published by KHTS.

Hospitals that report more measures have lower star ratings, study finds
CMS' Overall Star Ratings methodology does not account for differences in the type and volume of quality measures hospitals share with the agency, which may offer an inaccurate analysis of quality performance, according to a study published in Health Affairs.

1 in 7 internal medicine residents experience bullying
Nearly 14 percent of internal medicine residents reported experiencing bullying by someone in a senior position during their training program in 2016, according to a study published in JAMA.

'Dying doesn't have to be so hard': How providers can weave more humanity into end-of-life care
If B.J. Miller, MD, had not nearly died in 1990, he never would have gone to medical school.

Joint Commission: How to plan an active shooter drill for your hospital
Shootings occur in hospitals every year, and a blog post from the Joint Commission provides advice on how hospitals can plan active shooter drills.

Former Molina CEO named founding dean of California medical school
The Keck Graduate Institute School of Medicine in Claremont, Calif., has named the former longtime CEO of Molina Healthcare its founding dean.

Physician compensation growth for 8 specialties 2017-18
Physician compensation increased significantly for psychiatrists and some primary care specialties from 2017-18, while productivity largely stayed the same, according to AMGA's "2019 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey."

Sanford neurosurgeon under federal investigation will leave system in September
A Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health neurosurgeon, who faces a lawsuit for allegedly defrauding Medicare, was terminated and will leave the health system Sept. 24, according to a local newspaper, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

Florida CRNA is an 'anesthesiologist,' state board says
The Florida Board of Nursing gave a certified registered nurse anesthetist the authority to use the title "nurse anesthesiologist," according to WGCU, a local news station affiliated with NPR.

More minorities are graduating med school, but disparities persist
The number of nonwhite students graduating from medical schools has increased since 2002 but black, Hispanic and American Indian students are still underrepresented, according to a study published Sept. 4 in Jama Network Open Journal.

Maine system slashes physician turnover rate after exodus
Lewiston-based Central Maine Healthcare has seen a substantial drop in physician turnover since facing a mass exodus last summer, reports the Sun Journal.

10 metro areas with smallest, largest gender wage gaps for physicians
Male physicians earned $1.25 for every $1 earned by female physicians in 2018, according to data from Doximity, a social network for physicians.

Physician trauma: How med schools and hospitals are addressing the problem
A growing number of medical schools and hospitals are taking measures to help physicians experiencing job-related trauma, according to AAMCNews.

Female surgical residents expect lower pay than men
Female surgical residents have similar career goals as their male counterparts but expect lower salaries, according to a study published in JAMA Surgery.

Median base salary for PAs climbed 1% year over year, report finds
The median base salary for U.S. physician assistants climbed from $105,000 in 2017 to $106,000 in 2018, according to a new salary report released by the American Academy of PAs .

Physicians over age 40 earn $60K more annually
Physician earning power gets better with age, according to Medscape's "Young Physician Compensation Report 2019."

California hospitals may soon be required to employ more of their independent contractors
The California legislature is considering a bill that would require companies to employ independent contractors who perform work directly related to the company's main product or service, reports Capital Public Radio.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Tampa General Hospital CEO John Couris: Show your team you care
I’m very fortunate. I work in a field and have a job that I love.

October 2019 Issue of Becker's Hospital Review

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