September 2017 Issue of Becker's Hospital Review
60 Critical Access Hospital CEOs to Know 2017
Becker's Healthcare is pleased to recognize the following 60 CEOs, presidents and administrators of critical access hospitals Click here to continue
Executive Briefings in this Issue
How Clinicians Can Come Out on Top in a MIPS World
CFO/Finance
HCA Sees Q2 Earnings Lag, Stays Ready for More Acquisitions
Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, which operates 172 hospitals and 119 freestanding surgery centers, saw revenue increase in the second quarter of 2017, but the company missed quarterly earnings estimates and slashed its yearly profit forecast. Click here to continue
Northwell Health to Affiliate With John T. Mather Memorial Hospital
Port Jefferson, N.Y.-based John T. Mather Memorial Hospital's board of directors signed a letter of intent to join New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health July 28. Click here to continue
Bloomberg: UnitedHealth to Acquire Advisory Board’s Healthcare Arm
Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group plans to acquire The Advisory Board's healthcare division, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Click here to continue
CMS Moves Forward With $43B in DSH Payment Cuts
CMS issued a proposed rule Thursday that lays out a methodology for implementing cuts to Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital allotments under the ACA beginning in fiscal year 2018. Click here to continue
CMS Cancels Cardiac Bundles, Scales Back CJR Model: 8 Things to Know
CMS issued a proposed rule Tuesday that would cancel or scale back major bundled payment initiatives. Here are eight things to know about the proposed rule. Click here to continue
North Carolina Hospital to Close and Lay Off 76 Employees, Including Nurses
Select Specialty Hospital-Winston-Salem (N.C.) will close Sept. 1, according to a Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act notice filed Monday by the hospital's owner, Mechanicsburg, Pa.-based Select Medical. Click here to continue
4 M&A Questions With Crowe Horwath’s Warren Beck, Former CFO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Warren Beck, a healthcare advisory services leader at public accounting, consulting and technology firm Crowe Horwath, witnessed numerous changes throughout his more than 25-year career in the healthcare industry —particularly with regard to mergers and acquisitions.Click here to continue
Hospital Stocks Sink After HCA’s Earnings Stumble
Major for-profit hospital operators saw their share prices fall Tuesday after Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare released its earnings for the second quarter, which fell below analysts' estimates, according to Bloomberg. Click here to continue
RWJBarnabas Signs Letter of Intent With Rutgers to Form Academic Healthcare System
Officials at West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health and New Brunswick, N.J.-based Rutgers University signed a letter of intent to create one of the state's largest academic healthcare systems. Click here to continue
Some MUSC Physicians Refuse to Sign Employment Contracts Over Change to RVU-Based Compensation
As an August deadline looms, 165 physicians have yet to sign employment contracts at Charleston-based Medical University of South Carolina due to confusion over a new relative value unit-based compensation plan. Click here to continue
Financial Concerns Prompt Johns Hopkins-Owned Hospital to Eliminate Staff Through Buyouts
Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., which is owned by Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine, is seeking to close a projected budget gap through voluntary employee buyouts, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. Click here to continue
Alabama Hospital’s #HairRaisingChallenge Campaign Aims to Garner Awareness, Funds for Preemies
When Om Prakash Jha, MD, saw nurses sporting a "Trolls"-style hairdo as a fun thing for patients, it sparked a campaign idea to benefit preemies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Click here to continue
ACOs Are Leaving $886M in Net Payments on the Table, Analysis Finds
When Om Prakash Jha, MD, saw nurses sporting a "Trolls"-style hairdo as a fun thing for patients, it sparked a campaign idea to benefit preemies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Click here to continue
Child’s $21M Medical Bill Underscores Medi-Cal Challenges
California Department of Health Care Services Director Jennifer Kent mentioned in recent social media posts that there is a child in the state whose medical expenses totaled $21 million in 2014, according to the Los Angeles Times. Click here to continue
CHS Expects $137M Net Loss in Q2, Says Divestitures Will Continue
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems ended the second quarter of 2017 with a net loss of $137 million, marking the fifth consecutive quarter the company has posted a loss, according to a preliminary earnings statement released Wednesday. Click here to continue
PwC: Healthcare Deal Volume Decreased 18% Since Q1 2017
The U.S. health services industry witnessed more than 200 deals during the second quarter of 2017, according to a July 27 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Click here to continue
DOJ Charges 412 in $1.3B Healthcare Fraud Sweep
The Department of Justice has charged 412 defendants, including 115 physicians, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, in a nationwide healthcare fraud sweep. Click here to continue
13 Hospital and Health System Executives on Successful Partnerships
Hospitals and health systems are constantly forming partnerships and aligning with other organizations to optimize care and reduce costs. Click here to continue
32 Hospital Executives Talk Care Quality Improvement in Times of Value-Based Care
In April, 32 executives, vice presidents, directors and other senior-level healthcare professionals gathered in Chicago to share insights and explore solutions to the industry's most pressing challenges, including patient engagement, quality improvement, system integration, clinician wellbeing and the relationship between these critical priorities. Click here to continue
CEO/Strategy
IU Health CEO’s Systemwide Tour Takeaway: Managing Demand at Destination Hospitals a Consistent Challenge
Dennis Murphy, CEO of Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health, completed a 33-stop tour of the health system beginning in March and ending in July. Click here to continue
KentuckyOne Fires Jewish Hospital President, CNO
Louisville-based KentuckyOne Health has fired two executives from its Jewish Hospital as it prepares for the facility's sale, according to The Courier-Journal. Click here to continue
Top 10 US Healthcare Firms, as Ranked by Business Review USA
Here is the list's top 10 U.S. healthcare companies. Click here to continue
CEO Turnover Increases as Hospital Losses Swell
Hospitals across the nation have seen operating margins shrink as they face dwindling reimbursement, regulatory uncertainty and new alternative payment models. Many hospital CEOs are taking the fall for their organization's financial challenges, according to the Houston Chronicle.Click here to continue
Lutheran Health Network Physicians: CHS Isn’t Entitled to Profit at Expense of Communities’ Healthcare
Six physicians who helped develop Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Lutheran Hospital's heart and kidney programs are showing support for Lutheran Health Network in its rift with parent company, Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems. Click here to continue
Medicaid’s Future a Top Concern for 85% of Healthcare CEOs
The future of Medicaid tops the list of concerns for healthcare CEOs, according to a report by accounting and consulting firm Deloitte. Click here to continue
Proactive Management — The Surprising Driver of C-Section Variation: 4 Questions With Harvard Researcher Dr. Neel Shah
Variation in hospital cesarean delivery rates can be partially explained by the way labor and delivery units are managed, according to new research out of Harvard's Ariadne Labs, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Click here to continue
HealthSouth to Undergo $30M Rebranding
Birmingham, Ala.-based HealthSouth, an owner and operator of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and home care provider, will change its name to Encompass Health Corp., effective Jan. 2, 2018. Click here to continue
Former South Dakota Hospital CEO Indicted for Making False Statement to HHS
The former CEO of Pine Ridge (S.D.) Indian Health Service Hospital has been indicted on charges of making a false statement to HHS, according to the Argus Leader. Click here to continue
Study: Healthcare Workers With Sense of Purpose More Likely to Thrive
Healthcare workers who experience a sense of purpose or happiness in their job are more likely to perform beyond expectations, a new study from IBM and Globoforce finds. Click here to continue
Gallup Survey: 37% of Americans Are Confident in Medical System
A new Gallup poll has found only 37 percent of Americans are confident in the country's medical system. Click here to continue
Florida Hospital Marketing Campaign Centers on ‘Someday’
Orlando-based Florida Hospital, part of Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based Adventist Health System, launched a marketing campaign called Someday Starts Today. Click here to continue
NYU Langone Medical Center to Rebrand
New York City-based NYU Langone Medical Center and its affiliated clinics and outpatient locations will rebrand to unify under the umbrella organization NYU Langone Health, according to Crain's New York Business. Click here to continue
Word From the C-suite: ‘To Reform Healthcare, We Need More Female Leaders’
Annette Walker, chief executive of Irvine, Calif.-based St. Joseph Health and president of strategy at Providence St. Joseph Health in Renton, Wash., said the medical industry must become even more inclusive of women. Click here to continue
Creighton University Creates MBA for Clinicians in Leadership Role
Omaha, Neb.-based Creighton University will launch an MBA program this fall catered specifically to clinicians in leadership roles, according to the Omaha World-Herald. Click here to continue
Former CHI Hospital Administrator Indicted in Bribery Scheme
Lexington, Ky.-based Saint Joseph Hospital's former executive director of facilities, James Newton, has been indicted for his alleged role in a fraud scheme, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Click here to continue
75 Physicians Demand Leadership Change at San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital
Lexington, Ky.-based Saint Joseph Hospital's former executive director of facilities, James Newton, has been indicted for his alleged role in a fraud scheme, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Click here to continue
Albert Lea, a Minnesota Town of 18k, Digs in its Heels Against Mayo
Residents of Albert Lea, Minn., are fighting back against efforts by Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic to remove core services from their local hospital and relocate them at another hospital 23 miles away, according to the Star-Tribune. Click here to continue
CIO/Health IT
Anthem: 18k Customers Affected in Email Breach
Anthem reported some protected health information may have been compromised after learning an employee at a third-party coordination service, LaunchPoint Ventures, was likely misusing customer information. Click here to continue
Amazon Reportedly Launched a Secret Healthcare Team Called 1492
Amazon reportedly has a secret healthcare team exploring new technology opportunities in healthcare, including both hardware and software projects, according to CNBC. Click here to continue
Jefferies Advises Against Watson Investments: ‘IBM Appears Outgunned in the War for AI Talent’
IBM has underperformed in creating shareholder value despite offering "one of the more mature cognitive computing platforms today," according to a report by global investment banking firm Jefferies. Click here to continue
Report: 10 Most-Clicked Email Subject Lines for Phishing Attacks
The No. 1 most-clicked phishing email subject line is "Security Alert," according to a KnowBe4 report. Click here to continue
41% of Healthcare C-Suite Execs Say 1st Reaction to Ransomware is to Pay: 4 Survey Insights
Forty-seven percent of healthcare providers and payers experienced an information security-related HIPAA violation in the last two years, according to a recent KPMG survey. Click here to continue
Jonathan Bush: athenahealth is Focused on ‘Intense Crisis Level of Reconstruction’
Jonathan Bush, CEO of athenahealth, addressed the health IT company's efforts to refocus on recent activist shareholder demands, according to CNBC. Click here to continue
UChicago Medicine and Google — A Data-Driven Duo to Watch
The University of Chicago Medicine and Google have joined forces to research how well historical data housed in EHRs can predict future medical events. Click here to continue
Private Equity Firm to Buy WebMD for $2.8B
The private equity firm KKR & Co. will purchase WebMD Health Corp. for $2.8 billion, Reuters reports. Click here to continue
Meritus Health Invests $100M in Epic Rollout
Hagerstown, Md.-based Meritus Health will invest nearly $100 million over the next five years to transition its EHR to Epic, reports Herald-Mail Media. Click here to continue
Viewpoint: HIPAA Limits the Potential of Cancer Genomics
Although large-scale genomic databases can help researchers investigate cancer outcomes, regulatory barriers often stand in their way, wrote Jonathan Hirsch, co-founder of precision oncology company Syapse, and Tom Mikkelsen, MD, co-founder of the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center at Detroit-based Henry Ford Hospital, in an op-ed for The Washington Post. Click here to continue
Penn Medicine Presents $565k in Precision Medicine Grants to 8 Research Teams
The Penn Center for Precision Medicine — part of Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine — awarded eight research teams approximately $565,000 in accelerator grants during its second round of funding. Click here to continue
7 Insights Into Remote Patient Monitoring
Here are seven things to know about how remote patient monitoring can be used to improve clinical outcomes in healthcare. Click here to continue
FCC to Hold 4 ‘Listening Sessions’ on Rural Broadband for CIOs, Policymakers & More
The Federal Communications Commission's Connect2Health Task Force will hold four virtual listening sessions on the broadband health divide in August and September. Click here to continue
Cerner Revenue Increases 6% in Q2: 4 Things to Know
North Kansas City, Mo.-based Cerner, set to become the new systemwide EHR for the Department of Veteran Affairs, released its financial results for the second quarter of 2017, which ended July 1. Click here to continue
Dr. William Thornbury: Kentucky Needs Telehealth to Bring it Out of ‘Horse-and-Buggy Era’
One family physician says there's a better way to help patients in Kentucky, a state that’s nearly 3,700 physicians short of the number it needs, reports The Daily Independent. Click here to continue
Survey: US Consumers Not Concerned About Medical Record Theft
U.S. consumers are less worried about having their medical records (15 percent) or biometric data (17 percent) stolen compared to other crime-related concerns, according to FICO's latest consumer finance trend research. Click here to continue
54% of Patients Enjoyed Virtual Visits More Than In-Person Visits, Survey Finds
Fifty-nine percent of patients who have accessed telemedicine in the past plan to increase their usage of remote visits during the remainder of 2017, according to a survey by the medical products distributors trade group Health Industry Distributors Association. Click here to continue
HIMSS Names Harold ‘Hal’ Wolf CEO: 4 Things to Know
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society appointed Harold "Hal" Wolf III its president and CEO. Here are four things to know about Mr. Wolf. Click here to continue
Study: These Are the Things Patients Value Most About Having Access to Provider Notes
A study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, examines patient experiences with regard to accessing their provider's visit notes. Click here to continue
Is Apple Moving Into Healthcare? 4 Thoughts
Apple is making its way into the healthcare market, according to an analysis by The Washington Post technology writer Hayley Tsukayama. Here are four thoughts from Ms. Tsukayama. Click here to continue
Athenahealth Restructures Leadership, Jonathan Bush to Continue as CEO
The athenahealth board of directors and management team plans to restructure the company's senior leadership, the company announced Tuesday. Click here to continue
CMO/Care Delivery
OB Hospitalist Group Shares Industry Observations, Tips to Avoid Physician Burnout
Founded in 2006, Ob Hospitalist Group is a national physician group based in Mauldin, S.C., that develops, staffs and manages OB/GYN hospitalist programs in 28 states. Click here to continue
NAHQ: 10k Professionals Now Certified in Healthcare Quality
More than 10,000 healthcare professionals now hold a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality certification from the National Association for Healthcare Quality. Click here to continue
Care New England, Lifespan Feud Over Decades-Long Policy Allowing Physicians to Call on Competitor for Help
Tensions are rising between Providence, R.I.-based Care New England Health System and Lifespan, also in Providence, over a decades-long policy allowing physicians from one hospital to call on physicians from its competitor for assistance during emergency situations, according to WPRI-News. Click here to continue
Nursing’s ‘Dirty Little Secret’? Workplace Violence, Says 73-Year-Old Nurse
Sheila Wilson, RN, is a 73-year-old nurse dedicated to addressing what she calls "the dirty little secret of nursing" — workplace violence, reports Boston Globe. Click here to continue
73% of Neurology Residents Report Symptoms of Burnout
A new study has found 73 percent of neurology resident report feeling at least one symptom of physician burnout, including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a sense of ineffectiveness, according to Neurology Today. Click here to continue
The 22 Hospitals Physicians Prefer Most, Ranked by Specialty
Physicians ranked New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston among the top hospitals across various specialties, according to a recent Medscape report. Click here to continue
3 Quality Measures That Most Influence Overall HCAHPS Scores
The percentage of HCAHPS survey respondents who assign their hospitals top scores steadily increased from 2013 to 2017, according to a new report from Boston-based patient experience solutions provider Press Ganey. Click here to continue
American Psychoanalytic Association: Psychoanalysts Should Offer Insight on Public Affairs; Exercise Caution on Public Figures
The American Psychoanalytic Association issued a statement Tuesday clarifying its position on the so-called "Goldwater Rule," which prohibits mental health professionals from commenting on the psychiatric condition of prominent figures, after STAT reported the association was lifting the rule. Click here to continue
Olympus to Pay Virginia Mason $6.6M for Role in Superbug Outbreak: 7 Things to Know
Jurors on Monday ordered Olympus to pay Seattle-based Virginia Mason Medical Center $6.6 million in damages related to a superbug outbreak that began in 2012. The hospital was ordered to pay $1 million to a deceased patient's family, according to the Los Angeles Times. Click here to continue
HCA Poaches Half of Kansas Health System’s Cardiologist Team
HCA Midwest Health, a seven-hospital system in Kansas City, Mo., hired seven cardiologists from Olathe (Kan.) Health July 17, according to The Kansas City Star. Click here to continue
Do Cellphones in the OR Jeopardize Patient Safety? 5 Thoughts
Manuel Alvarez, MD, adjunct professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University School of Medicine in New York City, weighed the pros and cons of physician cellphone use in the operating room in a recent editorial for Fox News Health. Click here to continue
10 Cities at 'High-Risk' of Experiencing OB-GYN Shortages
Data compiled by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists indicate the U.S. will experience a shortage of approximately 6,000 to 8,000 OB-GYN physicians by 2020, according to a recent report by Doximity, an online social networking platform for U.S. physicians. Click here to continue
AMGA Survey: 77% of Physician Specialties Saw Median Compensation Increase From 2016 to 2017
AMGA, a trade association in Alexandria, Va., on Wednesday revealed data from its 2017 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey. Click here to continue
83% of Residents Say They Are Underpaid for Hours Worked
The average medical resident is earning $57,200 this year, but the majority of residents say this pay is not commensurate with the amount of time worked, according to a Medscape survey of more than 1,500 residents across 25 specialties. Click here to continue
Lucile Packard Children’s Head of Patient Experience Answers 5 Questions on $1.1B Patient-Centered Expansion
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford will open a 521,000-square-foot pediatric and obstetric facility in December, more than doubling the current size of the Palo Alto, Calif.-based hospital. Click here to continue
7 Waterborne Pathogens to Know
In recognition of Discovery Channel launching its annual "Shark Week" programming on July 23, STAT published a list of waterborne pathogens more likely to harm summertime swimmers than sharks. Click here to continue
Manager Didn’t Enforce Sick Day Policy: Chipotle’s Explanation for Norovirus Outbreak
A poorly enforced sick-leave policy caused the recent norovirus outbreak at a Chipotle Mexican Grill in Sterling, Va., according to CNBC. Click here to continue
Press Ganey Releases First Quality Indicator to Measure Assaults on Nurses
The performance analytics provider Press Ganey created the first quality indicator to measure assaults on nursing personnel. Click here to continue
Thought Leadership
America’s Essential Hospitals CEO Dr. Bruce Siegel on Healthcare Reform, Proposed Medicaid DSH Payment Cuts and the Safety Net
As Americans continue to debate healthcare, many issues come into play, such as potential changes to the ACA and proposed cuts to Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital allotments under the current health law. Click here to continue
True Population Health Management Means Taking 'Custodial Responsibility' for Entire Communities of People: 5 questions with RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Barry H. Ostrowsky
"Population health management" is a frequently used term among healthcare executives, especially as the industry shifts its focus from volume of services delivered to prevention and outcomes-based care. But population health management can encompass a broad range of interpretations and initiatives, and such efforts are implemented at varying scales at different health systems across the country. Click here to continue
Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling: What I'd Like to See When Congress Resumes the Healthcare Debate
The ACA has been one of the most hotly debated legislative issues in the history of this country. For seven years, Republican lawmakers have been calling for a repeal of the ACA, and after months of congressional drama, it appears their efforts have stalled for the time being. This is not a loss or a win for either political party, but instead a moment for careful reflection. Click here to continue
The Corner Office: Tenet Healthcare's President of Hospital Operations Eric Evans on the Importance of Work-Life Balance and How Healthcare is a Team Sport
Eric Evans enjoyed working in manufacturing, but felt his career was lacking the kind of purpose he needed. After realizing that the healthcare industry offered him the chance to utilize his leadership skills while also helping people in need, he jumped at the opportunity to join Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare in 2004. Click here to continue