September 2018 Issue of Beckers Hospital Review
ON THE COVER
Leadership is not an abstract concept, but a skill that can be sharpened with time and attention.
One excellent way for leaders to grow and thrive is by drawing on the wisdom of experienced professionals through the written word. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Meet CMS' new leadership team: 3 things to know
CMS named new members to its leadership team, Administrator Seema Verma said July 24.CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Viewpoint: Why hospital mergers raise patient safety problems
Although hospitals and health systems often cite the pursuit of "better patient care" as reason for mergers or acquisitions with one another, research shows partnerships and transactions might put patients at a higher risk for harm in the short term, three authors write in an op-ed published by STAT. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Is your hospital short on hugs? How 'cuddler' programs help NICU patients
Phoenix Children's Hospital is one of the latest hospitals to boost care for its NICU patients through a "No Baby Unhugged" grant from Huggies — a $10,000 award that supports hugging programs, where hospital volunteers hold newborns whose parents may live far away or are unable to visit due to work, childcare or other obligations. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
New technology, ancient origins: How Epic, Cerner & more got their names
Most EHR vendors have barely hit their 50th anniversary, but their namesakes trace back to origins as early as ancient Rome and early Greek mythology. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CFO / FINANCE
CMS' final inpatient payment rule for 2019: 9 things to know
CMS released its annual Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule Aug. 2, which increases price transparency for patients and boosts payments to acute care hospitals. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CMS pushes ACOs to take on risk with overhaul of MSSP: 7 things to know
CMS issued a proposed rule Aug. 9 that would make sweeping changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, including overhauling the way ACOs share in risks and rewards. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Pennsylvania man drives to Canada for son's $15K medication. The US price? $50K
A Pennsylvania man drives six hours to Canada every three months to purchase medication for his son, who has a skin condition called alopecia areata. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CHS sees net loss narrow to $110M, pursues $2B hospital divestiture plan
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, which operates 119 hospitals, saw its net loss shrink in the second quarter of 2018 as the company continues to refine its hospital portfolio. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Georgia hospital allegedly involved in lab billing scheme closes
Chestatee Regional Hospital in Dahlonega, Ga., closed July 26, making it the seventh rural hospital in Georgia to close since 2010. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CMS terminates Idaho hospital's Medicare contract
Under rules enacted last September, a healthcare facility must average at least two inpatients per day and an at least two-night average length of stay to be considered an inpatient hospital for Medicare reimbursement. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
California hospital will scale back services to cut costs
Sonoma (Calif.) Valley Hospital, a 75-bed hospital that is part of the Sonoma Valley Hospital District, will close its obstetrics department as a cost-cutting move, according to the North Bay Business Journal. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
UHS sees jump in net income, ups reserve for DOJ investigation to $43M
King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services saw revenues and net income increase in the second quarter of 2018 compared to the same period of the year prior. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Arizona hospital emerges from bankruptcy, lays off 60
Santa Cruz Valley Regional Hospital in Green Valley, Ariz., previously Green Valley (Ariz.) Hospital, laid off 60 employees July 31, less than a week after it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to Green Valley News. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Childhood cancer survivors often struggle financially, study finds
Many adult survivors of childhood cancer are experiencing financial hardship associated with susceptible sociodemographic status and later medical effects, according to a study by investigators at Memphis, Tenn.-based St. Jude Research Hospital. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
2017 first year physician pay rose by less than 2% in decade, study says
Last year was the first year physician pay rose by less than 2 percent in over 10 years, the American Medical Group Association's Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey found. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Centene CEO: Physician acquisition spree not in playbook
UnitedHealth Group, Humana and other national health insurers may be on a provider acquisition spree, but Centene Corp.'s CEO said acquiring clinics and physician practices is not part of its strategy, according to a Forbes report. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
LifePoint posts $52M profit as it seeks sale to private equity firm
Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health saw revenues decline in the second quarter of 2018, but the company ended the period with a profit. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Young people have the most medical debt, study finds
The average size of medical debt is significantly higher for younger people, likely reflecting differences in insurance coverage and financial resources, according to a study released by Health Affairs. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
UNC Health offers 70% off outstanding bills ahead of hospital sale
Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health Care will offer a 70 percent discount on outstanding bills at High Point (N.C.) Regional Health before it transfers ownership of the hospital to Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, according to the Winston-Salem Journal. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Mon Health plans turnaround after losing nearly $27M in 2018
Mon Health ended fiscal year 2018 in the red, but the Morgantown, W.Va.-based system aims to turn around its finances through an operations improvement plan, according to The Dominion Post. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Most patients don't shop around before physician-recommended MRIs, researchers find
Patients often receive nonemergency, outpatient, lower-limb MRI scans where their referring physician recommends, despite potentially higher out-of-pocket costs, according to a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Only 43% of physicians know their compensation includes value-based pay
Less than half — 43 percent — of physicians are sure at least some of their pay is value-based, and about half of those physicians say this portion is 10 percent or less of their total compensation, a report from The Medicus Firm found. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CEO / STRATEGY
Amazon's newest hire is a top cardiologist from Mass General
Renowned cardiologist Maulik Majmudar, MD, is joining Amazon as the tech giant continues its push into the health sector, CNBC reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
47-hospital Adventist Health System changes name
Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based Adventist Health System revealed plans Aug. 14 to rebrand its nearly 50 hospitals to become a single consumer-centric, identifiable organization. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
AHA applauds hospitals' efforts to cut health costs, challenges others
In a prominent advertisement in the July 26 issue of The Wall Street Journal, the American Hospital Association assured readers that while they may be frustrated with the rising price of care, hospitals and health systems are doing all they can to curb costs. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Former Mount Sinai, Google, Oscar Health leaders launch women's healthcare company
Kindbody, a new women's healthcare company, opened a pop-up fertility clinic in New York City Aug. 1 as part of its nationwide launch. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
58% of Americans say Trump now responsible for outcome of ACA
If the ACA fails, the majority of Americans will hold the Trump administration responsible, according to a recent poll. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Meet CMS' new leadership team: 3 things to know
CMS named new members to its leadership team, Administrator Seema Verma said July 24. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers to form academic health system
West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health and New Brunswick, N.J.-based Rutgers University announced the launch of their joint academic health system July 24. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Supportive managers linked to fewer absences among depressed employees, study finds
Employees with depression miss fewer work days when actively supported by their managers, according to a study published in BMJ Open. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
68% of CEOs say they were not prepared for job
Confidence is one of the defining characteristics of successful executives, but few CEOs felt prepared for their responsibilities, according to a survey in the Harvard Business Review. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Summer reading: 10 books to become a better leader
Leadership is not an abstract concept, but a skill that can be sharpened with time and attention. One excellent way for leaders to grow and thrive is by drawing on the wisdom of experienced professionals through the written word. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CIO / HEALTH IT
Defense Department boosts Cerner contract by $1.1B
The U.S.Defense Department is planning to increase its health records contract with Cerner by $1.1 billion, officials said July 24, according to Nextgov.CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Apple is hiring for its new health clinics
AC Wellness, Apple's concierge health and wellness clinics for its Bay Area employees, recently hired more than 40 people, CNBC reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
OCR issuing fewer HIPAA penalties in 2018, report suggests
The HHS Office for Civil Rights is on track to impose significantly fewer HIPAA settlement fines in 2018 than the agency has in previous years, according to a report from the law firm Gibson Dunn. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Allscripts seeks dismissal, arbitration in class-action lawsuit over January ransomware attack
Allscripts is asking an Illinois district judge to dismiss a class-action lawsuit over a January ransomware attack that took down multiple clients' EHRs for about a week, arguing the case should be resolved in arbitration, according to HIPAA Space. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
eClinicalWorks fined $132K for failing to comply with DOJ settlement agreement
The HHS Office of Inspector General fined eClinicalWorks $132,550 for violating a 2017 agreement with the Justice Department, which had required the vendor to report patient safety issues with its EHR in a timely manner. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Hackers deface a Kaiser website
A Kaiser Permanente website used by employees, physicians and potential employees was hacked July 27 by a group called "Team Faceless Men," the blog DataBreaches.net reported July 30. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
New technology, ancient origins: How Epic, Cerner & more got their names
Most EHR vendors have barely hit their 50th anniversary, but their namesakes trace back to origins as early as ancient Rome and early Greek mythology. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
UnityPoint breaches 1.4M patient's personal information after phishing attack
UnityPoint Health in West Des Moines, Iowa, notified 1.4 million patients that some of their personal information may have been compromised after hackers broke into its email system using phishing tactics, the Des Moines Register reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Teladoc revenue up 112%: 5 notes on the company's Q2 earnings
Teladoc — soon to be known as Teladoc Health — now serves 22.5 million members, a 48 percent increase from one year prior, according to second quarter earnings results posted Aug. 1. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Banner Health's Tucson Cerner switch triggers reports of medical errors, state finds
Phoenix-based Banner Health's $45 million switch from Epic to Cerner at its Tucson, Ariz.-based hospitals and clinics resulted in "numerous" reports of medical errors, state records obtained by the Arizona Daily Star show. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Harvard, UPenn researchers use AI to predict mortality for cancer patients
A new algorithm may accurately predict whether cancer patients starting chemotherapy will still be alive after a month of treatment, according to a study published in JAMA. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Google, Accenture launch business group to help healthcare clients transition to cloud
Google Cloud and management consulting firm Accenture teamed up on a new venture to help companies implement services from Google Cloud. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Columbia University, IBM launch blockchain center to drive precision medicine research
IBM and New York City-based Columbia University revealed plans for a new research and education center focused on blockchain technology and data transparency July 17. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Women in cybersecurity earn 8% less than men
he gender pay gap is prevalent throughout the technology industry, and the cybersecurity sector is no exception, according to a new report from Infosec Institute. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
HHS mulls changes to HIPAA
HIPAA, GovInfoSecurity reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Athenahealth posts $323.3M in Q2 revenue: 4 things to know
Watertown, Mass.-based athenahealth saw an eventful second quarter, including the departure of its co-founder and CEO Jonathan Bush and a takeover bid by activist investor Elliott Management, but the the drama didn't shake up the health IT vendor's earnings results. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CMO / CARE DELIVERY
US hospitals often fall short on childbirth care, USA Today investigation finds
Roughly 50,000 women are severely injured every year during childbirth, while 700 mothers die. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Is your hospital short on hugs? How 'cuddler' programs help NICU patients
Phoenix Children's Hospital is one of the latest hospitals to boost care for its NICU patients through a "No Baby Unhugged" grant from Huggies — a $10,000 award that supports hugging programs, where hospital volunteers hold newborns whose parents may live far away or are unable to visit due to work, childcare or other obligations. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
20% of physicians prefer hospital employment, survey finds
While most physicians seek to work in private practice, the highest number of employment opportunities tend to be at hospitals, according to a survey from The Medicus Firm, a national physician search firm. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Leapfrog updates hospital safety grade methodology
The Leapfrog Group on July 19 published updates to the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade scoring methodology, which will take effect for the grades released in October. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Independent primary care physicians are more productive, study finds
Primary care physicians who own or act as a partner at independent practices are more engaged and more productive than PCPs employed by healthcare organizations, according to a recent survey cited by athenahealth contributor Chris Hayhurst. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Viewpoint: Physicians aren't burning out; they're suffering from 'moral injury'
Despite widespread conversations on physicians experiencing burnout, these providers often face an unrecognized threat to their well-being — moral injury, Simon Talbot, MD, a reconstructive plastic surgeon at Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Wendy Dean*, MD, a psychiatrist and senior medical officer at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, write in a STAT op-ed. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Johns Hopkins creates opioid guidelines for 20 common surgeries
A panel of healthcare providers and patients from Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine developed the country's first set of opioid prescription guidelines for 20 common surgeries. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Meet the West Virginia lawyer overseeing 400+ opioid lawsuits against drugmakers, distributors
Paul Farrell, an attorney from Huntington, W.Va., is leading one of the largest lawsuits in modern U.S. history, which combines more than 800 suits from cities and counties nationwide against drug manufacturers and distributors, according to Bloomberg. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Only 'most intensive' stewardship programs effectively lower total antibiotic use
A study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, assessed the effectiveness of implementing antibiotic stewardship programs in Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare's 15 small hospitals. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUECLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Med tech job postings growing faster than RN postings
While there are more job postings for registered nurses than med tech positions, postings for the latter are growing at a faster pace, according to an analysis from Joblift. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUECLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Dr. Anthony Tersigni: We must ensure value-based reimbursements continue to help, not hinder
Studies have shown that value-based care and value-based reimbursements are becoming increasingly effective at keeping communities healthier than traditional fee-for-service models. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Living like a leader: A day with CHI CEO Kevin Lofton
Between clinical objectives, financial concerns, patient needs, and complex payer dynamics, there don't seem to be enough hours in the day for healthcare executives to address the diverse set of organizational goals they are tasked with accomplishing. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
How one Mid-Atlantic health system put a Broadway spin on an Epic go-live
Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway hit Hamilton has sold nearly 1.7 million seats since it debuted in 2015, earning it a cultlike fan following. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Michael Dowling: The anatomy of a difficult decision
People are quick to share their opinions when healthcare leaders deliver bad news that has major ramifications for an organization, but few understand the lengthy analysis, heated debates and sleepless nights that go into those decisions. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Corner Office: Keck Medicine of USC CEO Tom Jackiewicz wants you to remember that the numbers are people
Though Los Angeles-based Keck Medicine of USC is a major academic medical center, CEO Tom Jackiewicz has brought a start-up mentality to his position in an effort to ensure the organization uses its resources to set industry trends, not catch up with them. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE