By Jordan Rau – The federal government released its first overall hospital quality rating recently, slapping average or below average scores on many of the nation’s best-known hospitals while awarding top scores to dozens of unheralded ones. CMS rated 3,617 hospitals on a one- to five-star scale, angering the hospital industry.
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By Terry Edwards – At Becker’s Hospital Review Annual CIO/HIT + Revenue Cycle Summit I discussed the elements needed to truly secure clinical communications with some of the best minds in the healthcare world. With the recent high profile news stories on ransomware attacks in hospitals and health systems, security and the ability to secure clinical information is top of mind for many.
By Mordy Pelleg – A few weeks ago, I offered up 10 best practices for successful revenue cycle management. Any practice that implements these regular behaviors will be on a more stable financial foundation. Things are changing rapidly in healthcare, which is news to exactly no one.
By John Halamka MD – As reimbursement evolves from fee for service to alternative payment models, incentives will shift from treating sickness to keeping the population healthy. New investments will be made in technologies that reach into the home and enhance care team communication. 2016 saw an acceleration of telemedicine/telehealth. 2017 will see exponential growth.
By Mike Semel – The Office for Civil Rights announced that the new permanent audit program has started. On July 11 letters were sent BY E-MAIL (check your junk mail folders!) to 167 health plans, health care providers, and health care clearing houses (all HIPAA Covered Entities) notifying them that they have to send in documentation for a ‘desk audit.’ They will have 10 days to send in the required materials for review.
By Jeremy Guttman – Entirely paper-based healthcare is going the way of the dodo bird. Since 2008, the number of office-based physicians who have adopted electronic healthcare records (EHRs) has doubled from 40% to over 80%. In fact, the number of physicians using EHRs has actually quadrupled in the past 12 years.
By Kim Straub – Here’s what you need to know and how you can adjust to the new payment policies. The Two-Midnight Rule – The changes to this rule came into effect in January this year. The Two Midnight Rule, founded in 2013, helps define inpatient versus out-patient stays, but does so in a way that can make patient intake awkward.
By Matt Patterson MD – I had the privilege to present at the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Hearing. Leaders in the healthcare industry discussed how mobile applications are disrupting the ways in which doctors and patients engage in the health care system and impact the affordability, accessibility, and delivery of care.
By Matt Fisher – After promising to provide guidance and insight for a breaking issue, the OCR came out with ransomware guidance under HIPAA. One major issue for debate was whether a ransomware attack constitutes a HIPAA breach. The guidance provides insight into where OCR is coming from and what it expects the industry to do in response to a ransomware attack.