One of the ways that Answers Media is different from other media sites is the sense of community. The thought leaders in our community are good about sharing their thoughts on the issues of today. We publish at least eight guest posts a week now, so in case you missed some, here are the top ten read and shared guest posts in the month of December. You can also read previous month’s Top Ten Lists. Thank you for contributing and reading.
Most Played Episode from Healthcare NOW Radio in July
From HealthLaw HotSpot, host Ericka Adler is joined by Roetzel litigation shareholder Michael Scotti to explore a growing and deeply concerning issue in healthcare: patients using threats, such as negative online reviews, malpractice claims, or regulatory complaints, as leverage to demand refunds or free services. Together, they unpack the legal and ethical complexities of responding to extortion attempts involving online platforms like Google and Facebook, understanding the difference between defamation and disparagement and how to respond to both.
Most Read Posts from July
The UnitedHealth Probes: A Wake-Up Call for Medicare Advantage
By Arun Hampapur, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, Bloom Value; Fellow, IEEE
LinkedIn: Dr. Arun Hampapur
LinkedIn: Bloom Value
The U.S. healthcare industry is once again in the spotlight—this time, with the scrutiny on UnitedHealth. The DOJ has launched a civil fraud investigation into UnitedHealth Group, which highlights the ethical challenges and complexities around risk adjustment in Medicare Advantage. The increasing scrutiny has become a wake-up call for the industry, which has been walking a fine line between accurate coding and questionable practices that could compromise the integrity of the reimbursement system. Continue reading…
What’s Driving Healthcare Strategy Today: Reputation, Workforce and Data
By August Calhoun, President and General Manager, RLDatix North America
LinkedIn: August Calhoun
LinkedIn: RLDatix
Healthcare is at an inflection point. As leaders navigate financial constraints, evolving regulations and patient expectations, the need to deliver safer, more efficient care has never been greater. In the current climate, three key areas are rising to the top of every executive’s agenda: improving care quality, strengthening the workforce and making data more actionable. These focus areas reflect the realities of running a health system today. Continue reading…
Data Sharing Across Borders: The Vital Role of a Trusted Research Environment
By Stavros Papadopoulos, Founder and CEO, TileDB
LinkedIn: Stavros Papadopoulos
LinkedIn: TileDB
An estimated 30 percent of the world’s data is generated by the healthcare industry, and it’s increasing at a faster rate than even finance and media. Increasingly, seamless data sharing between hospitals and other types of organizations is proving critical to improving both population and individual health, as well as promoting health equity. We’re seeing examples of this collaborative information sharing more and more every day. Continue reading…
Reading Between the Lines: Intelligent Solutions for Unstructured Healthcare Data
By Alan Vitale, Vice President, Technology Solutions & Don Searing, Vice President of Product & Engineering, Sagility
LinkedIn: Alan Vitale
LinkedIn: Donald Searing, PhD
LinkedIn: Sagility
In the digital age of healthcare, data is abundant, but structure is not. Payer organizations are inundated with clinical notes, scanned forms, faxes, and handwritten appeals. These “unstructured” data types – which lack uniformity – slow operations, obscure insights, and increase administrative burden. Each type impacts payers in a variety of ways; none of them good. They create provider and member abrasion, leading to suboptimal experiences across the board with internal and external stakeholders. Continue reading…
Hot Topics Get AI Boost: Payer Denials and Other HFMA’25 Takeaways
By Beth Friedman, FACHDM, Sr. Partner, FINN Partners
LinkedIn: Beth Friedman
LinkedIn: FINN Partners
Over 2,000 revenue cycle and finance professionals met in Denver last month to attend the Healthcare Financial Management Association Annual Conference. Facing Medicaid and Health Insurance Marketplace uncertainty, the leaders explored new ways to remain resilient from association leaders, technology futurists, health system peers, and a political analyst. Four days and dozens of educational sessions later, I walked away inspired by these hospital and health system financial leaders. Here’s what they had to say. Continue reading…
Centralized Data Aggregation Offers a Cost-Saving Solution to the Disconnected Systems Holding Home Care Back
By Stephen Vaccaro, President, HHAeXchange
LinkedIn: Stephen Vaccaro
LinkedIn: HHAeXchange
Efficiency is a tenet of modern healthcare. Enabled by technology, the industry has streamlined everything from the delivery of test results to treatment timelines, meeting patient needs with unprecedented speed. Across the care continuum, professionals continuously seek ways to deliver care as effectively as possible. This mindset applies just as much to homecare as it does to hospitals and clinics. Continue reading…
Executive Action and CEHRT Requirements: Real World Testing July 2025
By Jim Tate, EMR Advocate
LinkedIn: Jim Tate
Host of The Tate Chronicles – #TateDispatches
Executive Orders issued by President Trump are continuing to affect the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ASTP/ONC) Certification process for health information technology. As detailed in an earlier post EO #14168 modified required data fields in the demographics criteria. Now, ASTP/ONC on 6/30/25 released guidance based on EO #14192 that will be welcomed by many health information technology vendors. Continue reading…
Disaster-Proofing Health Care Data Centers Against Physical Threats
By Ellie Gabel, Associate Editor, Revolutionized
LinkedIn: Elle Rose
LinkedIn: Revolutionized
Health care data centers are central to holding key information that supports clinical care and patient monitoring systems. However, a single natural occurrence or a structural failure can damage entire hospital networks and put patient safety at risk. While cybersecurity is a common topic for discussion, one overlooked factor is the physical side of data security. Health care data centers are just as vulnerable to natural disasters and infrastructural threats as to cybercrime. Continue reading…
Reimagining Behavioral Health: Meeting the Moment with Humanity and Bold Action
By Marko Mijic, Managing Director, Consulting, Sellers Dorsey
LinkedIn: Marko Mijic
LinkedIn: Sellers Dorsey
Across the country, a growing movement is calling for a stronger, more connected behavioral health system—one that meets people’s needs with compassion, timeliness, and dignity. For individuals living with mental illness and/or substance use disorders, especially those from communities of color, those living in poverty, older adults, and young people, the pathways to care are often confusing, slow, and ineffective. Yet we are amid a societal shift. Continue reading…
Be Truthful to Get Patients
By Matt Fisher, Healthcare Attorney
LinkedIn: Matthew Fisher
X: @matt_r_fisher
Imagine this scenario: an individual is suffering from substance use disorder and decides to seek help. A big reason for not getting treatment is reportedly not knowing how or where to get treatment, not being able to afford the treatment, and/or not finding a program or clinician where they wanted to be able to go. Given that background, getting information about a program is really important, especially when considering the serious nature of a substance use disorder. Continue reading…