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 November. You can also read previous month’s Top Ten Lists. Thank you for contributing and reading.
Most Played Radio Episode in November
In today’s healthcare environment, we are starting to see trend with specialists who have become independent providers. They start their own practice or join large systems. Many see an opportunity to stand out in the market and want to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit to have more control of their business. Many have grown strong business acumen that have contributed to their success. In this episode of Value-Based Care Insights, host Daniel J. Marino speaks to Carlos Torre, who shares his experience as an independent provider and his keys to success.
Most Read Thought Leader Posts in November
The Dangers of Power Outages at Health Care Facilities
By Devin Partida, Editor-in-Chief, ReHack.com
Twitter: @rehackmagazine
Emergency preparedness is crucial for health care facilities. Disruptions that mean little more than monetary loss for some businesses can be a matter of life or death in hospitals. Power outages are a prime example of these risks. The Department of Health and Human Services requires alternate power sources for 17 categories of health care suppliers. Still, these systems can fail, too, or they may provide limited power or take time to start up. Facilities must be aware of the risks outages pose to drive appropriate preparedness and response. Continue reading…
The Benefits and Challenges of Implementing Digital Front Doors
By Irving Loh, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Infermedica
Twitter: @Infermedica
As healthcare has moved from analog to digital along the entire care continuum, conceptual models have evolved that characterize how this transformation has altered the experience for all stakeholders, from patients, to providers, to support staff, to administrative and operational personnel. One of the biggest organic changes is how patients interface with the healthcare system, especially during the first encounter, in a space termed the “digital front door.” Continue reading…
Searching for UFOs in the Healthcare Technology Arena
By Dr. John M. Ciccone, Chief Medical Officer, DSS, Inc.
Twitter: @DSSHealthIT
The rapid changes in the delivery of healthcare, and the associated technology, present both challenges and opportunities for companies engaged in the healthcare markets. The speed at which these changes are occurring is unprecedented, and will change the face of healthcare delivery worldwide. The old paradigm of a fee-for-service model is evolving into today’s value-based system, which is intended to maximize dollars spent to achieve measurable improvement in patient outcomes. As a result, the need for new products to address these changes has never been greater. Continue reading…
What COVID-19 Pandemic Taught Us About Workforce Management In Healthcare
By Derek Jones, VP Enterprise Strategy, Americas, Deputy
Twitter: @deputyapp
The Covid-19 pandemic outbreak affected the way many industries operate, but especially healthcare. There was suddenly a massive pressure on the healthcare system as workload continued to increase with the speed of light. This increase in workload resulted in a shortage of healthcare providers and exposed many inefficiencies, so the need for reforms and better workforce management in healthcare became obvious. Continue reading…
CMS Innovation Center Strategic Refresh Emphasizes Value-based Payment Models and Health Equity
By John Fryer, SVP and Head of Market and Rick Goddard, Sr. Director, Market Strategy, Lumeris
Twitter: @Lumeris
Recently, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) introduced their strategic refresh “Putting All Patients at the Center of Care” to support broader, more equitable, and outcome-based healthcare delivery transformation while streamlining current and future payment models. Since its inception in 2010 as a part of the Affordable Care Act, CMS has launched over 50 innovation/pilot models all with the intent to transition care delivery providers toward value-based care. Continue reading…
Can Price Transparency Alone Improve Patient Experiences?
By Deirdre Ruttle, Chief Marketing Officer, InstaMed
Twitter: @InstaMed
Twitter: @deirdre_ruttle
The Price Transparency rule is intended to help consumers know the costs of hospital healthcare services before receiving them. While providing a list of services and prices is useful, it’s only part of the solution to help patients understand what they owe. What is the Price Transparency Rule? Continue reading…
Year End Predictions: Any Privacy or Security Surprises?
By Matt Fisher, General Counsel, Carium
Twitter: @matt_r_fisher
Twitter: @cariumcares
As 2021 starts to quickly draw to a close, instead of focusing on what could happen in 2022, what could the remaining roughly month and a half of this year have in store? Any crystal ball will always admittedly be murky in most instances, but that is arguably where some of the fun can come in too. Continue reading…
Telehealth Becoming Widespread Across Healthcare
By Mark Kestner, MD, Chief Innovation Officer, MediGuru
Twitter: @Medigurullc
While the use of telehealth to provide patients with health-related services is not new, the COVID-19 pandemic has expanded its use exponentially. According to the CDC, more than 30% of health center visits during the later half of 2020 occurred via telehealth. While that percentage has declined as our national comfort level with COVID-19 has increased, it’s clear that telehealth will remain a common practice across the US healthcare system. Continue reading…
Medicare Punishes 2,499 Hospitals for High Readmissions
By Jordan Rau, Kaiser Health News
Twitter: @KHNews
Twitter: @JordanRau
The federal government’s effort to penalize hospitals for excessive patient readmissions is ending its first decade with Medicare cutting payments to nearly half the nation’s hospitals. In its 10th annual round of penalties, Medicare is reducing its payments to 2,499 hospitals, or 47% of all facilities. The average penalty is a 0.64% reduction in payment for each Medicare patient stay from the start of this month through September 2022. Continue reading…
Why Healthcare CIOs Need Managed IT Services
By Peyman Zand, Vice President, Advisory Services, CereCore
Twitter: @CereCore
Achieving greater efficiency in day-to-day operations has a ripple effect across a health system — from reducing the cost of healthcare delivery to improving clinician experience as well as resulting in better outcomes and improving the patient experience. For CIOs in health systems, the pressure and opportunity to drive increased efficiency with technology is higher than ever. Continue reading…