5:45 p.m., Fri. - The CMS will keep in place a 2.9% pay reduction to offset what it sees as overpayments made to hospitals under its new new coding system, according to a final payment rule. ... FULL STORY
12:01 a.m., Sat. - Providing skilled, professional interpreters to patients whose first language is not English in emergency departments boosts patient satisfaction and could reduce wait times... ... FULL STORY
This is the second installment for 2010 of the Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Opinion Leaders Survey. More survey results can be found at the Commonwealth Fund's Web site, commonwealthfund.org.
The Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Opinion Leaders Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, is an online poll designed to highlight perspectives on the most timely health-policy issues from a...
I am more convinced than ever that this legislation will force my hospital to be purchased by a larger health system in the next three to five years. ... FULL STORY
Now that we have $1.1 billion for comparative-effectiveness studies, it is time we investigated the cost and quality of life benefits of lifestyle changes. For example, what is a more effective and... ... FULL STORY
Healthcare providers are adopting information technology to improve care and potentially qualify for economic stimulus funding. Below are winners of our 2010 IT Case Study Contest (left) and IT case studies from other contest participants.
The Joint Commission is on a confused track. Mark Chassin's study of his organization's quality process measures was interesting to those of us who find “process” measures typically... ... FULL STORY
The government does not recognize that there is an inherent under-documentation problem, which leads to under-coding and under-billing. Doctors are not trained to document accurately and completely... ... FULL STORY
The government, the media and insurance companies keep telling hospitals and doctors that they over-order and over-prescribe, and that is one big factor in the ever-upward march of healthcare costs. ... FULL STORY
A southeast Michigan hospital has a message for cigarette-smoking patients who sneak out for a quick puff: Don't let the door hit you in the butt. ... FULL STORY
More than ever, healthcare organizations of all types and sizes are feeling the pressure to implement specific business and clinical initiatives to meet government regulations and increase operational efficiency. Whether it is complying with quality standards or expanding the use of an electronic...
While the healthcare reform debate heated up the nation's airwaves and cyberspace in 2009, physician salaries saw some significant cooling, according to Modern Healthcare's 17th annual Physician Compensation Survey, with most average pay increases falling short of general inflation. But several specialties were exceptions, including dermatology, hospital medicine and pediatrics.