Price hikes, upcoding drive Massachusetts inpatient spending

Commercial inpatient spending grew 10.7% from 2013 to 2018, while volume decreased by 12.8%, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission found.  »

Quest, hc1 team up to rein in unnecessary lab testing

The Quest Lab Stewardship service aims to arm providers with the tools to order the right tests, retrieve results quickly, interpret them accurately and ensure reimbursement.

Michigan Medicine creates formal policy to support breastfeeding physicians

The pediatrics department at Michigan Medicine created a policy for breastfeeding physicians encouraging them to achieve personal lactation goals.

California governor signs new transparency law for Kaiser

Kaiser Permanente will need to increase its reporting under a new California law.

CMS targets healthcare providers' affiliates in new rule

The new rule going into effect Nov. 4 will allow the CMS to revoke Medicare enrollment for individuals and organizations that work with other sanctioned entities.

American Hospital Association, economists debate merits of mergers

The hospital trade group commissioned a new study that supports mergers and acquisitions, making the case that they reduced costs at acquired hospitals and boosted care quality.

Healthcare ‘futurists' to meet in Detroit on Oct. 7

The future of healthcare innovation will be on display in Detroit on Oct. 7 as about 40 business, professional and academic health leaders will gather at the 2019 HealthQuake Summit conference.

Incorporating pharmacists into the ICU team

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton trains general pharmacists in critical-care medicine so they can better treat patients in the intensive-care unit.

New drug disposal regulations to be implemented next week

Starting Aug. 21, hazardous drugs like nicotine and chemotherapies will need to be disposed through the proper channels rather than down the drain, per the Environmental Protection Agency's new rule.

Medical-device reprocessing saved providers $470 million last year

Hospitals reprocess a range of single-use devices, ranging from non-invasive items like blood pressure cuffs to invasive surgical instruments. That saved nearly $500 million in 2018.