Modern Healthcare Staff

Maria Castellucci

Deputy Editor, Custom Content

[email protected]

312.649.5374

Maria is a content strategist who helps develop events, conferences and custom content at Modern Healthcare. Prior to joining the education and events department, Maria was a reporter for more than four years at Modern Healthcare, spending the last three covering the safety and quality beat. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and minor in public relations. 

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Recent Stories
Provider leaning against wall looking exhausted.
Staffing stress leading to calls for more nurses

Anecdotes from front-line caregivers—particularly nurses—over unsafe conditions for patients have emerged throughout the pandemic.
Provider leaning against wall, holding head, looking exhausted.
Quality of care may be slipping during COVID, experts warn

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit nearly a year ago, usual practices in place to ensure high-quality care in many cases were disrupted, which may have negatively affected patient safety.
Dr. John Fischer
Patient-reported outcomes tool for hernia surgery helps physicians improve care

The tool is helping physicians better understand patient outcomes following surgery and the hope is it can eventually identify the best patients for hernia repair.
Emergency approval of devices named leading tech hazard in 2021 by ECRI

ECRI said emergency use authorization presents safety risks for patients and liability challenges for providers because the FDA can revoke authorization of a device at any time.
Leapfrog Group forms diagnostic errors initiative

The Leapfrog Group is hoping the project will raise awareness in the industry about diagnostic errors and encourage providers to focus on addressing it.
HCA forms COVID-19 research consortium with AHRQ, universities

The research project allows HCA to leverage its large repository of data on COVID-19 patients.
Medicare ACO participants fell in 2021

The long-standing Medicare program now has 477 ACOs participating, a decline from 2020 when 517 participated, according to new CMS data.
HHS removes some requirements for opioid treatment prescribing

HHS is eliminating certification requirements for clinicians to prescribe the medication-assisted drug therapy buprenorphine in an effort to expand treatment access.
AHA freezes political contributions to lawmakers who objected to Electoral College results

AHA's decision follows those by Blue Cross and Blue Shield and PhRMA, which made similar announcements earlier this week.
Most Next Gen ACOs achieved bonuses in 2019

Overall, the 37 ACOs earned about $461.9 million in shared savings. The model is now in its final performance year.
Cigna to stop contributions to some lawmakers following Capitol riots

In an email, Cigna said its political action committee will "discontinue support of any elected official who encouraged or supported violence, or otherwise hindered a peaceful transition of power."
AHRQ director Gopal Khanna resigns in response to Capitol riot

In an email to staff at AHRQ, Gopal Khanna said he submitted his resignation to HHS Secretary Alex Azar.
Mental health treatment was most common telehealth service during COVID

The study shows that 53.6% of patients with a behavioral health condition sought treatment via telehealth from mid-March to early May of 2020. By comparison, 43.2% of patients with a chronic physical condition used telehealth to receive care during the same period.
Dr. Katherine Baumgarten receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Health systems leverage leaders to encourage workforce COVID-19 vaccination

Reports of hesitancy among healthcare workers to take the COVID-19 vaccine have emerged, forcing health systems to think creatively about encouraging staff to get their shots.
Joint replacement patients willing to pay more for higher star rating, study says

The study finds that the value of star ratings diminish if the patient has prior experience with using ranking systems or receiving surgery.