Costs & Cost Controls

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February 2025
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Healthcare M&A faces tighter review as FTC retains guidelines

Editor’s Note In a setback for healthcare mergers, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will continue enforcing strict antitrust guidelines established under the Biden administration, Healthcare Dive reported 2019. Bucking expectations of a more lenient approach under the new administration, FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson confirmed the decision, saying he wished to…

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By: Matt Danford
February 20, 2025
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Healthcare giants prioritize shareholder payouts over patient care

Editor’s Note Shareholder payouts by publicly traded healthcare companies have surged 315% since 2001, raising questions about financial priorities in the sector, according to a February 19 article in Healthcare Finance. A research letter published in JAMA Internal Medicine and co-authored by Yale University researchers found that major healthcare corporations…

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By: Matt Danford
February 20, 2025
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Rural hospital closures remain a growing concern despite slight financial improvement

Editor's Note While fewer rural hospitals are operating at a loss than last year, more are now at risk of closure, according to a new report from Chartis. Fierce Healthcare reported the news February 13. As detailed in the article, the analysis found that 46% of rural hospitals are operating…

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By: Matt Danford
February 19, 2025
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Montana legislators' prior authorization reform push mirrors national trends

Editor's Note Montana legislators are moving to restrict health insurers’ use of prior authorization as frustration over the practice mounts nationwide, KFF News reported February 13. The outlet reports that two Democratic and Republican lawmakers have introduced or are drafting bills for the 2025 Montana Legislature to limit these insurer-mandated…

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By: Matt Danford
February 18, 2025
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CABG, TAVR drive hospital revenue despite cost variations

Editor's Note Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) generate the highest overall financial returns for US hospitals, despite not being the most profitable per procedure, according to a February 13 report in Cardiovascular Business. The article covers an analysis of Medicare data, published in…

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By: Matt Danford
February 14, 2025
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Rural hospital closures drive up surgical travel times and costs

Editor's Note Ongoing hospital closures are driving up travel times and out-of-pocket costs for rural Americans who need surgery, according to a February 12 report in HealthDay. Citing two recent studies published in Annals of Surgery and JAMA, respectively, the article details how rural hospital closures have forced more patients…

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By: Matt Danford
February 14, 2025
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Session: Anchors Away: 5 Strategies to Right-Size Your Inventory and Improve Supply Contracts

Editor's Note As executive director of the Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM), Michael Schiller, CMRP, gets regular insight into strategies employed by healthcare organizations, suppliers, technology leaders and frontline staff—insight he was happy to share with OR business Management Conference attendees in a February 11 presentation.…

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By: Matt Danford
February 13, 2025
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Closing Keynote: Trimming the Sails: Improving Perioperative Efficiency by Managing Same-Day Admission Transitions

Editor's Note Attendees to the 2025 OR Business Management Conference gained new insight with an international flavor from Moustafa Bleik and Fadi Fares, who had flown all the way from Saudi Arabia to detail recent improvements at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. In a session with multiple audience…

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By: Matt Danford
February 13, 2025
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Session: Navigating the Storm: Ensuring Operational Continuity Through Crisis Leadership

Editor's Note In an expansive session at the 2025 OR Business Management Conference, Tampa General Hospital's emergency management team demonstrated how proactive planning, strong partnerships, and real-time decision-making helped navigate multiple crises in 2024, including back-to-back hurricanes and a cyberattack on the state's blood supply. The session was presented by Erinn…

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By: Matt Danford
February 13, 2025
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Session: Cracking the Code: Innovative Hacks for Preference Card Management and C-Suite Support

Editor's Note Outdated and inaccurate preference cards cost hospitals millions of dollars in delayed surgeries wasted supplies—but with the right strategy, they can become a powerful tool for efficiency and cost reduction. This was among the main takeaways of a 2025 OR Business Management Conference presentation from Jason Goodwin, MPH,…

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By: Matt Danford
February 12, 2025
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