Costs & Cost Controls A greater focus on cost cutting and improving quality of care, a rise in outpatient procedures, and increased demand for cost and quality transparency were among the major healthcare trends projected for 2018. It’s safe to say these will continue to dominate in 2019 and beyond. A year ago, all…
Editor's Note Participation in the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundled payment program was associated with changes in care delivery and compensation practices, this study finds. This survey of 73 orthopedic surgeons found that those practicing in CJR hospitals were more likely to report their hospitals had implemented programs…
Multiple requests for new equipment and technology—usually from surgeons but also sometimes from staff—are not uncommon. As part of their due diligence, OR leaders must determine whether the return on investment (ROI) justifies the purchase. Doing ROI calculations systematically—and involving key stakeholders—can help ensure that the organization makes the best…
Editor's Note Colectomy patients participating in a preoperative prehabilitation program had positive physiologic effects and experienced fewer complications, this study finds. The prehabilitation program−Michigan Surgical and Health Optimization Program (MSHOP)−engages patients in four activities before surgery: Physical activity, pulmonary rehabilitation, nutritional optimization, and stress reduction. For the study, patients were…
Many healthcare organizations have adopted Lean processes to save money, improve workflow, and reduce waste. But it’s not just process change that drives success. It’s the individuals—especially those on the front lines—who work together to identify problems and solutions. It’s also ongoing efforts to sustain changes once they have been…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on October 9 announced that 1,299 healthcare providers are participating in its new Bundled Payments for Care Improvement−Advanced model, which began October 1 and will continue until December 31, 2023. The program includes 32 bundled clinical episodes (29 inpatient, 3…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be unveiling new payment models centered on high-cost areas as part of ongoing efforts to advance value-based payment (VBP) care, and some models could be mandatory, the September 20 Healthcare Finance News reports. Healthcare providers can expect reduced regulatory…
According to a 2016 McKesson report, payers expect value-based reimbursement, including bundled payments, to grow from a third of their business to a majority of it in 5 years. And as noted in Part 1 of this two-part series (OR Manager, September 2018, 1, 13-17), bundles are advancing on multiple…
Editor's Note Accountable care organizations (ACOs) and other value-based payment (VBP) models are increasing in the US, and there is no longer any question of whether private payers and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue to support value-based payments, according to the August 14 Health Affairs…
Editor's Note Seven healthcare systems representing 500 US hospitals are forming Civica Rx, a nonprofit company that will manufacturer generic drugs, in an effort to combat shortages and skyrocketing prices, cnbc.com reported September 6. The company, which is teaming up Intermountain Healthcare, the Mayo Clinic, HCA Healthcare, and four others,…
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