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…
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…
Human trafficking in healthcare supply chains often underrecognized, expert argues
Editor's Note Although human trafficking’s infiltration into healthcare labor and supply chains is pervasive, many clinicians and other professionals remain unaware of the extent of the issue, according to a February 3 opinion piece in MedPage Today. While efforts have focused on identifying trafficking victims in clinical settings, healthcare organizations…
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.…
Moody’s downgrades health insurance outlook as medical costs surge
Editor's Note Moody’s Ratings has shifted the health insurance industry’s credit outlook from stable to negative, according to a February 3 article in Fierce Healthcare. According to the article, the downgrade is due to escalating medical costs that outpace reimbursement rates. Analysts project an 8% rise in commercial market spending…
Proposed tariffs threaten medical device supply chain
Editor's Note Analysts say proposed tariffs on imported goods could increase costs for approximately 75% of medical devices marketed in the United States, 69% of which are manufactured solely abroad, according to a January 20 article in Medical Product Outsourcing. Valued at $197.8 billion in 2023, the US medical device…
Providers push back on insurance cost-cutting hurdles
Editor's Note Escalating administrative hurdles from insurers are heightening tensions between healthcare payers and providers who criticize the measures for threatening patient care, Modern Healthcare reported January 22. According to the article, policies attracting criticism include stringent prior authorization rules, claims denials, and new fees for appeals. For their part,…
HHS report highlights cost, access, quality concerns with private equity in healthcare
Editor's Note Growing consolidation and private equity investments in healthcare are driving up costs, reducing access, and raising quality concerns, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to HHS’ January 15 announcement, the report stems from a tri-agency effort by HHS, the…
HIPAA security standard update sparks debate over cost, feasibility, patient safety
Editor's Note The first federal overhaul of the HIPAA Security Rule in over a decade aims to address modern cybersecurity threats but has drawn sharp criticism from health systems over its cost and feasibility, according to a January 13 article in Axios. According to the article, the proposed changes require…
Health data inaccuracies cost millions, threaten care quality
Editor's Note Healthcare data inaccuracies occur at rates as high as 26.9% in hospitals, with related inefficiencies costing providers up to $20 million annually, HealthLeaders reported January 8. According to the article, these inaccuracies stem from factors such as data entry mistakes, outdated information, inconsistent data standards, and system integration…
Free Daily News
- Healthcare M&A faces tighter review as FTC retains guidelines
- Healthcare giants prioritize shareholder payouts over patient care
- Texas abortion ban linked to spike in pregnancy complications, maternal death
- AI streamlines documentation, frees time for nurses at Cedars-Sinai surgical unit
- Study identifies potential non-surgical treatment for inguinal hernias
- Rural hospital closures remain a growing concern despite slight financial improvement
- Session: Hoisting the Sails—Winning Strategies for Growing Service Lines in an ASC
- Session: Riding the Wave—Considerations to Making Anesthesia Profitable in Today's Labor Market
- Session: Surfs Up—Rolling Out the OAS CAHPS Survey
- Montana legislators' prior authorization reform push mirrors national trends