Editor's Note If you can’t join us in Tampa for this year’s OR Business Management Conference (ORBMC), we’ve got you covered. This week, newsletter subscribers will enjoy exclusive access to coverage of select sessions from the 13th annual event, hosted today through Wednesday at the Saddlebrook resort in Tampa, Florida.…

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Editor's Note As part of a larger initiative to ease access to care, insurance giant Cigna is tying compensation for senior leadership directly to customer satisfaction. Modern Healthcare reported the news February 3. The shift is part of a multi-pronged approach that also includes overhauling prior authorization requirements and limiting…

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Takeaways • Although the central tenets of value-based healthcare have not changed, in many cases implementation has been reduced to little more than reducing costs, to the detriment of clinicians and patients. • The right incentives, such as recognition and work support, can effectively inspire clinicians to deliver high value…

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Editor's Note The Supreme Court’s 2023 decision limiting race in college admissions has triggered an overzealous response from many medical schools, leading to a sharp decline in enrollment for underrepresented groups, according to an article published January 23 in STAT.  As detailed in the article, Legal advisors have pushed schools…

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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,…

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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…

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Editor's Note Thousands of RNs nationwide plan to rally in support of safer staff and patients today, January 16, amid widespread introduction of technologies driven by artificial intelligence (AI), according to National Nurses United (NNU). NNU reported on the plans January 14, noting that more than 100,000 members of the…

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Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a new rule establishing the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model, a 6-year, mandatory initiative to enhance access to kidney transplants, improve care quality, and reduce disparities. Managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the program…

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Editor's Note A November 13 report from The Government Accountability Office (GAO) identifies critical gaps in the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) ability to manage cybersecurity risks in the healthcare and public health sector. HHS, the lead federal agency for cybersecurity in this sector, faces challenges in monitoring…

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Editor's Note   In a November 12 letter to Congress, the American Hospital Association (AHA) outlined its priorities for the lame-duck legislative session, focusing on measures to stabilize hospitals and health systems facing significant financial and operational pressures. If enacted, these recommendations would support the nation’s healthcare infrastructure amid rising…

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