Tag: Healthcare costs

Costs drop, access expands for GLP-1 weight loss drugs

Editor's Note Access to GLP-1 medications is improving as manufacturers, insurers, and policymakers address high demand, costs, and coverage challenges, Becker’s Hospital Review reported December 13. As detailed in the article, Eli Lilly’s partnership with telehealth company Ro now allows patients to obtain Zepbound prescriptions online and receive shipments directly…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
December 13, 2024
Share

The anesthesia staffing crisis: How we got here, what hospitals can do

Takeaways • Documentation and coding procedures are rife with opportunity for cost savings. • Passed in 2022, the No Surprises Act is designed to protect insured patients from surprise billing for emergency services from out-of-network providers. However, the result has been nearly 40% cuts in reimbursements to anesthesiologists. • OR…

Read More

By: Brita Belli
November 20, 2024
Share

Analysis: Overuse of back surgeries costs Medicare $2 billion, risks patient safety

Editor's Note More than 200,000 unnecessary back surgeries were performed on older adults from 2019 to 2021, costing Medicare approximately $2 billion and exposing patients to avoidable risks, according to a November 14 analysis from the Lown Institute. The evaluation focused on spinal fusion, laminectomy, and vertebroplasty procedures, which are…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
November 15, 2024
Share

AHA's Congressional "wish list" calls for financial relief, patient access, workforce protections

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…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
November 14, 2024
Share

GOP-controlled Senate to prioritize drug pricing, health agency reform

Editor's Note Republicans secured a 51-seat majority in the US Senate after victories in Ohio and West Virginia, promising a power shift that will see GOP leaders shaping decisions on pressing issues like drug pricing, public health agency reform, and rural healthcare. On November 6, STAT published an overview of…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
November 6, 2024
Share

2025 Medicare reimbursement cuts spark concern among physicians

Editor's Note Doctors facing inflationary and operational cost increases are decrying recently finalized 2025 Medicare reimbursement rates, according to a November 4 report in Healthcare Dive. The 2025 rates reduce physician payments by 2.9% while increasing rates for hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) by 2.9%, the outlet…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
November 5, 2024
Share

Study: Preoperative nutrition program reduces surgical complications, costs

Editor's Note A system-wide preoperative nutrition program resulted in shorter hospital stays and fewer postoperative complications across the Allegheny Health Network, according to a study presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2024. Medical Xpress reported the news October 18. According to the article, researchers analyzed data from…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
October 24, 2024
Share

Study: Repeated fasting for multiple surgeries risks malnutrition, mortality

Editor's Note Research shows repeated fasting for multiple surgeries during a single hospital stay significantly raises the risk of protein-calorie malnutrition, leading to longer recovery times, increased healthcare costs, and a higher likelihood of death. HealthDay covered the news October 21. Presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meeting,…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
October 24, 2024
Share

Deep neuromuscular blockade aids laparoscopic surgeons, but not necessarily patients

Editor's Note Research shows a deeper neuromuscular block (NMB) can help perform complex abdominal surgeries laparoscopically without impacting intraoperative safety or patient outcomes, according to an October 20 report in MedPage Today. Conducted across European centers and announced at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual meeting, the randomized trial enrolled…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
October 23, 2024
Share

Educational program enhances perioperative nurses' knowledge on pressure injury prevention

Editor's Note A study led by researchers at Yeshiva University showed an educational intervention program significantly improved perioperative nurses’ understanding of pressure-injury prevention, with the benefits lasting for at least six months following the training. Results were published August 23 in Applied Nursing Research. Conducted among 354 nurses from 11…

Read More

By: Matt Danford
October 23, 2024
Share

Join our community

Learn More
Video Spotlight
Live chat by BoldChat