Editor's Note Two major hospital systems–Universal Health Services (UHS) and Tenet Healthcare–saw improved third-quarter profits in 2023, but Community Health Systems (CHS) and HCA Healthcare did not see similar upward trends, HealthLeaders November 3 reports.  According to the article, rising demand in services at UHS drove third-quarter earnings up 6.8%…

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Editor's Note Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) have improved significantly after infection rates spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the nonprofit safety organization the Leapfrog Group, PRNewswire November 6 reports. According to the data, over 85% of hospitals improved performance on at least one of three dangerous infections: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on November 1 announced the release of the 2024 ORYX performance measure reporting requirements, which will be effective starting on January 1, 2024, for critical access hospitals and hospitals. In the new requirements, acute care hospitals and critical access hospitals must join The Joint Commission National…

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Editor's Note Patients in Maryland hospitals on mechanical ventilators were exposed to two dangerous pathogens, which are becoming growing threats in hospital systems, according to a new report published on October 12 by JAMA Network.  The report analyzed survey data from 51 participating healthcare facilities. The data included 482 patients…

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The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced that the National Prescription Drug 'Take Back Day' is this Saturday, October 28. The day allows the public to dispose safely of prescription drugs. On that day, the public is invited to dispose of unneeded medications at almost 5,000 local drop-off locations nationwide,…

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Editor's Note In a ranking of over 3,000 hospitals done by the Lown Institute, a nonprofit and nonpartisan think tank in Needham, Massachusetts, researchers found that while inclusion is being prioritized at some hospitals, segregated healthcare markets remain in cities like New Orleans, St. Louis, and Detroit.  The findings were…

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Editor's Note According to a study from health economics consulting firm Dobson | DaVanzo, submitted to the American Hospital Association (AHA) on August 1, physician-owned hospitals (POHs) "publicly report on fewer Medicare quality measures and perform worse on readmission penalties than full-service community hospitals" AHA August 3 reports. "The study…

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Editor's Note On July 13, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposal that would increase Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system rates by a net 2.8% in 2024 compared to 2023, including a “proposed 3% market basket update, offset by a 0.2% cut for productivity,” the…

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With healthcare costs continuing to rise, hospitals, payers, and patients are looking for different venues for care and ways to cut costs while maintaining quality and safety. As more surgical procedures are safely performed in outpatient settings, more ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are being built or restructured. Partnerships between hospitals…

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Editor's Note The Biden Administration on March 2 released a National Cybersecurity Strategy that includes a comprehensive approach to accomplish the following: “strengthen collaboration with stakeholders to defend critical infrastructure; disrupt and dismantle threat actors; shape market forces to drive security and resilience; invest in a resilient future; and forge…

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