Editor's Note Hospital readmission app could save billions An award-winning app developed by graduate students at Binghamton University, State University of New York, could help reduce readmission rates and save the healthcare industry billions. The Android-based mobile app called “Post Discharge Treatment and Readmission Predictor,” creates a special messaging service…

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Editor's Note Moving to information systems and data requirements of the new value-based payment (VBP) reimbursement system is proving to be a daunting challenge for healthcare providers, the June 13 Health Data Management reports. A survey of healthcare executives from 190 hospitals shows that only 3% of respondents provide more…

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Editor's Note An analysis of US commercial health insurance claims found ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) reduce the cost of outpatient surgery by more than $38 billion per year compared to hospital outpatient departments, the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association said in a June 14 report. The study, which included more than…

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Editor's Note Performing free colonoscopies for uninsured patients at high risk for colorectal cancer can identify cancers at an earlier stage and is cost neutral for a health system, this study finds. Of 682 uninsured patients screened, 9 cancers ( 1 stage 0, 3 stage I, 2 stage II, and…

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In this challenging healthcare environment, OR leaders have a fiscal responsibility to help hospitals meet financial goals that contribute to a healthy bottom line. There is no more expensive procedure you can have in the hospital than to spend time in the OR,” says Keith Siddel, PhDc, JD, MBA, CHC.…

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Editor's Note Over the next 10 years, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will cost $1.34 trillion, which is $136 billion more than the Congressional Budget Office predicted a year ago, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The hike in costs is mostly a result of higher-than-expected enrollment in the expanded Medicaid…

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Editor's Note Physician practices each year spend 785 hours per physician to track and report quality measures for Medicare and private health insurers at a cost of  more than $15.4 billion a year, this study finds. Eight in 10 physicians surveyed reported spending more effort on quality measures now than…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 19 announced proposed changes to the Medicare Advantage program for CY 2017, which would increase payment rates by a net 1.35%, the February 19 Modern Healthcare reports. When factoring in the risk coding tendencies, Medicare Advantage insurers’ revenue…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and major health insurance plans, in concert with physician groups and other stakeholders, on February 16 announced a new agreement to standardize measures of quality for physicians. The agreement outlines seven core measure sets to be used as a basis…

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Editor's Note Increased patient cost-sharing among privately insured, nonelderly patients was associated with lower odds of readmission after abdominal surgery in this study. A $1,284 increase in patient out-of-pocket payments during admission for surgery was associated with a 19% decrease in the odds of 7-day readmission and a 17% decrease…

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