Tag: Reimbursement

Study: Most hospitals received penalties for excess readmissions

Editor's Note More than half of hospitals were penalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in all five years of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) initiated by the Affordable Care Act, this study finds. Among the study findings: Penalties doubled since the beginning of the program, from…

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By: Judy Mathias
May 2, 2017
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CMS releases proposed FY 2018 inpatient payments, policies

Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 14 issued a proposed rule that would update FY 2018 Medicare inpatient payments and policies. Among the changes, the rule: would increase payment rates by 1.6%, after accounting for inflation and other adjustments required by law includes an…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 18, 2017
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Study: Physicians now spend half their time on computer tasks

Editor's Note Over time, electronic health records (EHRs) show a decline in face-to-face patient assessments by physicians and an increase in computer tasks, this study finds. Physicians now spend 50% of their time with patients and 50% of their time on computers.  The analysis included 471 physicians who worked on…

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By: Judy Mathias
April 7, 2017
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Surgery center consolidation on the rise

Editor's Note A March 23 report by Axios finds “massive consolidation among ambulatory surgery centers” (ASCs), and more is expected because about half of some 5,500 ASCs are not owned by chains. ASCs are becoming a target for acquisition because they are high-profit organizations. Recent financial reports show: Envision Healthcare (260…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 29, 2017
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Reduced risk of pressure injuries in hospitals with WOC certified nurses

Editor's Note Hospitals that employ nurses certified in wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) care have lower rates of hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs), finds this study. Of 928 hospital included in the analysis, 36.6% employed WOC certified nurses. Hospitals with WOC certified nurses had lower HAPI rates and better pressure injury…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 27, 2017
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Effect of hospital and specialty factors on readmissions

Editor's Note Hospital surgical readmissions are primarily explained by patient- and procedure-specific factors and less by broader specialty and hospital effects, this study finds. There was no correlation between specialty-specific readmissions for general and orthopedic, general and vascular, and vascular and orthopedic procedures. Within specialties, there were modest correlations between…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 23, 2017
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Effect of gender on hospital satisfaction after total hip

Editor's Note Differences in perception of hospital care exist between men and women after total hip replacement (THR), finds this study presented March 14 at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Diego. Using patient satisfaction data from Press Ganey, researchers found that staff…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 21, 2017
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CMS interim rule delays bundled payment programs

Editor's Note In an interim final rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed expansion of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundled payment program and  implementation of its bundled payment programs for cardiac care from July 1 to October 1, 2017, the March 20 Modern…

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By: Judy Mathias
March 20, 2017
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Executive order pushes back implementation of bundled payment models

Editor's Note An executive order by President Donald Trump that freezes new regulations has pushed back implementation of new and expanded Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) bundled payment models by 60 days, the February 20 Home Health Care News reports. Mixed feelings continue in the healthcare industry as…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 28, 2017
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Novel program decreases readmissions of ileostomy patients

Editor's Note Implementation of a novel program by researchers from Emory University, Atlanta, for patients with newly created ileostomies reduced 30-day readmissions by 58% and cost of readmissions per patient by more than 80%. Typically, nearly 30% of patients with newly-formed ileostomies require readmission from severe dehydration or associated complications.…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 21, 2017
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