Hospital Administration
-
UnitedHealthcare terminates Mednax from its network over pricing squabble
The dispute puts patients, particularly those undergoing surgery, women with high-risk pregnancies and ill newborns, at risk of out-of-network bills in four states: Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
By Samantha Liss • Feb. 21, 2020 -
Community Health Systems reports $675M net loss in 2019
The Tennessee-based hospital operator continued to shed hospitals last year, contributing to a decline of total admissions.
By Samantha Liss • Feb. 20, 2020 -
CommonSpirit posts 1st operating gain since merger finalized
The documents paint a better picture for the system formed a year ago by Dignity Health and Catholic Health Initiatives, which has struggled financially since its union.
By Shannon Muchmore • UPDATED: Feb. 19, 2020 at 4:45 p.m. -
Most large hospitals embrace patient-facing digital tools despite cost concerns
Respondents said they were helping patients manage simple tasks like accessing health records, making appointments and paying bills, according to a new survey from the Center for Connected Medicine.
By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 19, 2020 -
FDA tracks uptick in masks, other protective gear in coronavirus update
Commissioner Stephen Hahn said the shift in ordering patterns is yet to manifest in a shortage but warned recently the situation is "evolving and very dynamic."
By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 19, 2020 -
Richer not-for-profit hospitals less generous with charity care, JAMA analysis finds
Hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act also tend to provide less charity care, the survey of 2,500 health systems found.
By Ron Shinkman • Feb. 18, 2020 -
Ascension's income from operations falls 9% over 6 months
While total discharges remained stagnant, the Catholic system's biggest volume growth came from physician office and clinic visits, which increased 8.3% during the period compared to a year earlier.
By Samantha Liss • Feb. 18, 2020 -
Last year saw 19 rural hospitals close, most in nearly a decade
The states with the highest number of closures in the past 10 years are Texas at 20 and Tennessee at 12, followed by Oklahoma and Georgia with seven each, according to a report from The Chartis Center for Rural Health.
By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 18, 2020 -
Ballad Health reports stable quarter despite rural patient headwinds
Moody's Investors Service affirmed the rating of the system's bonds at Baa1 and maintains a positive outlook on its operations, which dominate a large swath of Appalachia.
By Samantha Liss • Feb. 14, 2020 -
Moody's weighs coronavirus impact across hospitals, other sectors
For hospitals, the impact will depend on the length of stay for patients. Any further outbreak would increase volumes but could pressure margins if facilities are forced to cancel more lucrative elective procedures.
By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 13, 2020 -
Tenet to pay $1.4M to settle claims it implanted cardiac monitors unnecessarily
The allegations stemmed from a lawsuit filed by a medical center employee who will share in the settlement and is set to receive nearly $241,000.
By Samantha Liss • Feb. 12, 2020 -
1 in 5 surgery patients hit with surprise medical bill, JAMA study finds
Anesthesiologist and surgical assistants were associated with the most out-of-network charges. The findings come as lawmakers in Congress debate rival proposals to curb the unexpected bills this week.
By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 11, 2020 -
Hospitals, clinics most likely to be hit with ransomware attack
Nearly 1,500 healthcare companies have been hit with an attack over the past four years, affecting 6.6 million patients, according to a report published Tuesday by Comparitech, which rates IT privacy tools.
By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 11, 2020 -
Kaiser income nearly triples to $7.4B in 2019, driven by investments
The results come as nonprofit healthcare operators across the country face rising scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers for what critics call excessive profits for a tax-exempt entity.
By Samantha Liss • Feb. 10, 2020 -
Hospital margins rose in December following slump
Hospitals saw increased volumes and revenues in the last month of 2019 despite increases in bad debt and charity care, along with mixed performance on expenses, according to a new report from Kaufman Hall.
By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 06, 2020 -
VA facility claimed as 'world's 1st' 5G-enabled hospital
The Palo Alto Health Care System's 5G infrastructure — the fifth generation of cellular mobile communications — will be operational this week, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said Wednesday.
By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 06, 2020 -
Hospitals spent $2.5B on social determinant programs from 2017 to 2019
The amount health systems are putting into SDOH initiatives is dwarfed by $60 billion in community benefit spending, but it's nevertheless a "substantial investment," Health Affairs researchers note.
By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 04, 2020 -
Number of nurse practitioners more than doubled over 7 years
The increase led to an estimated loss of 80,000 registered nurses, and signals a potential shift of labor away from hospitals and into other primary care settings, Health Affairs researchers said.
By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 04, 2020 -
Payers, providers urge CMS to scrap rule targeting supplemental Medicaid payments
The AHA warned the rule would "severely curtail the availability of health care services to millions" of people and cut Medicaid payments to hospitals by up to $31 billion annually.
By Samantha Liss • Feb. 03, 2020 -
Codes for social determinants rarely used, analysis finds
The most frequently used code was for homelessness, followed by problems related to living alone and disappearance and death of a family member, according to CMS.
By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 30, 2020 -
After past Ebola struggles, US hospitals prepping for coronavirus uptick
Even though key questions remain about this coronavirus, hospital officials said they're well trained from prior experience including the threat of Ebola in 2014 and the 2009 outbreak of swine flu.
By Samantha Liss • Jan. 29, 2020 -
Lyft snags another major health system partner in CommonSpirit
The deal with the 21-state, $29 billion system is the latest move from the rideshare giant as it jostles for space beside Uber in the growing NEMT market.
By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 29, 2020 -
HCA sees jumps in inpatient, ER, surgeries in Q4
The hospital giant kicked off the start of earnings reports for the sector, pleasing Wall Street. CEO Sam Hazen also argued against the Trump administration's price transparency efforts.
By Samantha Liss • Jan. 28, 2020 -
Drug rebates from 340B, Medicaid could be applied twice, GAO finds
Poor oversight of the 340B Drug Discount Pricing Program and the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program may allow providers to improperly receive discounts from both, the watchdog said.
By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 28, 2020 -
Providers warned to be vigilant as coronavirus fear spreads
"We want people to have a high index of suspicion and to call if they have a patient they're concerned about," a CDC official said Sunday. Five cases are now confirmed in the U.S., but officials said they expect the number to climb.
By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 27, 2020
