Mayo Clinic nabs top spot (again) in U.S. News best hospital rankings

The publication updated its methodology this year, adding a measure on the likelihood a patient would be discharged home and an assessment of patient experience.

By Linda Wilson • July 30, 2019

Intermountain spinoff Castell CEO: Providers need nudge en route to value-based care

Rajesh Shrestha spoke to Healthcare Dive about the newly created company, how it might generate revenue and potential partners.

By Shannon Muchmore • July 29, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

Surprise Billing

Federal legislation banning surprise bills has hit a barrage of roadblocks, complicating efforts to protect consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges.

By Healthcare Dive staff

Hospital profitability down as operators lack flexibility to cut costs, Kaufman Hall says

A drop in June marked the first decline this year. Operating margins were down 1.88%, according to a report from Kaufman Hall.

By Shannon Muchmore • July 29, 2019

UHS to pay $127M in DOJ settlement, says criminal probe closed

The hospital chain has been saving money to pay the feds, with a reserve reaching $134 million as of June 30.

By Samantha Liss • July 26, 2019

Despite some headwinds, healthcare deal volume remains robust

The value of the deals was also on the rise: over 10% higher than the average of the preceding seven quarters, according to a new report from PwC.

By Ron Shinkman • July 26, 2019

Hospital groups propose overhaul to patient satisfaction survey

The questionnaire "has a great track record, but it has not been closely looked at in more than a decade," said Federation of American Hospitals President Chip Kahn, adding hospital care has evolved in that time.

By Shannon Muchmore • July 25, 2019

Tenet to spin off revenue cycle management arm Conifer

The hospital operator first said it was mulling the sale of Conifer in December 2017 as part of a cost-reduction program. The deal is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2021.

By Shannon Muchmore • July 24, 2019

CMS' Verma blasts 'Medicare for All,' public option in rhetoric ramp up

The remarks were unusually strong for the CMS leader. Though she has often beat the party drum on plans conservatives call a dangerous step toward socialism, the breadth and specifics of her critique expanded.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • July 23, 2019

Nonprofit US generics company secures supplier in Hikma

The hospital-created group Civica Rx signed a deal for production of 14 sterile injectables, aiming to alleviate drug shortages.

By Jonathan Gardner • July 23, 2019

Medical practice groups saw better margins in 2018

Total profit per physician in independent practice associations rose to $2,510 per doctor last year, up from $2,396, according to AMGA Consulting's annual physician group survey.

By Ron Shinkman • July 19, 2019

Provider M&A revenue volume at highest levels since 2017

Health systems saw $11.3 billion in revenue from deal transactions during the period, the second highest on record, a Kaufman Hall report found. At the same time, the total number of deals fell.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • July 18, 2019

Spending on primary care paltry, but some states ramping up

Increasing spending on primary care lowers emergency department visits and hospitalizations, according to the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative's 2019 Evidence Report, but America isn't funding it.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • July 17, 2019

Care New England pulls out of merger discussions

CNE and Lifespan, Rhode Island's two largest healthcare systems, had been in talks with Brown University about creating a locally run academic medical center.

By Linda Wilson • July 17, 2019

Intermountain starts new company to spur shift toward value

The effort will be led by Rajesh Shrestha, Intermountain vice president and chief operating officer of community based care.

By Shannon Muchmore • July 16, 2019

An important first step toward eliminating the transplant waitlist

Global Liver Institute president and CEO Donna Cryer discusses how the U.S. liver transplant system has failed patients — and how President Donald Trump's ambitious new renal care plan could help.

By Donna Cryer • July 15, 2019

Participation in APMs, MIPS climbed significantly in 2018

Many physicians have rejected the programs, saying they contain too many rules and rely too much on expensive investments in EHRs.

By Ron Shinkman • July 15, 2019

CMS to delay star ratings update pending expert panel review

The agency will convene an expert panel to look at the star ratings system, which is deeply unpopular with providers, and decide whether it's due for a facelift.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • July 12, 2019

Health sector in better place to weather recession than in 2008, analysis finds

Providers would have less exposure to uncompensated care because of expanded Medicaid and ACA subsidies, according to McKinsey. Still, the report projects an earnings hit between 5%-20% for payers and 5%-30% for providers.

By Linda Wilson • July 11, 2019

Beaumont, Summa sign letter of intent to merge

A Beaumont spokesman said the organizations will buy out Mercy Health's minority stake in Summa, but exact terms of the deal are not being disclosed. It is expected to be finalized by the end of this year.

By Shannon Muchmore • July 10, 2019

Amazon momentum in medical supply chain slows, poll finds

A UBS survey of hospital purchasing managers found providers are allocating a smaller percentage of such purchases to the retail giant this year.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • July 9, 2019

Healthcare Dive's 10 biggest stories of the spring

From Amazon pushing into the prescription delivery sector to CVS-Aetna struggling to finalize their merger settlement agreement, read the top stories from the first half of the year.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • July 8, 2019

Doctors significantly over-allocated times to perform joint replacements, study shows

Time periods estimated to perform medical procedures, known as relative value units, are crucial for determining how much surgeons and other doctors are paid for their work under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

By Ron Shinkman • July 3, 2019

Hospital margins improved in May on increased patient volumes

However, hospitals with 300 to 499 beds experienced declining margins year over year despite the uptick in volumes. The latest Kaufman Hall report blames higher non-labor expenses for the cohort.

By Samantha Liss • July 2, 2019

EHR messaging, workflow can be redesigned to address burnout, study suggests

Doctors who reported a higher average of EHR-generated messages had a greater likelihood of burnout and said more often they wanted to cut their clinical work hours, according to new research in Health Affairs.

By Ron Shinkman • July 1, 2019

Drug shortages add millions to hospital costs, survey finds

All 365 hospitals responding to the survey reported shortages, and two-thirds experienced at least 20 shortages for the six-month period ending last year.

By Fran Kritz • June 28, 2019