Health industry employee benefit costs up 14.6% since 2004

The annual cost of benefits per employee averaged $21,364 in 2018, according to an analysis by Bay Alarm Medical.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 22, 2019

Private equity boost, upskilling workers among 2019 sector trends, PwC reports

With the average health insurance deductible triple what it was a decade ago, the consultancy believes 2019 could also be the year for value line products and services — similar to the Southwest Airlines approach.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 18, 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

Clinicians, hospital admin: Leave these 3 biases at the door

To focus completely on patient care, hospital administration and physicians need to work together in an environment of trust, argues Pat Cormier, managing director of consultancy Kotter.

By Pat Cormier • Jan. 18, 2019

VA authors report wait times beat private sector: JAMA

A Veteran Affairs researcher-authored study compared wait times at government facilities and private hospitals between 2014 and 2017 and found the agency has moved past its harrowed days of high-profile wait time delays.

By Tony Abraham • Jan. 18, 2019

eTransactions saw usage upswing in 2018: report

Findings from the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare show real momentum for electronic administrative transactions, a crucial step toward reducing physician burnout and increasing workplace efficiency.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 18, 2019

Nearly half of doctors feel burned out, Medscape survey shows

Urologists, neurologists and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists have the highest burnout levels, according to the report.

By Les Masterson • Jan. 17, 2019

HCA's $1.5B buy of Mission gets North Carolina AG nod

The approval comes after the hospital giant pledged to double the period it will provide comprehensive services in rural hospitals and keep all of Mission's facilities open until 2029.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 17, 2019

Coursera adds healthcare vertical with 15 university partners

The online learning platform is rolling out the new offerings, which include two master's degrees, to address growing demand for healthcare workers. 

By Natalie Schwartz • Jan. 17, 2019

No single solution to patient matching challenge, GAO says

Questions about the accuracy of digital matching tools force providers to recheck results manually, according to the government watchdog.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 16, 2019

Traditional players focused on value-based care, interoperability to drive innovation, experts argue

Four panelists agreed Wednesday that the Trump administration is making some headway in initiatives that prioritize quality over quantity of care, but it's not enough.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 16, 2019

Hospital drug spend spiked 19% from 2015-17, coalition says

The report, sponsored in part by the American Hospital Association, is the latest sortie in the ongoing PR battle between providers and pharmaceutical companies over who exactly is to blame for skyrocketing drug prices in the U.S.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 16, 2019

Study shows impact of urgent care centers on nonemergent ED usage

The effect was limited to areas with multiple urgent care centers and privately insured patients, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 15, 2019

Tenet renews ties with Humana, Anthem

After years of a rocky relationship, Humana members will have in-network access to Tenet's hospitals, outpatient centers and physician groups. Anthem BC members will also have access to Tenet's providers in California. 

By Tony Abraham • Updated Jan. 16, 2019

Payer, provider trends to watch in 2019

This year the industry will reckon with some massive changes set in motion in 2018, such as megamergers like CVS-Aetna and a judge's contentious declaration that the Affordable Care Act is no longer constitutional.

By Tony Abraham , Samantha Liss • Jan. 14, 2019

Healthcare M&A now more about strategy than opportunity, Kaufman Hall says

The average size in revenue of healthcare sellers was more than $400 million last year, according to the analysis.

By Les Masterson • Jan. 14, 2019

S&P sees mostly stable outlook for nonprofit hospitals this year

Overall, 81% of nonprofit hospitals are stable, with a roughly even split between security ratings upgrades and downgrades, according to the ratings agency.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 14, 2019

About 1 in 5 healthcare payments is tied to value-based model

Participation in major clinical registries is growing on average 7% annually, according to the new paper on quality initiatives and resource needs. Tracking quality measures through registries is a critical step to value-based payments.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 11, 2019

NorthShore, Color seek 10K primary care patients for genomic testing

The DNA10K initiative aims to provide insights on genetic risk factors and improve patient outcomes through more personalized care.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 11, 2019

Report calls for privatizing West Virginia's state-run hospitals

Ownership and operations of the seven hospitals would be transferred to a Hospital Facilities Authority, which would explore various privatization options.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 11, 2019

Hospitals not adequately preparing patients for post-acute care, report finds

Families spoke out about not having enough support or resources to make the best decisions.

By Les Masterson • Jan. 11, 2019

ONC to Congress: Room for improvement in data sharing

Ongoing barriers to seamless data sharing range from technical and financial to trust and business practices, according to the HHS IT department's latest progress report.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 10, 2019

How AI could shape the health tech landscape in 2019

Highlights include technologies that seek to cut costs and promote patient health, especially in the areas of imaging, diagnostics, predictive analytics and administration.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 10, 2019

Healthcare positions dominate U.S. News best jobs list

The publication said industry's dominance on the top lists is connected to "high salaries and low unemployment rates."

By Les Masterson • Jan. 10, 2019

Chicago's Rush hospitals deploying 5G via AT&T collaboration

The integrated health system said it is the first in the country to use fifth-generation network technology.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 9, 2019

DTC spending outpaces rest of medical marketing, JAMA study finds

Companies spent $30 billion on medical marketing in 2016, up 60% from two decades ago. Direct-to-consumer spending more than tripled over that time.

By Andrew Dunn • Jan. 9, 2019