Prior authorization moves to EHRs

Manual prior authorization can create administrative burdens for practices and hospitals, but case studies show some success in making the process electronic.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 15, 2018

5 key takeaways from hospitals' Q2 results

Earnings were mixed for hospital operators in the second quarter, with winners and losers beginning to emerge amid industry uncertainty. 

By Tony Abraham , Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Aug. 15, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

Provider burnout

Hospitals are still struggling with provider burnout, after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated underlying staffing issues and prompted workers to quit their jobs.

By Healthcare Dive staff

Vital signs can be tampered with on hospital networks, McAfee report suggests

Undetected changes in vital signs could cause patients to get the wrong medication or undergo additional tests, according to McAfee.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 14, 2018

Mayo Clinic tops U.S. News best hospital list for third straight year

Three of the other top five hospitals also held onto last year's ranking: Cleveland Clinic (2nd), Johns Hopkins (3rd) and Massachusetts General (4th).

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 14, 2018

Nearly 20% of inpatient admissions include out-of-network charge

A Kaiser Family Foundation report found the issue of surprise billing is especially problematic for care in ERs and for psychological or substance abuse treatment.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 14, 2018

Mayo board picks Florida CEO as next leader

Gianrico Farrugia, who also spent nearly 30 years as a physician for the organization, will take over for John Noseworthy at the end of the year.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 13, 2018

Quorum eyes up to $215M from asset sales as net loss grows

The Brentwood, Tennessee-based company's operating revenue declined 9% to $959.9 million in H1 2018.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 10, 2018

Cigna wins Texas underpaid claims lawsuit

North Cypress Medical Center charged that the payer owed $50 million in unpaid claims, but Cigna said the hospitals's fee-forgiving policy for out-of-network care is illegal.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 10, 2018

CMS proposes Medicare ACO revamp to force risk

Proposed changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, a cornerstone of the Affordable Care Act, would force accountable care organizations to take on risk sooner. Critics fear this will chase participants out of the program.

By Tony Abraham • Aug. 10, 2018

Scripps net income takes huge hit despite strong revenue growth

The San Diego-based nonprofit said operating revenue growth was fueled by gains in patient volumes, outpatient visits and larger provider fee revenue.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 9, 2018

Academic medical centers lag behind other facilities for cost, quality

Despite improvements on some metrics, AMCs still face more Medicare value-based program penalties, according to a Navigant report.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 9, 2018

Novel antibiotic moves closer to FDA approval

The committee voted 17-1 and 14-4 in favor of approving omadacycline for two kinds of infection.

By Jacob Bell • Aug. 9, 2018

UnityPoint's second data breach this year could prompt expanded lawsuit

The Des Moines-based nonprofit notified 1.4 million people last week that their information may have been compromised after a phishing attack similar to a separate data breach the company acknowledged in April.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 8, 2018

Fitch brightens its view on nonprofit hospitals

More than a quarter of facilities got upgrades in the latest review of issuers.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 8, 2018

Kaiser Permanente's Q2 revenue growth driven by higher premiums, new members

The Oakland-based health system also saw a 47% decrease in operating revenue that it blamed on a new accounting standard.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 7, 2018

Hospital-employed PAs earn more, see more leadership options, report finds

The American Academy of Physician Assistants' new salary study showed that overall median base salary increased from $102,000 in 2016 to $105,000 in 2017.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 6, 2018

JAMA report outlines ways to foster inclusive workplaces

Non-inclusive work environments have adverse effects on job performance and employee well-being that can eventually lead to lower-quality care, according to the report.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 6, 2018

NIST offers 'how to' for securing EHRs on mobile devices

Such devices are ubiquitous in healthcare, raising concerns about security and privacy of personal health information.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 3, 2018

CMS finalizes rule requiring hospitals to post prices online

The inpatient rule also cuts reporting periods down to 90 consecutive days, nixes the 25% threshold policy for long-term care hospitals and cuts a number of reporting measures.

By Tony Abraham • Aug. 3, 2018

Healthcare M&A remains hot, but value fell in Q2

Despite the activity, there was only one industry megadeal in the quarter — KKR's $10 billion buy of Envision.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 3, 2018

Geisinger, AstraZeneca roll out apps to improve asthma care

The digital suite combines EHR and patient-reported data feeds to track and monitor symptoms and attacks and then triages patients.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 1, 2018

Provider consolidation outpacing payer in most of US, study shows

Nearly 90% of metropolitan statistical areas have highly- or super-concentrated provider markets, according to The Commonwealth Fund.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 1, 2018

Less than half of Americans worry about personal health data security

In contrast, nearly 70% of adults surveyed said they were extremely or very concerned about the security of their financial data.

By Meg Bryant • July 31, 2018

Patients often choose higher-cost locations for MRIs, study finds

Referring physicians have more influence over a patient's decision than out-of-pocket costs, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research report.

By Les Masterson • July 31, 2018

Industry split on CMS site neutrality proposal

Hospitals and health systems say site-neutral payments would hinder access for patients. Doctors and some policy experts argue that access shouldn't hinge on payment disparity. 

By Tony Abraham • July 31, 2018