Practice Management: Page 2

Providers call CARES funds a lifeline — but some say headaches not worth risks

Legal experts Healthcare Dive spoke with had provider clients opting to return the funds, citing unwillingness to accept the terms and fears over potential risks that come with accepting the money.

By Samantha Liss • June 04, 2020

CMS relaxing more value-based model requirements in wake of pandemic

The changes are aimed at minimizing reporting burden and increasing flexibilities for providers as they continue to face great financial and logistical challenges from the novel coronavirus.

By Shannon Muchmore • June 03, 2020

Sluggish patient volume could jeopardize hospitals repaying advanced Medicare funds, report suggests

Older patients lead the pack in returning to emergency rooms while younger generations had smaller declines in visit activity overall and are returning to all care settings faster, a survey of 500 hospitals by Transunion found.

By Hailey Mensik • June 01, 2020

Sponsored by McKesson

Recalibrating the supply chain to serve the "new normal"

While much of the road forward is uncharted, there are three things to consider that may alleviate stresses for the supply chain and clinicians.

Medtechs eye key role of ASCs in return of elective care

Elective procedures were increasingly moving from hospitals to lower-cost ambulatory surgery centers prior to COVID-19. Now, ASCs may have a new advantage as a setting where patients feel safer returning to care.

By Maria Rachal • May 28, 2020

Providers take steps to ease patient fears, but see restart of elective care taking months

The biggest worry among officials at health systems and ambulatory surgery centers is the possibility of an outbreak or second wave, followed by low patient demand and inadequate supplies, according to a survey from Deloitte.

By Shannon Muchmore • May 28, 2020

HCA tells nurses union to give up bargained wage increases — or face layoffs

The country's largest nurses union said HCA is also threatening elimination of employer contributions to 401k plans, wage freezes and pay cuts if they do not give up contractually-promised raises.

By Hailey Mensik • May 26, 2020

What hospitals are doing to make patients feel comfortable coming back

Health systems face worried patients, according to recent polls. But volumes are picking back up in states where restrictions have been lifted.

By Hailey Mensik • May 22, 2020

COVID-19 has upended how Americans obtain healthcare

A new survey by the Alliance of Community Health Plans and the pharmacist lobby AMCP found nearly 40% of respondents plan to delay future care.

By Ron Shinkman • May 21, 2020

PAs gain authority during COVID-19 pandemic, but still face layoffs, furloughs

Over the past few months, 21 states have taken action — eight through executive orders — to waive practice requirements for physician assistants. But the financial strain on health systems has also led to job cuts.

By Hailey Mensik • May 20, 2020

UnitedHealth, Microsoft launch COVID-19 screening app for employers

UnitedHealth will control employees' medical data and manage opt-in and consent requirements for users, the healthcare behemoth said Friday. The app will not provide tracking or contact tracing information.

By Rebecca Pifer • May 15, 2020

Orthopaedic surgeons predict return to somewhat normal volumes in 6 months

While procedures are expected to steadily ramp up over the next six months, Jefferies analysts found that more will be performed outside of hospitals — a trend accelerated by the pandemic.

By Hailey Mensik • May 12, 2020

Healthcare sector lost stunning 1.4M jobs in April

The bulk of jobs shed were concentrated in ambulatory services, which lost more than 1 million jobs, presumably due to the widespread cancellation of elective procedures during the pandemic.

By Ron Shinkman • May 11, 2020

Sponsored by Moss Adams

4 ways lean health care helps hospitals confront sepsis and other safety concerns

Learn how to consistently ensure highest patient safety by empowering your front line at the point of care through lean methodologies.

By Dahlia Mak, Managing Director, Moss Adams Lean Health Care Practice • May 08, 2020

Doctor On Demand inks pact with Massachusetts for COVID-19-related telemedicine

The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, covers the uninsured and comes on the heels of a separate agreement covering Medicaid and CHIP.

By Ron Shinkman • April 26, 2020

Community oncology practices turn to mergers, private equity to avoid hospital acquisition

Still, the Community Oncology Alliance report found the rate of hospitals buying these cancer practices rose almost 10% between 2018 and 2020, in part due to financial incentives built into the 340B Drug Discount Program.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 24, 2020

Outpatient visits plunged in second half of March, Commonwealth Fund says

Among the hardest hit were ophthalmology visits, which fell 79% as of April 5 and dermatology, which was down 73%.

By Ron Shinkman • April 23, 2020

Half of US physicians using telemedicine amid pandemic, survey finds

Nearly one-third of physicians who responded to Merritt Hawkins said they plan to change practice settings, leave patient care roles, temporarily shut their practices or retire after the COVID-19 crisis.

By Hailey Mensik • April 23, 2020

1/5 of primary care practices could close within next month as US mulls reopening economy

More than two-fifths of practices have had to lay off or furlough staff to keep afloat as the large majority face dramatic decreases in patient volume, a new survey of more than 2,600 doctors found.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 20, 2020

Public health agencies, commercial labs warn patchy IT infrastructure hobbling COVID-19 response

"Public health is spending time digitizing the information, rather than being able to immediately analyze and act upon it," Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, said.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 17, 2020

Could coronavirus derail the decades-long shift to value-based care?

"This is not about managing a population. This is about doing everything you can to keep these people alive," Dean Ungar, vice president of Moody's Investors Service, told Healthcare Dive.

By Rebecca Pifer • April 15, 2020

Doctors say COVID-19 has slashed patient volumes, made finances shaky

A new survey of doctors by Piper Sandler concludes physician practices have been deeply impacted by the coronavirus, with patient encounters down by nearly two-thirds.

By Ron Shinkman • April 13, 2020

AHA seeks $25K per hospital bed from emergency COVID-19 fund

The unprecedented package signed late last week gave wide discretion to HHS for how the $100 billion to health systems would be divided and sent to providers.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 01, 2020

Dorm rooms as hospitals, ER telehealth: CMS creates 'unprecedented' flexibility as COVID-19 rages on

Hospital groups on Tuesday applauded the actions from CMS, with the American Hospital Association calling the ability to care for patients outside of hospitals' four walls a "critical lifeline."

By Shannon Muchmore • UPDATED: April 1, 2020 at 9:12 a.m.

Telehealth, retail clinic use increasing in pivot toward lower-priced medical delivery sites

Telehealth use grew 12% and retail clinic use grew 10% from 2017 to 2018, according to a new report from nonprofit FAIR Health.

By Rebecca Pifer • March 31, 2020