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The whitepapers on HealthLeadersMedia.com includes case studies and research briefs on business and technology issues affecting healthcare organizations. Information on submitting a whitepaper to HealthLeaders Media.
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2004
In an era where CEOs must focus on quality initiatives, pay for performance, and clinical service line development, there is a dearth of physician leaders at most of our nation's hospitals. In our view, the alignment between senior management and physician leaders has never been more critical; for the first time, the clinical quality and economic imperatives of healthcare are becoming inextricably linked. The challenge for CEOs is to first acknowledge the growing dependence on physician leadership and then invest in the structure needed for it to happen. This white paper highlights best practices in physician leadership development, identifies the essential functions of physician leaders in the most successful health systems, and proposes several options for integrating physician leadership into your critical management processes. BY: ECG Management Consultants Seattle, Boston, Washington DC, San Diego, St. Louis insight.ecgmc.com.
True or False? A reduction in A/R days is a direct result of an effective denials management program. False. In fact, the exact opposite may be true. The following white paper explains why this common misperception and traditional denials management methods may not be the most effective means of preventing or recovering revenue losses. Learn the key assessment steps needed to implement solutions that can deliver ongoing annuity of recoverable revenue to improve the bottom line, all the while remaining compliant with third-party payer requirements. BY: MedAssets Alpharetta, GA www.medassets.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Choosing the Right CCRC Development Team The right development team is critical to a CCRC project's success, and it is vital for the sponsor to assemble the team that best fits its vision, goals, and objectives. This topic is discussed in Cain Brothers' most recent white paper titled "CCRCs: Bringing Transparency to the Development Process - the Key to Greater CCRC Viability." Cain Brothers recommends that nonprofit sponsors identify the critical development components they need assistance with and pursue a transparent selection process of the necessary development component providers. Done properly, the transparent process will align developer incentives with long-term project success, while also increasing overall affordability and project viability. Cain Brothers provides a road map. BY: Cain Brothers & Company, LLC New York, NY, Chicago, IL, Indianapolis, IN, Houston, TX, San Francisco, CA www.cainbrothers.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are transforming healthcare. They can save lives, improve patient care, and save money. They can make clinical care easier and more effective, whether in urban hospitals or rural physician practices, in home care settings or long-term care facilities. They are central to our future. BY: Misys Healthcare Systems, Raleigh, NC www.misysoptimum.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Five years after a landmark study revealed serious shortcomings in the U.S. healthcare system, problems with quality of care continue to afflict the system and costs continue to rise. One of the most promising solutions to emerge in recent years has been pay-for-performance (P4P), a concept by which hospitals and physicians are rewarded for following clinical guidelines and achieving optimal clinical outcomes. Many healthcare experts see pay-for-performance as perhaps the best current hope for salvaging the existing market-based payment system. BY: Jonathan Conklin, and Audrey Weiss, Ph.D. Medstat, Ann Arbor, MI www.medstat.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Population Health Management companies are able to identify 'at risk' employees before they become claims filers saving companies money and keeping workers healthier Armed with data collected through a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) and retrospective claims analysis, Gordian delivers targeted health improvement, coaching and education customized to each individual's health status and risk factors. A typical client using the HRA and lifestyle management program will experience ROI of $1.69 for each dollar spent for the program in year one; $2 in year two; and $2.46 in year three... Visit www.gordian-health.com for more information. (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
The "smart money" has always been interested in health care, but today there is so much money available that the smart money managers are targeting health care much more intensively for their new investments. And they are bidding up values. BY: Cain Brothers & Company, LLC New York, Chicago, Indianapolis, Houston, San Francisco www.cainbrothers.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Medicaid is now receiving more intense political attention than it has at any time in the last decade, and this paper on "Reshaping Health Policy: The Impact the Federal Budget Process May Have on Medicaid and Medicare," provides an almost up-to-the-minute report on both the substance and process of that debate. BY: Will Heyniger, Senior Manager, Washington Council Ernst & Young Richard Meltzer, Partner, Washington Council Ernst & Young, and Bruce C. Vladeck, Ph.D., Ernst & Young Senior Health Policy Advisor and former HCFA Administrator Ernst & Young, Indianapolis, IN www.ey.com/us/healthsciences (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
To address the unique coverage challenges of wireless transmissions, the QConnect service builds on this foundation by utilizing QUALCOMM's mobile management code and wireless optimized messaging protocols. Together with 365-day customer service and monitoring, this approach ensures that QUALCOMM can supply the three basic deliverables that mobile application and device providers demand.
BY: QUALCOMM Wireless Business Solutions San Diego, CA www.qualcomm.com/qwbs
(PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Marketing the new Medicare Part D plan is no easy challenge. There is major skepticism and confusion among beneficiaries. The key to enrollment will be to understand how seniors think, behave and to whom they consult when making complex healthcare decisions. ECI Healthcare has leveraged its extensive knowledge of marketing healthcare products and services to the senior market to develop this white paper that outlines the challenges and marketing solutions for effectively reaching Medicare beneficiaries. If you are marketing a Medicare Advantage PDP or a Medicare PDP, you should not overlook this comprehensive, insightful resource. BY: ECI Healthcare (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Hospitals and health care systems have embraced third party ownership and management of real estate, because it can preserve capital resources for acute care needs, eliminate the potential conflicts that arise in the landlord/tenant relationship between hospitals and referring physicians, and minimize the potential legal and regulatory challenges associated with leasing space to referring physicians. High profile transactions to convert existing medical office buildings and other non-core medical real estate to third party ownership and management have focused public attention on monetization over the past few years. Hospitals and systems are now beginning to use third parties to develop and own new medical real estate projects. This trend has received far less public attention than monetization, but it has the potential to have a more profound impact on capital structure decisions for hospitals and health systems. BY: CAIN BROTHERS & COMPANY, LLC New York, NY, Chicago, IL, Indianapolis, IN, Houston, TX, San Francisco, CA www.cainbrothers.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
THE SITUATION In early 2004, Rio Grande Regional Hospital (Rio Grande), a 320-bed Hospital Corporation of America (NYSE: HCA) facility in fast-growing McAllen, Texas, was feeling the pinch of the nationwide nursing shortage. Despite aggressive national recruiting efforts and generous signing bonuses, the hospital's nurse vacancy rate was hovering around 20 percent, contract labor costs exploded to $800,000 in the first quarter of 2004, and morale among the hospital's 500-plus full-time nurses was near an all-time low. THE SOLUTION In search of a solution, the hospital decided to experiment with a new staffing concept called shift-bidding. The idea is straightforward: Create a system that allows full-time employees to compete for unfilled shifts that typically go to agency nurses. By increasing the financial incentive for full-timers to add extra shifts, the dependence on agency labor is reduced. BY: Decision Critical Austin, TX www.decisioncritical.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
With more than 75 program implementations behind them, the experts at Gordian Health Solutions make it their business to know which employee hot buttons to push and how to push them to get the best results. Positive, carefully planned employee communication campaigns are at the core of great population health management benefit programs. When tied to management support and the right incentives, employee communication is the key to acceptance of the program and good participation rates in health risk assessment (HRA) and risk management programs. BY: Gordian Health Solutions Nashville, TN www.gordian-health.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Outcomes-based compensation is upon us, and it is imperative that physicians' voices be heard. If physicians in the United States want to transform the health care system into one that produces outcomes rather than merely producing services, a logical step is to make a declaration on how the incentives used to promote quality and outcomes should be designed. BY: American Healthways, Nashville, TN (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Development of case management as a profession surged in the latter part of the last century, due in large part to the birth in 1990 of two quality-focused organizations- URAC and the Case Management Society of America (CMSA). While CMSA focused its efforts on the standards of practice for the individual case manager, URAC focused its efforts on standards of practice for organizations that were providing case management services. Read more about how Case Management has become an integral part of the health care delivery system. BY: Health2 Resources Washington, D.C. www.urac.org (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Hospitals understandably became very leery about physician employment after the bubble burst on the practice acquisition boom of the 1990s. Now that the dust has settled, some of them are revisiting the strategy and deciding it is right for them. And for those health systems that persevered in employing physicians, this tactic is turning out to have more benefits-albeit completely different ones-than originally envisioned. Employing physicians can address a host of vital objectives, such as providing a vehicle for recruiting increasingly scarce specialists and jumpstarting service line development. Having learned from their previous mistakes, health systems today are employing physicians selectively, and under much different circumstances than before. BY: ECG Management Consultants Seattle, WA, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, San Diego, CA www.ecgmc.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Consumer-directed health care (CDH) plans are on track to become as mainstream as their PPO and HMO counterparts, so on June 6, 2005 URAC launched the first set of standards to address the quality of these programs. URAC (www.urac.org), the organization committed to promoting health care quality across the full spectrum of health service organizations, announced that its board has approved the first ever set of accreditation standards for Consumer Education and Support. The new standards are the first step towards addressing the unique demands of CDH products which call upon consumers to make more of their own decisions about health coverage and personal health. BY: Health2 Resources Washington, D.C. www.urac.org (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
The incidence of sepsis-a severe and sometimes fatal immunological response to infection-is on the rise in the United States, with serious implications for the health of patients and the financial health of hospitals. BY: Cesar M. Limjoco, MD, CCS, and Susan Whittier PhD, D[ABMM] BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ www. BD.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Seeking a partner to help them streamline their medical records management and comply with the privacy requirements of HIPAA, USPh turned to the experts from Iron Mountain for assistance. Iron Mountain provides management services for active and archived medical records and files for more than 4,500 healthcare providers, and off-site records management of over 125,000 customer accounts. Iron Mountain services are designed to assist medical records customers in meeting the information management standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Iron Mountain ensures that files are secure and accessible for rapid retrieval and delivery - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. BY: Iron Mountain, Boston, MA www.ironmountain.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
It may be hard to believe that something as sophisticated as a powerfully integrated software platform can transform lives by delivering personalized health management advice. But for those at risk for developing chronic disease or already suffering its consequences, that cyber-based encouragement from a Gordian Health Coach to eat a healthy diet, quit smoking, and exercise may be the apple-a-day needed most. BY: Gordian Health Solutions, Nashville, TN www.gordian-health.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Performance-driven leadership teams understand that effective hospital strategies are driven by a focused physician strategy. This means that your strategy needs to address how you will align with physicians. For instance, if your growth plans hinge on the development of specific programs, what must you do with physicians to ensure success? Create new physician leadership roles? Employ them? Start a joint venture? And what are the implications on other programs, and on your medical staff as a whole? A physician focused planning effort will drive successful execution of your strategic plan and enhance your ability to work cooperatively with physicians. This white paper describes the elements of an effective physician strategy and how to synchonize a hospital's strategic plan with its physician initiatives for better plan execution. BY: ECG Management Consultants, Seattle, WA, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, San Diego, CA
www.ecgmc.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Forward-thinking healthcare executives know that one of the most success-critical initiatives in the coming years will be in transforming Administrative processes. High deductible health insurance, declining governmental reimbursements and market share challenges from other providers are propelling health leaders into preparing their institutions for the changes in service levels that will be required to be competitive in tomorrow's world of Consumer Driven Healthcare. This article addresses the role of Access Management in the new world of Consumer Driven Healthcare. BY: John Holton, CEO, SCI Solutions SCI Solutions, Los Gatos, CA www.scisolutions.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Decreasing reimbursement, escalating costs, increasing regulatory pressures, staff shortages and a host of additional issues continue to challenge today's top hospital administrators. This white paper offers a best practice approach to hospital pharmacy management and details CPS' operational technique, program concepts, goals, cost saving strategies and experience in the market that allows hospitals to identify areas for cost savings and enables them to implement a plan to achieve these goals and objectives. BY: Donald J. Nickleson, President and CEO Comprehensive Pharmacy Services, Memphis, TN www.cpspharm.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
This ACPE survey reveals ongoing problems with physicians yelling at nurses, refusing to carry out tasks and showing a severe lack of respect for others. Physician executives face deep frustrations when forced to tackle the thorny issue of disruptive behavior by fellow physicians. BY: David O. Weber American College of Physician Executives, Tampa, FL http://www.acpe.org/ (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Hospital environments inherently involve mobility. The constant movement of medical staff, support personnel and critical medical equipment creates an environment different from most office settings where the majority of time is spent behind a desk. Given this intrinsic level of mobility, combined with the tremendous need for timely and accurate patient information and hospital efficiency, it should be no surprise that hospitals have been early adopters of wireless local area network (WLAN) technology based on the IEEE 802.11 standards family (commonly known as Wi-Fi). BY: PanGo Networks, Inc., Framingham, MA www.pangonetworks.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
About 93 million Americans (eight out of 10 adult Internet users) have searched for at least one popular health topic online. We go online to research a diagnosis or a prescription, to prepare for surgery or to find out how to recover faster, and to seek emotional support from others suffering from the same illness. But with literally tens of millions of health information sites on the World Wide Web, finding credible, timely health information online is a roll of the dice, even from a trusted source such as a hospital system or health insurer. BY: Health2 Resources For URAC, Washington, DC www.urac.org (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Fairness opinions, which are used by boards of directors and boards of trustees to help support decision making about major transactions, are coming under higher scrutiny these days from many sources. Recent trends have raised questions about the standard practice of using the investment bank that assists with an organization's merger and acquisition transaction to also write the related fairness opinion. Cain Brothers' white paper, titled "Fairness Opinions - Is the one you Receive Beyond Dispute?" describes what fairness opinions are and what they are not and when boards may want to obtain an independent or second one from a qualified expert that is not otherwise involved with the transaction under consideration. BY: Cain Brothers New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, Houston, San Francisco www.cainbrothers.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
"It is unwise to assume that it is necessary for Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans to convert to for-profit enterprises in order to remain competitive in the marketplace, argues Dr. Carl Schramm. In this report, he critically examines the arguments made in favor of these conversions and offers persuasive empirical data and philosophical arguments in favor of retaining a robust nonprofit health care system." BY: Carl Schramm For the Alliance for Advancing Nonprofit Healthcare Washington, DC www.nonprofithealthcare.org (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
A study released this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that a poor diet and physical inactivity caused 400,000 deaths in 2000, a 33 percent jump in just ten years [1 CDC study, released March, 2004 in JAMA]. Obesity and inactivity increase the risks for the top three killers: heart disease, cancer and strokes. But how do we impact an individuals health on the job? Learn what employers are doing through health coaching models to manage lifestyle and health behaviors and what IT savvy vendors can do to measure the cost and impact. BY: Gordian Health Solutions, Nashville, TN http://www.gordian-health.com/ (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Wound care is a significant segment of the US healthcare industry, accounting for approximately $6 billion in expenditures annually. The market is expected to continue growing rapidly due to changing health and demographic trends and the exploding growth in the number of new wound care products. This white paper outlines the growth areas of the segment, covering health and demographic trends as well as statistics on the number of hospitals with wound centers. It aims to give an in-depth overview of the wound care industry and how hospitals can benefit from their implementation. BY: National Healing Boca Raton, FL (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
THE IMPERATIVE FOR MEDICAL LEADERSHIP
December 12, 2005In an era where CEOs must focus on quality initiatives, pay for performance, and clinical service line development, there is a dearth of physician leaders at most of our nation's hospitals. In our view, the alignment between senior management and physician leaders has never been more critical; for the first time, the clinical quality and economic imperatives of healthcare are becoming inextricably linked. The challenge for CEOs is to first acknowledge the growing dependence on physician leadership and then invest in the structure needed for it to happen. This white paper highlights best practices in physician leadership development, identifies the essential functions of physician leaders in the most successful health systems, and proposes several options for integrating physician leadership into your critical management processes. BY: ECG Management Consultants Seattle, Boston, Washington DC, San Diego, St. Louis insight.ecgmc.com.
DENIALS MANAGEMENT: KEY ASSESSMENT STEPS TO PREVENT AND RECOVER REPETITIVE REVENUE LEAKAGE
December 5, 2005True or False? A reduction in A/R days is a direct result of an effective denials management program. False. In fact, the exact opposite may be true. The following white paper explains why this common misperception and traditional denials management methods may not be the most effective means of preventing or recovering revenue losses. Learn the key assessment steps needed to implement solutions that can deliver ongoing annuity of recoverable revenue to improve the bottom line, all the while remaining compliant with third-party payer requirements. BY: MedAssets Alpharetta, GA www.medassets.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
CCRCS: BRINGING TRANSPARENCY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS-THE KEY TO GREATER CCRC VIABILITY
November 14, 2005Choosing the Right CCRC Development Team The right development team is critical to a CCRC project's success, and it is vital for the sponsor to assemble the team that best fits its vision, goals, and objectives. This topic is discussed in Cain Brothers' most recent white paper titled "CCRCs: Bringing Transparency to the Development Process - the Key to Greater CCRC Viability." Cain Brothers recommends that nonprofit sponsors identify the critical development components they need assistance with and pursue a transparent selection process of the necessary development component providers. Done properly, the transparent process will align developer incentives with long-term project success, while also increasing overall affordability and project viability. Cain Brothers provides a road map. BY: Cain Brothers & Company, LLC New York, NY, Chicago, IL, Indianapolis, IN, Houston, TX, San Francisco, CA www.cainbrothers.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
INTEROPERABLE HEALTHCARE COMMUNITIES-NOW
November 7, 2005Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are transforming healthcare. They can save lives, improve patient care, and save money. They can make clinical care easier and more effective, whether in urban hospitals or rural physician practices, in home care settings or long-term care facilities. They are central to our future. BY: Misys Healthcare Systems, Raleigh, NC www.misysoptimum.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE:ASSEMBLING THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM
October 10, 2005Five years after a landmark study revealed serious shortcomings in the U.S. healthcare system, problems with quality of care continue to afflict the system and costs continue to rise. One of the most promising solutions to emerge in recent years has been pay-for-performance (P4P), a concept by which hospitals and physicians are rewarded for following clinical guidelines and achieving optimal clinical outcomes. Many healthcare experts see pay-for-performance as perhaps the best current hope for salvaging the existing market-based payment system. BY: Jonathan Conklin, and Audrey Weiss, Ph.D. Medstat, Ann Arbor, MI www.medstat.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
WHEN IT MAKES CENTS TO BACK INTO THE 80/20 RULE
October 3, 2005Population Health Management companies are able to identify 'at risk' employees before they become claims filers saving companies money and keeping workers healthier Armed with data collected through a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) and retrospective claims analysis, Gordian delivers targeted health improvement, coaching and education customized to each individual's health status and risk factors. A typical client using the HRA and lifestyle management program will experience ROI of $1.69 for each dollar spent for the program in year one; $2 in year two; and $2.46 in year three... Visit www.gordian-health.com for more information. (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
"Smart Money" Expands Its Scope
September 23, 2005The "smart money" has always been interested in health care, but today there is so much money available that the smart money managers are targeting health care much more intensively for their new investments. And they are bidding up values. BY: Cain Brothers & Company, LLC New York, Chicago, Indianapolis, Houston, San Francisco www.cainbrothers.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
Reshaping Health Policy: The Impact the Federal Budget Process May Have on Medicaid and Medicare
September 20, 2005Medicaid is now receiving more intense political attention than it has at any time in the last decade, and this paper on "Reshaping Health Policy: The Impact the Federal Budget Process May Have on Medicaid and Medicare," provides an almost up-to-the-minute report on both the substance and process of that debate. BY: Will Heyniger, Senior Manager, Washington Council Ernst & Young Richard Meltzer, Partner, Washington Council Ernst & Young, and Bruce C. Vladeck, Ph.D., Ernst & Young Senior Health Policy Advisor and former HCFA Administrator Ernst & Young, Indianapolis, IN www.ey.com/us/healthsciences (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
QConnect (TM) Managed Wireless Service: Providing a Seamless Conduit Between Mobile Devices and Back-End Systems
September 16, 2005To address the unique coverage challenges of wireless transmissions, the QConnect service builds on this foundation by utilizing QUALCOMM's mobile management code and wireless optimized messaging protocols. Together with 365-day customer service and monitoring, this approach ensures that QUALCOMM can supply the three basic deliverables that mobile application and device providers demand.
BY: QUALCOMM Wireless Business Solutions San Diego, CA www.qualcomm.com/qwbs
(PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
FIVE CHALLENGES TO MARKETING MEDICARE PART D: ARE YOU READY?
August 15, 2005Marketing the new Medicare Part D plan is no easy challenge. There is major skepticism and confusion among beneficiaries. The key to enrollment will be to understand how seniors think, behave and to whom they consult when making complex healthcare decisions. ECI Healthcare has leveraged its extensive knowledge of marketing healthcare products and services to the senior market to develop this white paper that outlines the challenges and marketing solutions for effectively reaching Medicare beneficiaries. If you are marketing a Medicare Advantage PDP or a Medicare PDP, you should not overlook this comprehensive, insightful resource. BY: ECI Healthcare (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
MEDICAL REAL ESTATE: TRENDS IN THIRD PARTY DEVELOPMENT FROM NICHE TO MAINSTREAM
August 8, 2005Hospitals and health care systems have embraced third party ownership and management of real estate, because it can preserve capital resources for acute care needs, eliminate the potential conflicts that arise in the landlord/tenant relationship between hospitals and referring physicians, and minimize the potential legal and regulatory challenges associated with leasing space to referring physicians. High profile transactions to convert existing medical office buildings and other non-core medical real estate to third party ownership and management have focused public attention on monetization over the past few years. Hospitals and systems are now beginning to use third parties to develop and own new medical real estate projects. This trend has received far less public attention than monetization, but it has the potential to have a more profound impact on capital structure decisions for hospitals and health systems. BY: CAIN BROTHERS & COMPANY, LLC New York, NY, Chicago, IL, Indianapolis, IN, Houston, TX, San Francisco, CA www.cainbrothers.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
OVERCOMING THE NURSING SHORTAGE: STAFFBID(TM) HELPS HOSPITAL REDUCE CONTRACT LABOR
July 21, 2005THE SITUATION In early 2004, Rio Grande Regional Hospital (Rio Grande), a 320-bed Hospital Corporation of America (NYSE: HCA) facility in fast-growing McAllen, Texas, was feeling the pinch of the nationwide nursing shortage. Despite aggressive national recruiting efforts and generous signing bonuses, the hospital's nurse vacancy rate was hovering around 20 percent, contract labor costs exploded to $800,000 in the first quarter of 2004, and morale among the hospital's 500-plus full-time nurses was near an all-time low. THE SOLUTION In search of a solution, the hospital decided to experiment with a new staffing concept called shift-bidding. The idea is straightforward: Create a system that allows full-time employees to compete for unfilled shifts that typically go to agency nurses. By increasing the financial incentive for full-timers to add extra shifts, the dependence on agency labor is reduced. BY: Decision Critical Austin, TX www.decisioncritical.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN REQUIRED TO CHANGE CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS
July 13, 2005With more than 75 program implementations behind them, the experts at Gordian Health Solutions make it their business to know which employee hot buttons to push and how to push them to get the best results. Positive, carefully planned employee communication campaigns are at the core of great population health management benefit programs. When tied to management support and the right incentives, employee communication is the key to acceptance of the program and good participation rates in health risk assessment (HRA) and risk management programs. BY: Gordian Health Solutions Nashville, TN www.gordian-health.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
OUTCOMES-BASED COMPENSATION: PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE DESIGN PRINCIPLES
July 4, 2005Outcomes-based compensation is upon us, and it is imperative that physicians' voices be heard. If physicians in the United States want to transform the health care system into one that produces outcomes rather than merely producing services, a logical step is to make a declaration on how the incentives used to promote quality and outcomes should be designed. BY: American Healthways, Nashville, TN (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
CONVERGING PATHWAYS - A JOURNEY TOWARDS QUALITY CASE MANAGEMENT
June 27, 2005Development of case management as a profession surged in the latter part of the last century, due in large part to the birth in 1990 of two quality-focused organizations- URAC and the Case Management Society of America (CMSA). While CMSA focused its efforts on the standards of practice for the individual case manager, URAC focused its efforts on standards of practice for organizations that were providing case management services. Read more about how Case Management has become an integral part of the health care delivery system. BY: Health2 Resources Washington, D.C. www.urac.org (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
RECONSIDERING PHYSICIAN EMPLOYMENT
June 20, 2005Hospitals understandably became very leery about physician employment after the bubble burst on the practice acquisition boom of the 1990s. Now that the dust has settled, some of them are revisiting the strategy and deciding it is right for them. And for those health systems that persevered in employing physicians, this tactic is turning out to have more benefits-albeit completely different ones-than originally envisioned. Employing physicians can address a host of vital objectives, such as providing a vehicle for recruiting increasingly scarce specialists and jumpstarting service line development. Having learned from their previous mistakes, health systems today are employing physicians selectively, and under much different circumstances than before. BY: ECG Management Consultants Seattle, WA, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, San Diego, CA www.ecgmc.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
URAC'S CONSUMER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT STANDARDS SET STAGE FOR NEW CONSUMER-CENTRIC MARKET
June 6, 2005Consumer-directed health care (CDH) plans are on track to become as mainstream as their PPO and HMO counterparts, so on June 6, 2005 URAC launched the first set of standards to address the quality of these programs. URAC (www.urac.org), the organization committed to promoting health care quality across the full spectrum of health service organizations, announced that its board has approved the first ever set of accreditation standards for Consumer Education and Support. The new standards are the first step towards addressing the unique demands of CDH products which call upon consumers to make more of their own decisions about health coverage and personal health. BY: Health2 Resources Washington, D.C. www.urac.org (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
IMPROVING SEPSIS DIAGNOSIS: KEY TO BETTER PATIENT OUTCOMES, HIGHER REIMBURSEMENT
May 23, 2005The incidence of sepsis-a severe and sometimes fatal immunological response to infection-is on the rise in the United States, with serious implications for the health of patients and the financial health of hospitals. BY: Cesar M. Limjoco, MD, CCS, and Susan Whittier PhD, D[ABMM] BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ www. BD.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
U.S. PHYSICAL THERAPY TURNS TO IRON MOUNTAIN FOR ACCURATE AND EFFICIENT, COMPLIANT MEDICAL-RECORDS MANAGEMENT
May 9, 2005Seeking a partner to help them streamline their medical records management and comply with the privacy requirements of HIPAA, USPh turned to the experts from Iron Mountain for assistance. Iron Mountain provides management services for active and archived medical records and files for more than 4,500 healthcare providers, and off-site records management of over 125,000 customer accounts. Iron Mountain services are designed to assist medical records customers in meeting the information management standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Iron Mountain ensures that files are secure and accessible for rapid retrieval and delivery - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. BY: Iron Mountain, Boston, MA www.ironmountain.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
OFFERING
May 2, 2005It may be hard to believe that something as sophisticated as a powerfully integrated software platform can transform lives by delivering personalized health management advice. But for those at risk for developing chronic disease or already suffering its consequences, that cyber-based encouragement from a Gordian Health Coach to eat a healthy diet, quit smoking, and exercise may be the apple-a-day needed most. BY: Gordian Health Solutions, Nashville, TN www.gordian-health.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
DEVELOPING PHYSICIAN STRATEGY
April 18, 2005Performance-driven leadership teams understand that effective hospital strategies are driven by a focused physician strategy. This means that your strategy needs to address how you will align with physicians. For instance, if your growth plans hinge on the development of specific programs, what must you do with physicians to ensure success? Create new physician leadership roles? Employ them? Start a joint venture? And what are the implications on other programs, and on your medical staff as a whole? A physician focused planning effort will drive successful execution of your strategic plan and enhance your ability to work cooperatively with physicians. This white paper describes the elements of an effective physician strategy and how to synchonize a hospital's strategic plan with its physician initiatives for better plan execution. BY: ECG Management Consultants, Seattle, WA, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, San Diego, CA
www.ecgmc.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
THE ROLE OF 'ACCESS MANAGEMENT' IN THE NEW WORLD OF CONSUMER DIRECTED HEALTHCARE
April 11, 2005Forward-thinking healthcare executives know that one of the most success-critical initiatives in the coming years will be in transforming Administrative processes. High deductible health insurance, declining governmental reimbursements and market share challenges from other providers are propelling health leaders into preparing their institutions for the changes in service levels that will be required to be competitive in tomorrow's world of Consumer Driven Healthcare. This article addresses the role of Access Management in the new world of Consumer Driven Healthcare. BY: John Holton, CEO, SCI Solutions SCI Solutions, Los Gatos, CA www.scisolutions.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
THE COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO HOSPITAL PHARMACY MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
April 4, 2005Decreasing reimbursement, escalating costs, increasing regulatory pressures, staff shortages and a host of additional issues continue to challenge today's top hospital administrators. This white paper offers a best practice approach to hospital pharmacy management and details CPS' operational technique, program concepts, goals, cost saving strategies and experience in the market that allows hospitals to identify areas for cost savings and enables them to implement a plan to achieve these goals and objectives. BY: Donald J. Nickleson, President and CEO Comprehensive Pharmacy Services, Memphis, TN www.cpspharm.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
DOCTORS' DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR DISTURBS PHYSICIAN LEADERS
March 28, 2005This ACPE survey reveals ongoing problems with physicians yelling at nurses, refusing to carry out tasks and showing a severe lack of respect for others. Physician executives face deep frustrations when forced to tackle the thorny issue of disruptive behavior by fellow physicians. BY: David O. Weber American College of Physician Executives, Tampa, FL http://www.acpe.org/ (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
WLAN-BASED LOCATION-AWARE APPLICATIONS FOR HOSPITALS
March 1, 2005Hospital environments inherently involve mobility. The constant movement of medical staff, support personnel and critical medical equipment creates an environment different from most office settings where the majority of time is spent behind a desk. Given this intrinsic level of mobility, combined with the tremendous need for timely and accurate patient information and hospital efficiency, it should be no surprise that hospitals have been early adopters of wireless local area network (WLAN) technology based on the IEEE 802.11 standards family (commonly known as Wi-Fi). BY: PanGo Networks, Inc., Framingham, MA www.pangonetworks.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
URAC HEALTH WEB SITE ACCREDITATION TAMES INTERNET'S WILD, WILD WEST
February 22, 2005About 93 million Americans (eight out of 10 adult Internet users) have searched for at least one popular health topic online. We go online to research a diagnosis or a prescription, to prepare for surgery or to find out how to recover faster, and to seek emotional support from others suffering from the same illness. But with literally tens of millions of health information sites on the World Wide Web, finding credible, timely health information online is a roll of the dice, even from a trusted source such as a hospital system or health insurer. BY: Health2 Resources For URAC, Washington, DC www.urac.org (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
FAIRNESS OPINIONS: IS THE ONE YOU RECEIVE BEYOND DISPUTE?
February 14, 2005Fairness opinions, which are used by boards of directors and boards of trustees to help support decision making about major transactions, are coming under higher scrutiny these days from many sources. Recent trends have raised questions about the standard practice of using the investment bank that assists with an organization's merger and acquisition transaction to also write the related fairness opinion. Cain Brothers' white paper, titled "Fairness Opinions - Is the one you Receive Beyond Dispute?" describes what fairness opinions are and what they are not and when boards may want to obtain an independent or second one from a qualified expert that is not otherwise involved with the transaction under consideration. BY: Cain Brothers New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, Houston, San Francisco www.cainbrothers.com (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
THE DISECONOMIES OF BLUE CROSS CONVERSION
February 7, 2005"It is unwise to assume that it is necessary for Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans to convert to for-profit enterprises in order to remain competitive in the marketplace, argues Dr. Carl Schramm. In this report, he critically examines the arguments made in favor of these conversions and offers persuasive empirical data and philosophical arguments in favor of retaining a robust nonprofit health care system." BY: Carl Schramm For the Alliance for Advancing Nonprofit Healthcare Washington, DC www.nonprofithealthcare.org (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
MANAGING THE OBESITY PROBLEM: A CASE STUDY WITH MEASURABLE RESULTS
January 27, 2005A study released this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that a poor diet and physical inactivity caused 400,000 deaths in 2000, a 33 percent jump in just ten years [1 CDC study, released March, 2004 in JAMA]. Obesity and inactivity increase the risks for the top three killers: heart disease, cancer and strokes. But how do we impact an individuals health on the job? Learn what employers are doing through health coaching models to manage lifestyle and health behaviors and what IT savvy vendors can do to measure the cost and impact. BY: Gordian Health Solutions, Nashville, TN http://www.gordian-health.com/ (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)
WOUND CARE SERVICES: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HOSPITALS
January 11, 2005Wound care is a significant segment of the US healthcare industry, accounting for approximately $6 billion in expenditures annually. The market is expected to continue growing rapidly due to changing health and demographic trends and the exploding growth in the number of new wound care products. This white paper outlines the growth areas of the segment, covering health and demographic trends as well as statistics on the number of hospitals with wound centers. It aims to give an in-depth overview of the wound care industry and how hospitals can benefit from their implementation. BY: National Healing Boca Raton, FL (PDF format - click here to download the latest version of acrobat reader)