Surveyed Physicians Favor Mix of Public Option/Private Insurance Coverage

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HealthLeaders Media Community and Rural Hospital Weekly - September 16, 2009

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Surveyed Physicians Favor Mix of Public Option/Private Insurance Coverage Cheryl Clark, Editor, Community Hospitals Usually, healthcare starts with the doctor. So it's important for people, especially politicians, to know what the typical provider on the frontlines of medicine thinks about the current healthcare debate, and the public option. Two New York researchers realized that evidence documenting how most physicians are leaning on this crucial issue is lacking. [Read More]
		September 16, 2009

Editor's Picks

Facilities Get Creative to Reduce Hospital Readmissions
Nine healthcare systems from Boston to San Diego have shown ways to reduce dreaded readmissions by as much as 50% through technology, better patient monitoring in the home, and involving the patient more thoroughly in their post-hospital care. This California study involved hospitals, physician group practices, case managers, nursing students, and pharmacists in the continuum of care. [Read More]

Joint Commission, Eight Hospitals Tackle Hand-washing Failures
Accreditation officials get serious about preventing hospital infections with a hands-on initiative to promote handwashing. The Joint Commission wants to examine each hospital's processes to find impediments to hand sanitation practices. A look at eight hospitals selected for a study revealed that providers wash their hands less than half the time they should. [Read More]

Public Option Would Add $1 Trillion to Deficit
America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009—HR 3200—would stem growth in federal healthcare costs to about $39 billion between 2019 and 2019 but would fail to keep costs from growing faster than funding sources in the long-term, beyond the normal 10-year budget projection period. That's according to the Lewin Group, which is owned by United Healthcare Group. [Read More]

Joint Commission Seeks Input on Assessing and Treating Tobacco, Alcohol
How aggressive should healthcare settings be in testing and counseling their patients for use of alcohol, tobacco, and use of illicit drugs? The Joint Commission is seeking comments from stakeholders to produce accreditation guidelines to detect such behaviors in patients because they are so strongly associated with injury or disease. Tobacco use alone is the single greatest cause of disease in the U.S., accounting for more than 435,000 deaths each year. [Read More]

Leaders Forum

Five Strategies to Thrive in Difficult Times
Generally required to keep more cash on hand than other businesses, healthcare organizations are suffering from an inability to access capital and remain solvent. In order for healthcare organizations to emerge with their reputations and operations intact, they will need to be inspired in the way they lead their organizations now, and in the months ahead. [Read More]

This Week's Headlines

Senate health bill draws fire on both sides
New York Times - September 16, 2009

Maryland reins in hospital costs by setting rates
Wall Street Journal - September 14, 2009

Automatic cuts could help push past a health hurdle
New York Times - September 11, 2009

Senate committee tackles illegal-immigrant healthcare concerns
Los Angeles Times - September 14, 2009

Webcasts/Audio Conferences

Flexible Medical Staff Models of the Future (October 29)

Marketing to Physicians: Build Relationships to Increase Referrals (October 22)

Service Lines Strategies Workshop 2009: Gastroenterology (On Demand)