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Editor's Picks
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Storm of Controversy Follows Nurse Firings in DC Hospital
Should a hospital fire a nurse for failing to make it to work in a blizzard? A Washington, DC, hospital thinks so, and has fired 11 nurses and at least five other staffers for staying home and not going to work in blizzards that pulverized much of the metro area on two occasions last month, dropping more than 40 inches of snow. Despite the conditions, "We don't shut down—and we need everybody. Nurses are essential," says So Young Pak, spokeswoman for the Washington Hospital Center. [Read More]
ED Shooting Shows Why Confronting Hospital Violence Must Be A Priority
The Feb. 15 early morning shooting inside the emergency department of Scotland Memorial Hospital in Laurinburg, NC, provides an unwelcomed, frightening, and extreme example of the violence that healthcare professionals too often confront. The story got little play nationally and not that much play around North Carolina—a couple of news cycles and then nothing. John Commins explores whether hospital violence has become so commonplace that it no longer warrants extensive news coverage. [Read More]
The Quality Quandary: When Less Is More and More Is Less
When you think about it, quality in healthcare is all about improvement. It means improving the daily lives of patients, improving the technology to deliver care, improving communications between providers and patients, and improving chances for survival. But should this improvement cost more—or less? As two new studies show, what you pay for up front may lead to results you may not expect—depending on what you are treating. [Read More]
Why Are Doctors Working Fewer Hours?
After remaining steady for nearly 30 years, the number of hours that an average physician works each week dropped sharply in the last decade. Understanding why is particularly important at a time when Congress is struggling to prevent a 21% cut in Medicare payments. [Read More]
AMA leader disappointed that pay cut issue still unresolved
American Medical Association President-Elect Dr. Cecil Wilson talked this week with C-SPAN about the Medicare and Medicaid budgets, the proposed 21.2% Medicare physician payment cut, and his quotes that were in a recent HealthLeaders Media article. The House approved pushing back the payment cut scheduled for March 1 by one month, but the Senate has yet to take up the issue. Instead, CMS announced this week that it is asking contractors to hold claims for 10 days, which temporarily shelves the Medicare pay cut. CMS expects that provider cash flow will not be interrupted. [Read More]
Mission Driven, Financially Strong
Why is it that in times of economic stress, some hospitals manage through with strength to spare while others fall? While it may be tempting to say that those hospitals that thrive have the best payer mix or the most profitable service lines, often the deciding factor is the leadership's commitment to core principles of sound financial management. In this free HealthLeaders Media Breakthroughs report, four leading hospital systems—Banner Health, Southwest General Health Center, The University of Kansas Hospital, and Parkland Health & Hospital System—share the lessons they have learned to help them identify cost-cutting measures that also add value to care efficiency, make strategic investments in areas under your control, and refocus on the fundamentals of financial discipline. [Read More]
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NurseLeaders Forum
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Length of Stay: The Management Headache That Will Not Go Away
The current financial crisis notwithstanding, operating margins have continued to shrink and raising capital has become a daunting task. This increasing financial pressure comes at a time when EMR and other technology investments are needed to stay viable as a quality healthcare provider. Unless you have a lot of empty beds, improving patient throughput is key to successfully managing this pressure, say contributors William F. Ott, Jr., and Michael N. Abrams. [Read More]
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Business Rx
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Healer, Heal Thyself: Hospital Addresses Health Issues Among Staff Through Education
It is a bit of an industry joke: Hospital employees are statistically among the most unhealthy Americans, particularly when it comes to cardiovascular health. To combat this fact, Spartanburg (SC) Regional Healthcare System sought to improve the health of its 5,000 employees as it also aimed to reduce the comparatively high rate of deaths from heart disease in the region. Spartanburg successfully inspired employees to exercise, helped employees lose 1,759 pounds collectively, and identified 250 employees with elevated systolic blood pressure, while simultaneously improving the overall health of its community and laying a blueprint for other hospitals to follow. [Read More]
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Nursing Headlines
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Rising threat of infections unfazed by antibiotics
New York Times - March 1, 2010
Collaboration links doctors in developing countries with digital colleagues
Boston Globe - March 1, 2010
Author: Hospitals must learn from errors, prevent infections
USA Today - March 1, 2010
Medical scan makers to install radiation controls
AP/Yahoo News - February 26, 2010
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Audio Conferences/Webcasts
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March 11, 2010: Nursing-Sensitive Quality Indicators: Engage Nurses in Quality Improvement and Improve Patient Outcomes
On Demand: Simulation Training in Nursing: Promote Clinical Education and Teamwork on Any Budget
On Demand: Transform Bad Behavior into a Culture of Patient Safety: Tools for a Compliant Code of Nursing Conduct
On Demand: Shared Governance: Effective Strategies to Enhance Your Decision-Making Model
On Demand: Excellence in Leadership: Practical, Proven Solutions for Today's Nurse Leaders
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Sponsored Headlines
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Harnessing effective asset management in an uncertain economy from IBM
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Building a successful validation process and compliance support with IBM Maximo solutions
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Managing healthcare assets and optimizing asset utilization with IBM asset management tools
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Learn how Sisters of Mercy Health achieved its asset management goals in partnership with IBM
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From HealthLeaders Magazine |
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Beyond Meaningful Use
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Technology can help the healthcare industry achieve better outcomes and cost savings, but only if providers incorporate decision-support tools and a coordinated approach to delivering care. [Read More] |
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Service Line Management |
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Imaging After the Recession
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After freezing capital spending during the recession, hospitals are investing in imaging again. But reimbursement cuts and reform have changed the focus of the service line. [Read More] |
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