| HealthLeaders Media Corner Office - October 5, 2007 | Team Players |
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Team Players
Molly Rowe, Senior Editor-Leadership
I'm not breaking news when I say teams are important. But teamwork in healthcare means more than just financial strength and competitive advantage. It means patient and employee satisfaction, regulatory compliance, and safe patients. The best leaders know their shortcomings and surround themselves with people who make up for them. Every day I talk to at least one healthcare executive who raves about her team; the team attributes are usually the same: Communication. Big-picture thinking. Decision-making ability. In this week's column, I list a few others. [Read More] |
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October 5, 2007 | |
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Editor's Picks
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Bush vetoes child health plan
Providers waiting for Washington to solve the uninsured problem will have to wait longer, as President Bush vetoed a bipartisan bill Wednesday that would have expanded children's health insurance. In only the fourth veto of his presidency, Bush rejected legislation that would have added $35 billion over five years to the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The Democratic bill was passed last week, but the president promised to veto it, asserting that it's too expensive, takes the program too far from its original objectives, and would entice people to drop private sector coverage. The House isn't expected to schedule an override vote until after next week. [Read More]
UAW: Contract will secure jobs, healthcare
Companies' attempts to rein in healthcare costs took a historic turn last week as General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers settled on a tentative contract agreement that essentially relieves GM of a $51 billion obligation to cover retiree healthcare. The deal represents a major shift in the company-union relationship and is expected to change the way other automakers--and industries--approach employee healthcare. UAW's 74,000+ members will now vote on the agreement, which is expected to be final by October 10. [Read More]
Hospitals compete as early adopters shop for healthcare
For an upcoming story in HealthLeaders magazine, I talked to a number of healthcare leaders who've decided to go public with quality data and patient satisfaction rates by posting them on their hospital Web sites. This story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune about healthcare price-shopping suggests that hospitals may soon be posting price information, too. In order to offset higher deductibles and co-insurance, patients are calling different hospitals to check prices before deciding where to go for certain services. Some hospitals have had to add more staff to answer price-related questions, simplify pricing, and, in some cases, lower prices to stay competitive. [Read More]
A dangerous gap in trauma care
Trauma is the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 44, but only one in four Americans lives in an area where they'll likely receive appropriate trauma care, according to the American College of Surgeons, which sets standards for trauma care. Efforts are underway to develop a coordinated national system to ensure trauma patients are transferred to appropriate care centers but funding for these efforts is limited. [Read More] |
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This Week's Headlines
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Medicare to ease cuts to hospitals
Detroit Free Press - October 5, 2007
For these startups, patients are a virtue
San Francisco Chronicle - October 5, 2007
Ratio improves, but patients still struggle in New Orleans
Baton Rogue Advocate - October 5, 2007
Medicare drug-premium increases may force switches by beneficiaries
Wall Street Journal (subscription required) - October 5, 2007
Wal-Mart aims for younger medicine user
New York Times - October 5, 2007
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Audio Feature
Safe patients? Bigger paycheck: Jim Rice, vice chairman of The Governance Institute, discusses the growing number of hospitals that link executive compensation to quality and patient safety. [Listen Now] | |
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