I've received some great reader mail in response to recent columns, and decided to share them this week. As one reader points out, I got caught up in the hype regarding Maryland's new electronic ICU program, Maryland eCare. [Read More]
June 25, 2008
Editor's Picks
Hospitals cut senior management positions Hospitals are looking for ways to tighten their belts and operate as efficiently as possible, and some have found that cutting senior leaders can help accomplish both goals. Slidell (LA) Memorial Hospital will cut 35 jobs, including several senior-level positions like the surgical services director and the chief information officer. The staffing cuts will save the hospital about $4 million annually. Likewise, Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis will cut about 40 employees, including members of the administrative and the management teams. Indiana hospitals announce plans to merge Smaller community hospitals continue to merge, affiliate or partner with larger health systems—and not just as a defensive strategy, either. Many hospitals are looking at these mergers as a way to help them expand services and upgrade facilities. Such is the case at Bloomington (IN) Hospital, which announced its plans to merge with Indianapolis-based Clarian Health Partners. [Read More] Medical Complex Targets Seniors in Polk County, FL The 142-bed Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center will help anchor a new medical complex in Polk County, FL that targets the region's growing senior population. The center will include an assisted and independent living community, a fitness center, medical offices, and a pharmacy. The hospital plans to offer physical therapy, among other services, at the site as well. [Read More] Pennsylvania's rural residents gamble without heath insurance This story highlights Tioga County in the north-central section of Pennsylvania, which has a higher percentage of uninsured residents than any other county in the state. It is a good example of the challenge many rural residents face when it comes to obtaining insurance—they don't make enough money to afford private health insurance and their employer is often too small to offer health insurance to its employees. The result is a large number of residents who don't have health insurance and hope that they don't get sick or break a leg. [Read More] CEO tapped for rural healthcare knowledge H.D. Cannington, the chief executive officer for Morgan Memorial Hospital in Madison, GA, is heading to Iraq to help advise the Iraq Ministry of Health on how to redevelop and revitalize their healthcare system. [Read More]
Leaders Forum
Using Credit Scoring To Manage Hospital Bad Debt Many hospitals have had stable performance over the past 20 years. But infrastructure demands and changes in reimbursement dynamics will create huge financial challenges over the next decade. HealthLeaders Media contributor Brian Klepper writes that using strategies such as credit scoring to try to reduce the amount of bad debt hospitals must deal with is essential in today's environment. [Read More]
