Faced with economic pressures and patients with abundant choices, hospitals are using unconventional ways of connecting directly with the public. Seeking to attract or educate patients, entice donors, gain recognition, and recruit or retain top doctors, hospitals are using Twitter from operating rooms, showing surgery on YouTube, and having patients blog about their procedures. They consider the methods inexpensive ways to stand out in an era of reality TV and voluminous medical information available online.
Only one of the nine companies bidding to purchase Prince George's County's (MD) healthcare system wants to run the entire network, raising the possibility that bidders may partner to develop more comprehensive proposals. Eight bidders are not interested in or not capable of operating the system on their own, according to Donna Wilson, vice chair of a panel created to find a buyer for the system. Under a Maryland law, the Prince George's Hospital Authority may sell the system in pieces but cannot transfer any part of it until all of it is sold.
Accelerating healthcare premiums and sharp revenue shortfalls due to the recession are forcing some small companies to choose between staying in business and dropping health insurance or laying off workers. Health-insurance premiums for single workers rose 74% for small businesses from 2001 to 2008, according to nonprofit research group Kaiser Family Foundation. About 10% of small businesses are considering eliminating coverage over the next year, up from 3% in 2005, according to a recent survey by National Small Business Association.
Temple University Health System is now forging ahead with its efforts to end all inpatient services at Philadelphia-based Northeastern Hospital by June 30. Fire rescue ambulances have stopped taking patients to Northeastern's emergency department, the officials said. The hospital will reopen July 1 as an ambulatory care center, which will offer an array of outpatient services.
A Harvard Medical School study finds that even many terminally ill patients and their doctors put off conversations about end-of-life choices. The study found that only about half of the 1,517 patients with metastasized lung cancer who were surveyed had discussed hospice care with their physician or healthcare provider within four to seven months of their diagnosis. The vast majority of such patients do not survive two years.
Now is the time to address how to "rationalize" your service offerings to position your organization for future success, says Sg2 analyst Anthony Malcoun. Here, Malcoun provides quick action steps to get started.