Costs & Cost Controls

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October 2024
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Healthcare costs projected to reach new high in 2025

Editor's Note Healthcare costs are expected to rise between 7% and 8% in 2025, according to a report from PwC's Health Research Institute. As detailed in a July 17 article from Fierce Healthcare, PwC projections for an 8% increase in the group market and 7.5% in the individual market would…

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By: Matt Danford
July 23, 2024
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High RN, higher travel RN pay reflect post-pandemic demand

Editor's Note Heightened demand has made nursing lucrative relative to other professions, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a May 9 report from healthcare job marketplace Vivian Health. Based on the firm’s proprietary salary data as well as information from the Bureau of labor Statistics, Vivian estimates registered nurses…

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By: Matt Danford
July 19, 2024
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Survey: Almost half of Americans struggle to afford healthcare

Editor's Note Nearly half of Americans struggle to afford health care and prescription medications, according to the latest Healthcare Affordability Index from West Health and Gallup. Newsweek reported on the findings July 17. Based on polling of 5,149 adults, the index shows a decline in affordability by six points since…

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By: Matt Danford
July 19, 2024
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Hospitals, health groups criticize CMS pay proposals

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Editor's Note Hospital groups are criticizing CMS' proposed 2.6% pay increase for 2025, deeming it insufficient for nonprofit hospitals with operating margins near or below zero, according to a July 11 article in Becker’s Hospital CFO Report. The American Hospital Association and America's Essential Hospitals argue the rise won't cover…

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By: Matt Danford
July 12, 2024
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US healthcare spending growth expected to outpace overall economic growth

Editor's Note Expected to grow at an average annual rate of 5.6%, US healthcare spending will outpace GDP growth—projected at 4.3%--and rise to $7.7 trillion by 2032, according to a June 28 report in ASC focus. The $7.7 trillion figure amounts to 19.7% of GDP. The report is sourced from…

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By: Matt Danford
July 8, 2024
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Study: Federal antitrust action minimal relative to number of hospital mergers

Editor's Note Federal regulation of hospital mergers is inadequate, according to an April antitrust enforcement study scheduled to be published by the American Economic Association. According to a June 14 report in Modern Healthcare, researchers at universities including Harvard and Yale analyzed insurance claims data from Aetna, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare,…

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By: Matt Danford
June 27, 2024
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Leadership survey: Operational demands overwhelming hospitals

Editor's Note Nearly half of hospital executives report that their hospitals are not fully prepared to cope with patient volumes, Becker’s Hospital Review reported June 13. Citing the June 12 Hospital Operations Outlook Survey from FTI Consulting, Becker’s reports that nursing and mental and behavior health specialists represent the greatest…

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By: Matt Danford
June 25, 2024
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Kidney transplant performed on awake patient

Editor's Note In a first for Northwestern Medicine, surgeons performed a kidney transplant on an awake patient, CBS News reported June 24. John Nicholas, 28, of Chicago, experienced no pain during the May 24 procedure, in which he received an organ from a childhood friend. He was discharged the next…

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By: Matt Danford
June 25, 2024
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Scaling standards from sterile processing department to clinic

Reforming instrument reprocessing practices does not always end with the main sterile processing department (SPD). Holding clinics to the same standard adds to the challenge, whether they are associated with hospitals or operate independently. Nonetheless, standardization is just as essential to maintaining efficiency and quality standards. Whether a clinic is…

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By: Angela Lewellyn, LPN, CRCST, CER, CHL and Vanessa Frank, CRCST, CHL, CER, CIS
June 24, 2024
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Rural hospitals contend with challenging opportunities

Rural hospitals in the US have been facing a prolonged, multifaceted crisis. The literature presents several reasons for why healthcare facilities in rural areas struggle, including shrinking budgets, rising chronic illness and public health issues like addiction and obesity, poor telehealth and broadband access, aging populations, deteriorating mental health, and…

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By: David C. Walsh
June 24, 2024
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