OR Business
Navigating the staffing crisis in healthcare leadership: A Q&A with Whitman Partners
Whitman Partners, a firm that specializes in director of surgical services recruitment, emerged out of the 2008 financial crisis as an example of adaptability and resilience in healthcare staffing. Today, the firm places close to 200 OR directors annually in hospitals across the US. OR Manager sat down with Josiah…
Supply chain leaders discuss improving access, reducing costs
Editor's Note Supply chain professionals can contribute to a more affordable, equitable health care system by spending more with suppliers in economically disadvantaged areas; expanding distribution into in-home care; and leveraging data and technology. According to a November 28 report in Healthcare Purchasing News, these were among the conclusions of…
Bill seeks to improve cost transparency, provide relief to patients
Editor's Note The US House of Representatives may vote this week on The Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. Introduced September 8, the proposed act aims to boost healthcare pricing transparency so consumers can make more informed decisions. Key elements include: Hospitals, payers, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and other facilities would…
Healthcare employment up in November
Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 76,800 from November to December, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, released on December 8. That is compared to the average monthly gain of 240,000 over the prior 12 months, for a total of 17,213,900 seasonally…
ASCs lock in higher Medicare, Medicaid payment rate
Editor's Note Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) will now receive a 3.1% payment rate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for services, which is an increase of .3% under the original rule, Becker’s ASC Review December 5 reports. This change in payment rate reflects the average of all…
Biden administration expands HHS authority to bolster US medical supply chain
Editor's Note The Biden Administration will issue a “Presidential Determination” that will expand the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in order to boost the domestic supply chain for essential medicines, a November 27 HHS press release reports. The measure will include new investment in domestic…
FTC lawsuit challenges private equity medical group ‘Roll-Up’ deals
Editor's Note The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is squaring off against a private equity-backed anesthesia practice in Texas, HealthNews Florida November 30 reports. This move is being seen as a first step in the agency seeking to challenge the increasing role of private equity in monopolizing medical groups. In September,…
ASCs continue to contend with anesthesia provider shortages, inflating costs
Editor's Note There is a major anesthesia provider shortage that has been and continues to impact ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and which is driving up costs, Becker’s ASC Review November 29 reports. Meanwhile, reimbursements from payers are declining, straining ASCs’ ability to provide needed care. Some highlights from the Becker’s…
Proposed bill seeks to end costly insurance fees on electronic healthcare payments
Editor's Note A new bill introduced by a bipartisan group in Congress seeks to ban fees on electronic healthcare payments from insurance companies, which cost hospitals millions and are a particular burden on hospitals in rural areas, according to a November 28 press release. The bill is called the No…
Kaiser Permanente workers agree to new labor contract post-strike
Editor's Note Kaiser Permanente union workers have agreed to a new 4-year contract that includes 21% raises along with new minimum wages and provisions to improve staffing shortages, Chief Healthcare Executive November 10 reports. In October of this year, more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers, including nurses and technicians,…
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