Is your OR leadership team up to health care reform challenges?
First in a series on OR performance. How can you make progress on on-time starts? Are you attracting the right cases to meet your volume and revenue projections? How can you manage block utilization more consistently? The first answer to these persistent questions is good OR governance and a strong…
High-value care in surgical services
How do we get to high-value health care—care that strikes the right balance between quality and cost? It's a question leaders will be facing as health care reform is implemented. What might that high value be like in surgical services? One place to look is Minnesota-based HealthPartners, a nonprofit integrated…
How will surgical services fare under health care reform law?
An orthopedic service line has seen its volume rise and complications and costs go down since its surgical services director and chief of orthopedic surgery took the helm. Together, they have found they can drive change. It's an example of new types of collaborative arrangements hospitals are exploring with physicians.…
Device firms face tax, transparency
Two provisions of the health care reform law passed in March 2010 affect medical device companies. A 2.3% tax on companies' gross sales from medical devices starting in 2013 will help pay for reform. In addition, drug and device companies will have to publicly report gifts and payments made to…
What can we learn from Grand Junction?
Grand Junction, Colorado, about half way between Denver and Salt Lake City, is known for its dramatic red-rock country, mountain biking, river rafting, and other outdoor activities. With about 50,000 people, it's not a big population center, but it's become a big dot on the health care map. That's because…
For ORs, more pressure to perform
How health care reform will affect hospitals and other facilities will be unfolding for years. There will be some time to prepare. Under the sweeping reform law passed in March 2010, the major expansion in insurance coverage won't take effect until 2014. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the reform legislation…
Free Daily News
- HCA Healthcare reports solid first-quarter financials
- Per-person healthcare spending grows nearly 19% in 5 years
- OR Manager Conference: Lowest rates expire in one week
- Hospitals boost cybersecurity budgets, staff
- Kentucky passes first-ever state law decriminalizing medical mistakes
- Kaiser Permanente data breach affects 13.4 million
- Study explores link between diverticulitis and colorectal cancer
- State lawmakers target rising healthcare costs via legislation on hospital facility fees
- FDA medical device Class 1 recalls trend upward
- Data cast doubt on recommendation to delay weight-loss meds prior to surgery