Quality and Safety
In 2010, five hospitals in New York City implemented a communication-and-resolution program in general surgery. Its intent was to improve the nature of hospital discussions of medical errors with patients.
Maryland officials have reached what analysts say is an unprecedented deal to limit medical spending and abandon decades of expensively paying hospitals for each extra procedure they perform. If the plan works, Maryland hospitals will be financially rewarded for keeping people out of the hospital.
Physicians may be more willing to accept policy changes that improve access to care and reduce costs if they can obtain some relief from malpractice liability, suggested the researchers of an article published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
Across the U.S., hospital costs are rising while revenue and patient volume are falling. Rural not-for-profit hospitals, in particular, face a challenging financial future, one in which some facilities might close or at least "go hungry."
MaineGeneral Health's cutting-edge new hospital regionalizes healthcare for the area.
When 14 New Jersey hospitals took part in an initiative to improve overall efficiency in their operating rooms and emergency departments, they didn't expect to boost revenues and cut costs. But that's what happened.
The new budget deal passed by lawmakers last week doesn't restore funding to various government discretionary programs that support social services - such as healthcare programs for the homeless. And that's likely to lead to higher healthcare spending and increased charity care at hospitals.
Stakeholders must keep the momentum going in order to sustain improvements in population health.
When it comes to providing consumers with easily accessible information about physician quality, a report out Dec. 10 gave most states grades of 'D' or 'F,' often because they compile data only about primary care doctors, not specialists.
In 2012, Medicare spent close to $10 billion on Graduate Medical Education. Despite this taxpayer subsidy, very little is spent on training doctors in the nuances of caring for older people.