Quality and Safety

At the end of last week, University Hospitals (UH) and EMH Healthcare (EMH) announced that they had signed a letter of intent to officially undergo an integration that will add EMH to the UH health system.

While consumers indicated in a recent survey that they like the bundled care model, a new survey on provider attitudes towards bundles finds mixed reviews.

With so many reimbursement considerations to think about with the transition to ICD-10, such as reduced cash flow and an increase in denials and audits, the best defense for healthcare systems is to know what to expect and begin preparing for the changes now.

For many small, community stand-alone health systems across the country, eventually merging with another larger healthcare organization remains a distinct possibility. Until that day arrives though -- if it does at all -- these organizations must continue to focus their efforts on meeting the quality care needs of the local community.

Disruptive innovation challenges the status quo, drives change and creates new markets. But what does disruptive innovation mean in regard to health benefits and healthcare delivery? A few companies tried to answer that question at the 2013 AHIP Institute Thursday.

Healthcare experts differ on the benefits of provider consolidation to help reduce costs but agree that most healthcare organizations are moving forward with reform through innovation, and consolidation may be just a step in that direction.

Sounding a theme increasingly common at healthcare industry gatherings, the outgoing CEO of Kaiser Permanente called for fundamental changes to U.S. healthcare's business model during a speech at the 2013 AHIP Institute on Wednesday.

Clinicians and program managers from two Beacon Communities and the ONC share lessons learned about patient engagement at the HIMSS Government Health IT Conference earlier this week.

As employers and individuals seek ways to squeeze more value out of their healthcare dollars, their demand for solid pricing and quality data is growing. Bob Kocher, a partner at venture capital firm Venrock and a former special assistant to the president for healthcare and economic policy in the Obama administration, will detail the path toward better pricing and quality data on Wednesday, June 19, at the Healthcare Financial Management Association's ANI 2013 in Orlando, Fla.

As the healthcare industry transforms from a volume-based to a value-based payment system, it helps to learn from other organizations' experiences. Attendees of the June 19 education session, Operationalizing Value-Based Purchasing, at the Healthcare Financial Management Association's ANI 2013 next week in Orlando, Fla., will get the inside scoop from Barnabas Health's experience.