Do physicians make the best hospital CEOs? Should hospital CEOs come from a business background? It's a debate that has been brewing in the healthcare industry for years and it doesn't have one answer. In 2014, only 5% of hospitals were run by doctors, while the majority of hospital administrators came from outside the healthcare profession.
It's easy to hear the word 'merger' and think of negative associations. We think of the big, bad companies swooping in and buying out the helpless little guy who didn't stand a chance. Right? But when it comes to hospital mergers in 2015, it doesn't always mean bad news. Mergers offer their fair share of benefits to both smaller organizations and the communities they serve. In this post, we'll examine a few ways they do just that.
Here at BHM we are predicting that 2015 will be a year of change for many healthcare systems. With this change, healthcare leaders will be faced with many challenges, including complying with new federal regulations and making strategic moves towards better care. We've compiled a list of the five biggest challenges we foresee healthcare leaders facing this year.
The results are in from the early HIPAA audits by Health and Human Services (HHS). Want to know what was the major weakness found by the government’s auditors? The compliance deficiency all-to-common among healthcare practices? It was, according to HHS, “the lack of a thorough risk analysis.” Time after time, auditors would ask to see evidence that the covered entity had performed a risk analysis. And time after time, much to their dismay, the answer they heard was, “A what?”
It’s unclear whether President Obama’s request for funding to combat HAIs will be met by Congress, but regardless of whether or not the funding comes from the federal government, hospitals will need to find the money somewhere to continue investing in HAI prevention, especially as it becomes more inextricably linked with reimbursement as we march forward this year.
Since 2010 there have been 47 rural hospital closures. The reasons behind the closures vary but the message rings true, rural hospitals are struggling. With difficulties from implanting EHR to the re-evaluation of Medicare reimbursements, rural hospitals are looking for new ways to stay afloat. Here are the top 4 trends we see effecting rural hospitals in 2015.
Hospital mergers and acquisitions [M&A] aren’t a new concept, but in the post-Affordable Care Act world they have become a popular solution for yielding to ACA regulations. According to the American Hospital Association’s 2015 Environmental Scan “mergers, consolidations and other partnerships” will increase due to the pressures on hospitals to lower costs and achieve economic goals. Here at BHM we also think that this healthcare trend is one to watch for 2015, so we’ve pulled together some key insights for you to consider.
When it comes to hospital and health system revenue cycles, there are many strategies you can approach to help put things on a positive trajectory. Whether they are changes small or large, they all impact the organization's financial standing. But today, we've pulled together only the very best tips for increasing profitability.
At the top of every healthcare organization is the C-suite: The CEO, CFO, CIO...you get the idea. And thanks to their elevated positions, they have the power to make real, impactful change on the healthcare environment. Through their leadership, skill sets, and unique vision, the healthcare c-suite is helping move healthcare in new directions.
No hospital will ever achieve a zero readmission rate--nor would they want to, as it may be an indicator of poor quality of care. However, there are many factors that lead to higher readmission rates--some of which can be avoided or at least more properly managed. In today's post, we'll discuss some of those factors as well as how they can be addressed.