First Look at 'Meaningful Use'
Joseph Goedert, Health Data Management
The meaningful use workgroup of the HIT Policy Committee has
released its initial recommendations for a definition of
"meaningful use" of electronic health records. The definition is
important because under the economic stimulus law, providers must
"meaningfully use" EHRs to receive financial incentives from
Medicare and Medicaid. These initial recommendations do not include
a formal definition of meaningful use. But they are the initial
recommendation of the functionalities that will be required by 2011
when incentives start.
http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/meaningful_use-38487-1.html?ET=healthdatamanagement:e909:117429a:&st=email
Blumenthal: Health Care Reform Impossible Without Health
IT
Wall Street Journal
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal,
National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal spoke about the
prospects for health IT adoption and the federal economic stimulus
law. Blumenthal said there is "no way to transform the health care
system" without health IT. When asked about the potential cost
savings, Blumenthal said, "The combination of an improved payment
system, an improved education system about health IT and improved
governance of the health care system that prioritizes quality and
efficiency together with health information technology is where the
real payoff is."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124404155221081477.html
Hospitals Use Business Intelligence to Boost Patient
Throughput
Patty Enrado, HealthcareIT News
The effects of the economic downturn are driving C-level hospital
executives to turn to process improvement initiatives. While only
large hospitals can afford the expensive and long implementation of
lean methodology, small to mid-size hospitals are finding business
intelligence solutions are a more cost-effective alternative.
Business intelligence provides benefits in many areas, and it makes
a significant impact on patient throughput.
http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/hospitals-use-business-intelligence-boost-patient-throughput
If the AMA Opposes Public Option, What Does it
Support?
Janice Simmons, HealthLeaders Media
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), chairing the Senate Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing on its healthcare reform
bill Thursday, aimed his questions at the American Medical
Association after a New York Times story noted that the AMA opposed
a public insurance option. Samantha Rothman, a member of the AMA's
Board of Trustees and a fellow in pediatric emergency medicine in
Boston, said "the AMA strongly supports making affordable health
insurance available to all Americans," and that this can "best be
achieved through a combination of insurance market reforms and
healthcare exchanges that offer a variety of affordable private
insurance plans."
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content.cfm?content_id=234466&topic=WS_HLM2_PHY
Bundling by Decree
Philip Betbeze, HealthLeaders Magazine
While the trite phrase "treat 'em and street 'em" can't be heard
much outside the banter within the C-suite at hospitals and health
systems, it accurately and succinctly reflects incentives that
drive all manner of activities in these organizations, which have
operated for decades under a payment system that can be gamed quite
easily. The phrase reflects a variety of truths about the current
payment system. That's not to suggest that hospitals are only
bottom-line driven-many are far from it-but it's difficult to
resist the intense appeal of high relative reimbursement. The
problem for all consumers of healthcare services is that the
current payment regime is wasteful because it reimburses for
procedures, not outcomes.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/234357/topic/WS_HLM2_MAG/Bundling-By-Decree.html
Can Information Technology Cut Healthcare
Costs?
International Business Times
Is technology the saving grace that Congress and the current
administration think it is? According to Rick Gilkey, executive
director of the Center for Healthcare Leadership and a professor at
the Emory University School of Medicine in the department of
psychiatry and in the Goizueta Business School department of
organization and management, there is a right and a wrong way to go
about implementing technology initiatives in the healthcare space.
First, he notes, medical practitioners need to delineate between
"technology implementation on the clinical vs. the business side of
the house."
http://www.ibtimes.com/contents/20090612/can-information-technology-healthcare-costs.htm
Health Should Be at the Heart of Health
IT
Carol Diamond and Josh Lemieux, McKinsey & Company
We must use health IT as a tool to transform the US healthcare
system as a whole, rather than simply computerizing the current
setup. Indeed, the literature on computerization, stretching back
to the 1980s, is unambiguous on this point. Because, after all,
it's use of information, not merely the existence of technology,
that enables a consumer to play an active role in maintaining
health and getting the best care, prevents a patient from suffering
a medical error.
http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/health_care/health-should-be-at-the-heart-of-health-it
The Road from McAllen to El
Paso
Harold S. Luft, The Healthcare Blog
Dr. Atul Gawande has provided a chilling description of the
problems facing true health reform in his recent New Yorker
article. In
The Cost Conundrum he describes how medical care is provided in
McAllen, Texas, which is second only to Miami as the most expensive
healthcare market in the country. McAllen's per capita expenditures
are twice those in El Paso, Texas, a city with similar
demographics. There are no good reasons for the differences.
McAllen's population isn't demonstrably sicker and the care isn't
measurably better. There is also little understanding among
the participants about what causes the higher spending. What is
chilling is how easy the medical care environment in El Paso could
become like McAllen's.
http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2009/06/the-road-from-mcallen-to-el-paso.html
From HFMA: Five Ways Leaders Fail
Philip Betbeze, HealthLeaders Media
HealthLeaders Media Senior Editor Philip Betbeze blogs about his
experiences this week at the HFMA Annual National Institute in
Seattle. Lencioni often works with hospitals to adopt ideas around
teamwork. Now, it's more important than ever in these difficult
economic times, when everyone is expected to do more with less. He
gave us five ways leaders often mess up their teams. Pay attention.
I've definitely been on some bad teams and some good ones, and this
guy has it right.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/234596/topic/WS_HLM2_FIN/From-HFMA-Five-Ways-Leaders-Fail.html
Is Healthcare Past the Softer Cuts?
Michelle Ponte, HealthLeaders Media
Is healthcare in its first wave of labor cost containment, or has
it come to full blown cuts of what used to be the untouchables:
salaries and jobs? A recent Hewitt Associates survey of HR execs at
518 large U.S. employers suggests that while healthcare
organizations are making some tough cost containment decisions,
they are still in the first phase of softer cuts compared to other
industries. For example, of the 42 hospital/healthcare
organizations that responded to the survey, 83% said they were
increasing travel restrictions compared to the 72% overall
response.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/234528/topic/WS_HLM2_FIN/Is-Healthcare-Past-the-Softer-Cuts.html
Lessons for Hospitals in a Tight
Economy
Dom Nicastro, HealthLeaders Media
Have hospitals taken this whole notion of saving too far? My
colleague Dom Nicastro, identifies the extremes hospitals are
taking to stay in the black. Dunn Memorial Hospital, for example,
cancelled a fancy conference junket for its frontline employees and
instead had them spend the week back home painting the hospital's
waiting room. Much less fun than a trip, but more fun than
unemployment. Dunn has implemented other cost savings, too,
including restructuring shifts to provide light coverage on
low-volume days. It is also working with fewer IT vendors and is
spending less on travel.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/234239/topic/WS_HLM2_FIN/Lessons-for-Hospitals-in-a-Tight-Economy.html
CEOs Say: What's The Most Important Thing We Must Do
Right Now?
Javier Espinoza, Forbes.com
What, above all else, does it take for chief executive officers to
lead their businesses through this tough time, when life is so
difficult for almost every corporation everywhere? Forbes asked 10
chief executive officers that question. CEOs of Bentley,
AstraZeneca, BMW and other top companies were asked what one skill
a leader needs most in today's business climate. They share
insights on courage, adaptability and strategic planning.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/11/ceos-strategy-planning-leadership-ceonetwork-future.html