For many healthcare organizations, strong financial performance requires more than clean claims and efficient patient payment processes. A commitment to efficiency, accuracy and ongoing innovation are also essential for a healthy bottom line. To help capture every dollar earned, many healthcare leaders are adding coverage discovery software to their revenue cycle management toolbox. When executed […]
Labor costs consume most of a healthcare organization’s operating budget, so when it’s time to reduce costs, that’s usually the first place to look for savings. In fact, nearly half (44%) of CFOs and executives say reducing labor expenses is their No. 1 priority, according to a joint survey from the Healthcare Financial Management Association […]
The rising use of telehealth over the course of this year has signaled a loud and clear message across the healthcare landscape: telehealth is the future of patient/provider interactions. However, how telehealth works and for what purpose varies widely among providers. Some prefer to use virtual visits only when necessary or for routine appointments such […]
The use of telehealth has rapidly expanded across the healthcare landscape this year as a response to COVID-19, and this growth is not expected to slow down any time soon. In fact, Frost & Sullivan forecasts, “a sevenfold growth in telehealth by 2025 – a five-year compound annual growth rate of 38.2%.”1 However, new opportunities […]
A recent study of data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by the Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA) has shown a disconnect between the results of CMS infection control surveys and outbreaks of COVID-19 within skilled nursing facilities. Infection control citations In mid-March, CMS announced that inspections would focus on infection control […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has imposed more than $15 million in penalties on 3,400 skilled nursing facilities for failure to comply with infection control regulations in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement of the penalties comes with a warning to SNFs to stay vigilant in monitoring their infection control […]
Healthcare workers across the U.S. – many who thought the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic was behind them – have been hit with a blast of harsh reality. Hospitals in California, Texas, Florida and elsewhere are reporting shortages in equipment, drugs, beds and staff as the pandemic has spiked in some areas. Concerns abound that […]
It seems like eons since the first case of COVID appeared in the U.S. – even though it was only January. Since, we’ve been on a bit of roller coaster ride, as states have experienced peaks in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. While some locations are experiencing downward trends, or at least remaining steady in all […]
In a memorandum released on June 25, CMS announced the end of the COVID-19 emergency waiver for staffing data submissions. Back in March, CMS had granted a series of blanket waivers to lessen administrative burden and allow nursing homes to focus on responding to the COVID-19 threat. Facilities now must resume submission of their staffing […]
Uncompensated care is a growing concern for hospitals, health clinics and skilled nursing facilities. In 2016 and 2017, community hospitals provided $38.4 billion in uncompensated care—a $2.3 billion increase from 2015.1 Between 2012 and 2017, bad debt resulting from Medicare patients not paying deductibles and coinsurance increased by 17%. How can healthcare organizations actively combat […]