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April 26, 2013

Community Health Needs Assessments

By Panos Lykidis, MBA

The Internal Revenue Service issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on April 3, 2013 that provides more clarity and specificity on the rules that will govern Community Health Needs Assessment reports. We have outlined the major provisions covered in this latest notice.

April 16, 2013

Considering the Medicare Shared Savings Program?

By Daniel Juberg and Carolyn Tung, MS

With the recent CMS announcement of the condensed timeframe for the 2014 Medicare Shared Savings Program (“MSSP”) application cycle, many provider executives have been evaluating if the time is right for their organization to apply. Here are some considerations for why the Medicare Shared Savings Program could be the right move for your organization now.

April 11, 2013 | The Governance Institute

For Board Members Only: 10 Trends That Will Drive Healthcare in 2013 (and Beyond)

By Steven Valentine, MPA and Guy Masters, MPA

The new year of 2013 has just begun and our vision is already squarely on 2014. Will 12 months be sufficient time to prepare our organizations, communities, states, and the nation for the changes required by ACA, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, and other regulatory and economic trends? Following are our best recommendations to guide your strategic thinking and priorities for 2013 and beyond.

March 21, 2013

Top Ten Healthcare Delivery Lessons to Learn from the Military Health System and Veterans Health Administration

By Lola A. Osawe, MHA

The Veterans Health Administration (“VHA”) and Military Health System (“MHS”) are great examples of integrated healthcare delivery organizations that serve veteran and military populations in the U.S and around the world. There are lessons to be learned from these governmental agencies as health systems in the private sector seek innovative ways to serve their patients in an integrated environment and to minimize redundancies in clinical and administrative processes.

January 26, 2013 | Trustee

Trends to Watch in 2013

By Steven Valentine, MPA

This year's priorities will be cost-reduction, building a physician base, implementing new care models and, most importantly, preparing for 2014. As board members, senior management and physician leaders develop their strategies and budgets for 2013 and beyond, allocating limited resources grows more difficult. Here are the top 10 trends for this year and what trustees should keep an eye on as they look to 2014.

December 24, 2012

Bundling Payments with Medicare: Update on the Bundled Payment for Care Improvement Initiative

By Deirdre Baggot, RN, MBA and Robert Minkin, MBA, FACHE

Over the last several weeks, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has announced numerous design changes to the BPCII, some of which may enable ease of BPCII execution (standardized episodes, discounts, and readmit exclusions) and some of which will shift considerable risk to applicants, possibly making this an untenable situation for some.

December 18, 2012

Evaluating Physician Recruitment Needs Post-consolidation

By Virginia Tyler, MDiv, FACHE

After a hospital consolidation, leadership will typically consider how to integrate existing medical staffs but may not give immediate thought to the recruitment of new providers. The following are some special considerations to take into account when developing the first physician manpower needs assessment after a consolidation, including: timing, service area definition, medical staff data completeness, non-patient care activities, and legacy approaches to recruitment packages.

December 1, 2012 | Professional Case Management

Leadership Development and Succession Planning in Case Management

By Kathleen Miodonski , RN, BSN, CMAC, and Patricia Hines, Ph.D., RN

The director of case management is one of health care's leadership positions most frequently in demand. The lack of qualified and effective case management leaders will continue to be an issue for organizations for years to come, influenced by increasing pressures on health care reimbursement and the aging case management workforce. Organizations have an opportunity to create a program to develop future case management leaders from their internal talent.

November 17, 2012 | Medscape Business of Medicine

10 Ways Market Changes Will Reshape Physician Practices

By Laura Jacobs, MPH

Listed below are the top 10 ways in which the changes in the market, including healthcare reform, are affecting physicians. Some may be more effective in individual situations than others, but they cannot be ignored for those who, at the very least, wish to "ride out the storm" successfully. For while some are hunkering down to "survive," others are seizing the opportunity to lead. Here are the trends to watch for in your market.

November 11, 2012 | Hospital & Health Networks Daily

Streamlining Care Management

By Teresa Koenig, M.D., MBA

Providers, health systems, health plans, disease management companies and the like are trying to assist patients through the complex maze of care delivery. As a result, we have an excess of care coordinators - care managers, case managers, disease managers, health educators and others of varying titles, but who fill the same role and responsibilities.

November 1, 2012 | Group Practice Journal

Sustaining a Successful Medical Group in an Era of Dwindling Reimbursement

By Susan Corneliuson, MHS, FACHE

Operating a thriving medical practice is becoming more challenging with the decline in reimbursement, increased burden of paperwork and regulations, and the rapid changes in the healthcare landscape. As value-based payment models emerge, medical groups need to be appropriately positioned to move from a productivity-based environment to a value-based environment. Here are operational strategies and options for tapping into various sources of capital and for streamlining processes to ensure financial viability.

October 29, 2012

Five Strategies for Health Systems Repositioning for Changes in the Commercial Insurance Market

By Adam Medlin, MHA

Health systems, in particular, will either need to embrace population health management models as health plans introduce shared savings or bundled payment revenue arrangements, or prepare for deep cuts in fee-for-service revenue. Now more than ever the linkage between financial and market strategies is key in determining how to maintain/grow the health system's commercial business.

October 16, 2012 | Becker's Hospital Review

4 Key Considerations to Successfully Integrate Pharmaceuticals as Part of a Value-Based Care Environment

By Tori Manis, MBA

Although pharmaceuticals drive costs within hospitals and must be incorporated into clinical protocols and embedded within information technology systems, the key considerations outlined below must be evaluated to determine how drugs may ultimately help hospitals improve quality as well as their bottom line.

October 15, 2012 | Becker's Hospital Review

4 Critical Factors Influencing Culture in the Development of an Inaugural Strategic Plan

By Brandon Klar, MHSA

With more healthcare organizations consolidating every year, it is critically important that newly formed systems develop a comprehensive strategic plan that sets the new organization's path towards success.

August 30, 2012 | Hospital & Health Networks Daily

Contracting Successfully with Payers

By Marge Mercury, RN, MS, CMCE and James Smith, MBA, FACHE

Leaders at clinically integrated provider networks - those that may include both hospital and physician providers - understand that they need to adopt some risk- and value-based arrangements with insurers, but often are at a loss on how to proceed. Following the tried-and-true playbook for payer negotiations simply doesn't work.

August 22, 2012

Hospital Mergers and Acquisitions

By Surabhi Swaroop, MBA

Due to industry and economic pressures, many acute care hospitals are deciding to form an affiliation or merge with another entity rather than continuing to operate as a stand-alone entity. Although each transaction is unique, hospitals generally experience five phases in the process: assessment, partnership planning, transaction development, transaction execution/due diligence, and integration.

July 27, 2012 | Payers & Providers

Implementing Health Information Exchange Without Hitting the Wall

By Wren Keber, MBA

For organizations that have decided to implement an health information exchange, there are roles and responsibilities for many staff groups both in and out of the IT department. Here are four high-priority recommendations to avoid common pitfalls during this major endeavor.

July 27, 2012

Maximizing the Patient / Caregiver Experience

By Nancy Markle, RN

With the expectations embedded in healthcare reform, the patient experience is an essential component to the short- and long-term success or failure of a healthcare organization. An important component of the Medicare Shared Savings Program for ACOs is a financial reward for providers who put their patients first. As a result, providers are paying increased attention to how they can retain patients by making every patient interaction as engaging, positive, and meaningful as possible.

July 27, 2012

Five Essential Factors for Successful Telemedicine Implementation

By Anna Grellert, MPH

For many organizations, telemedicine offers the ability to improve access to medical services while potentially lowering the costs associated with the delivery of care. This objective aligns well with the national mandate to deliver efficient and effective care in a consistent and reproducible way. Here are five essential factors to consider when implementing a telemedicine system.

June 29, 2012

The Camden Group’s Analysis of the Supreme Court Ruling on Healthcare Reform

In arguably one of the most highly anticipated rulings, the Supreme Court upheld yesterday, in a five to four vote, the health reform law (Affordable Care Act) with the exception of one key provision: that the federal government can take away existing funding from states that refuse to fully comply with the law's Medicaid expansion requirements. Here we look at the impact of this ruling.

June 21, 2012

Perspectives on Possible Supreme Court Decision on Healthcare Reform

With the imminent healthcare reform ruling from the Supreme Court to be issued any day now, The Camden Group's experts weigh in on the implications of likely scenarios for the major constituents (hospitals/health systems, payers, physicians, patients, and employers).

June 18, 2012 | Becker's Hospital Review

Aligning Case Management Processes With the Revenue Cycle

By Kathleen Miodonski, RN, CMAC

Case management, with its standards of practice of patient advocacy and resource stewardship and its role as a liaison between patients, payors, and the healthcare team, is in a unique position to support the revenue cycle and bridge the gap between a hospital's finance and clinical departments.

June 1, 2012 | Physician Organizations (American Health Lawyers Association)

Will Your Physician Meet the 33 Quality Reporting Metrics Under the CMS Shared Savings Program?

By Robert Gerberry, Esquire, Teresa Koenig, M.D., MBA, and Evan Lazerowitz

On October 20, 2011, CMS issued the final Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) rule. In response to the feedback provided, CMS narrowed the universe of measures from sixty-five to thirty three and worked to align the stands with those existing in other CMS quality reporting programs.

May 23, 2012

Designing the Role of the Embedded Care Manager

By Patricia Hines, Ph.D., RN and Marge Mercury, RN, MS, CMCE

The use of an Embedded Care Manager to coordinate services within the complex healthcare delivery system is sharply increasing. Health systems and health plans embarking on clinical integration or targeting improvements in disease specific health outcomes see care management as a critical capability. Historically, the functions and responsibilities of a care manager have been as unique as the organizations that employ them. However, there have been overlaps or redundancies with the roles and responsibilities of the care manager and the patients they serve.

May 15, 2012 | Becker's Hospital Review

Critical Steps Hospitals Need to Take Post Merger

By Stephen Gelineau, MS

What happens immediately after a hospital enters a merger or consolidation is as critical as the planning and execution of the transaction itself. There are a number of issues that need to be considered and steps that hospital executives should take to ensure that the new system will be able to realize the intended benefits of the transaction.

May 1, 2012 | Group Practice Journal

Making Time to Incorporate Creative Solutions in Your Practice

By Claire Heideman, MHA

This article addresses the factors driving practice redesign and how to obtain physician and staff buy-in, incorporate redesign efforts into daily routines, and combat change fatigue.

April 24, 2012 | Payers & Providers

Negotiating the Maze of Networks

By Teresa Koenig, M.D., MBA and Jay Warden, MBA, MHSA

Health plans around the country have slowly but steadily been reintroducing tiered and narrow networks to their product offerings as they search for ways to differentiate themselves and offer employers lower-cost products without significantly reducing benefit levels.

March 1, 2012 | hfm Magazine

How Do Your Case Managers Rate on Financial Performance?

By Patricia Hines, Ph.D., RN and Michael Randall, MHA

Now more than ever, hospital case managers play an important role in managing the cost per patient day by working closely with the patient and his or her family, along with the physician and the interdisciplinary healthcare team, to move the patient through the continuum of care with an eye toward financial reimbursement. How can you determine the financial performance of your organization's case management department?

March 1, 2012 | Group Practice Journal

Creating the Successful Medical Group: The Top 10 Keys to Success

By Mary Witt, MSW

A successful medical group does not happen by itself. Success takes leadership, planning, and hard work. In working with both successful and unsuccessful medical groups for over 25 years, it has become clear that there are specific critical factors that drive medical group performance.

February 24, 2012 | Becker's Hospital Review

New Forces Driving Healthcare Mergers and Acquisitions

By Stephen Gelineau, MS

Many forces have driven healthcare mergers and acquisitions over the years. The result has been an increasingly consolidated profile for healthcare providers. Today, new forces are coming to bear that undoubtedly sustain and accelerate the movement towards ever-larger healthcare delivery organizations.

February 9, 2012 | Payers & Providers

Navigating Healthcare Reform Challenges: Providers And Payers Must Plan A Joint Future

By Teresa Koenig, M.D., MBA and Jay Warden, MBA, MHSA

There hasn't been this much news and discussion of the payer and provider spaces coming together since the 1980s, when a number of hospitals and health systems decided to start their own health plans and compete as integrated delivery systems. There is much more to come; it's only a matter of time before integrated payer/provider organizations like Kaiser Permanente are more common across the country.

February 2, 2012 | Hospital & Health Networks Daily

Reducing Hospital Readmissions

By Patricia Hines, Ph.D., RN and Bonnie Barndt-Maglio, Ph.D., RN

Because CMS soon will penalize hospitals that see too many patients return within a month, now is the time to create strategies to avoid readmissions. To meet the challenge, hospitals need to take a structured approach to reducing readmissions - an assessment of the organization's risk and a comprehensive strategy that transitions the patient from the hospital to post-hospital care.

February 1, 2012 | Spectrum

Repositioning Centers of Excellence for an Accountable Care World

By Barbra Riegel, MBA and Robert Minkin, MBA, FACHE

Since the passage of healthcare reform, there has been a lot of discussion and much ink spilled on preparing for accountable care organizations (ACOs) and value-based purchasing. For most organizations, the magnitude of the change required to convert from a fee-for-service philosophy and business model to a business model based on global payments and value is daunting. Service lines can be an ideal bridge to this change.

January 26, 2012 | Payers & Providers

The Bundled Payment Roadmap

By Peggy Crabtree, RN, MBA

Bundled payments, value-based purchasing, and ongoing efforts for healthcare reform will continue to challenge healthcare providers in 2012. Service line development for organizations participating in bundled payments will be critical for the successful management of an episode of care.

January 18, 2012

10 Benefits of Clinical Integration

By Marge Mercury, RN, MS, CMCE

Whether clinical integration is targeted to achieve greater coordination around a single clinical condition or procedure or fully integrating a healthcare provider network, the benefits are clear. There are a wide range of approaches and strategies to achieve successful clinical integration, but regardless of the strategy, clinical integration, when designed and implemented correctly, offers tremendous potential to create efficiencies and improve healthcare quality and patient satisfaction.

January 18, 2012

Avoiding Pitfalls after Signing a Memorandum of Understanding for Consolidation

By Virginia Tyler, MDiv, FACHE

Consolidation processes are complex, distract from core operations, and are fraught with details that can extend the process and increase both transaction cost and long-term operating success. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid.

January 18, 2012

Frontline Staff Engagement – A Key to Service Line Success

By Peggy Crabtree, RN, MBA

Physician alignment has been a focus for healthcare leaders as they look to the future. Engagement of frontline staff can be a missed opportunity for alignment as organizations look for expedited ways to improve clinical care, systems, and patient experience. The following strategies can be used to facilitate service line staff engagement in a time of rapid change.

January 15, 2012 | The Governance Institute's E-Briefings

For Board Members Only: 10 Trends That Will Define Healthcare in 2012

By Steven Valentine, MPA and Guy Masters, MPA

The future of healthcare has always been challenging to predict with precision. This prediction has gotten even more difficult as we shift into the implementation of healthcare reform, begin an election year, continue to have a struggling economy, and anticipate a pivotal Supreme Court decision regarding mandating health insurance coverage. Here is our best advice for board members and senior leaders to guide strategic thinking for 2012.

January 1, 2012 | Trustee

Top 10 Trends for Healthcare in 2012

By Steven Valentine, MPA

As hospital leaders look forward, they also need to reflect on major events in 2011 - the struggling economy, the decline in elective procedures and general softening of volume, and the introduction of value-based Medicare payment models - that will shape 2012. Here are the 10 health care trends that will make the biggest impact on hospitals and systems, plus the factors of which trustees should be mindful.

December 16, 2011 | Becker's Hospital Review

The Care Management Imperative

By Patricia Hines, Ph.D., RN, The Camden Group, Michael Randall, MHA, Advocate Health, Graham Brown, MPH, CRC, The Camden Group

An organization's "care management model" is its approach to coordinating inpatient, post-acute, physician office, and home-based care for patients with episodic and chronic disease management needs. How each of the separate components of the Care Management Model functions independently and with each other to identify patients with gaps in care and "high-risk" patients is the integral component to realizing cost savings.

November 6, 2011 | Becker's Hospital Review

Top 10 Lessons Learned From Mature Co-Management Arrangements

By Rebecca Bales, MPA, ASA and Robert Minkin, MBA, FACHE

Interest in co-management agreements has increased dramatically over the last two years as hospitals explore various forms of physician integration, including bundled care, valued-based payment arrangements and accountable care organizations. Since much of the first wave of co-management agreements began in the mid-2000's, there are many "mature co-management arrangements from which to learn. Here are 10 lessons learned from those early ventures that paved the way for clinical integration in specific service lines.

October 1, 2011 | Group Practice Journal

Rethinking Physician Compensation in an Accountable Care World

By Laura Jacobs, MPH and Marc Mertz, MHA, FACMPE

As medical groups are increasingly paid based on value rather than volume, they will need to redesign their physician compensation models to align physicians' incentives with the medical group's new incentives. The first step is to determine whether now is the right time to begin changing physician compensation structures and incentives.

September 2, 2011 | HealthLeaders Media

Strategic Options, It’s Not ACO or Nothing

By Mark Dubow, MSPH, MBA

The national dialogue surrounding accountable care organizations seems to include a barrage of discussion pieces around the pros, cons, and requirements of becoming an ACO. While an important consideration for many, it is critical to take into account a much broader spectrum of strategic options that lay before healthcare organizations even in this era of reform.

September 1, 2011 | Payers & Providers

Nurse Executives' Role is Growing

By Patricia Hines, Ph.D., RN and Bonnie Barndt-Maglio, Ph.D., RN

Given the complex issues facing the healthcare industry, the nurse executive's role will by necessity emphasize collaboration with all providers to operationalize the organizational changes required in the future. Here are the six healthcare trends impacting nursing.

September 1, 2011 | Payers & Providers

How to Power Clinical Integration

By Daniel Cusator, MD, MBA

How can we hope to "bend the cost curve" under our current fragmented, expensive, and unresponsive delivery models? The answer will be found in assessing the current delivery model and identifying ways in which physicians might be able to work together, even when they are not in "formal" organizations, such as medical groups, staff models, or independent practice associations.

August 30, 2011

Key Near Term Strategic Issues

By Cleo Burtley, MBA

As regulations for the CMS Shared Savings Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program are finalized, hospital executives will continue to grapple with the long-term changes to the fee-for-service business model. But to be successful in the post-healthcare reform environment, executives must refocus on near-term strategies to improve their organizations' positions today.

June 9, 2011 | HealthLeaders Media

Top 10 Clinical Integration, ACO Physician Questions

By Eric Nielsen, MD, and James Smith, MBA, FACHE

Physicians are naturally and appropriately skeptical of the new arrangements under clinical integration or an accountable care organization that will impact not only how they get compensated, but also how they care for their patients. Here are 10 of the most frequently asked questions physicians have about clinical integration and accountable care organizations (ACOs).

May 31, 2011 | FierceHealthFinance

The Role of Case Managers in Controlling Hospital Costs

By Kathleen Miodonski, RN, CMAC

Hospital case managers have been valued for their understanding of healthcare delivery and their ability to combine quality, efficiency and resource management in delivery of patient care. The need for an effective and responsive case management department has never been greater. Here are five indications a case management department needs improvement.

May 9, 2011 | CAPG Health

Why Would a Hospital Want to Participate in an ACO? Financial Implications and Considerations

By Adam Medlin, MHA and Laura Jacobs, MPH

With the extinction of hospital risk pools and hospital capitation in most markets, one of the central questions for physician organizations considering ACO designation is, "How do I engage a hospital in ACO discussions when all they seem to care about is the volume of admits or outpatient referrals?"

March 22, 2011 | Payers & Providers

Medical Homes Work for Docs Too

By Claire Heideman, MHA

Many payers are actively promoting patient-centered medical home (PCMH) initiatives through planning and development assistance, staff training, and ongoing financial support. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) has the largest PCMH program of its kind in the country and has been a leader in primary care innovation. This article describes the work of the BCBSM's medical home program and their early results.

March 15, 2011 | Payers & Providers

The Medical Home: Are You Ready?

By Claire Heideman, MHA

To meet the participation guidelines and goals of healthcare reform and to access additional sources of revenue such as shared savings, it will be essential to follow the principles of a patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Here are 10 factors that payers and providers should consider in evaluating provider readiness for medical home.

January 17, 2011 | The Governance Institute's E-Briefings

For Board Members Only: 10 Trends to Watch in 2011

By Steven Valentine, MPA and Guy Masters, MPA

Much of what we expect to see in 2011 will be an extension and continuation of trends and events experienced in 2010. While politicians and regulators sort out healthcare reform, the fundamentals will stay the same. The following represents The Camden Group's best advice for board members and leadership teams to chart strategic direction for 2011.

August 19, 2010 | Payers & Providers

Unbundling The Task Of Bundling

By Deirdre Baggot, RN, MBA

Rapidly following the lead of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, commercial payers are demonstrating heightened interest in bundling payments to providers to try and bend the cost curve. Here are six critical success factors to bundled payments that every c-suite executive needs to consider.

August 17, 2010 | HealthLeaders Media

Hospital Staffing Incentives: A Critical Tool

By Bonnie Barndt-Maglio, Ph.D., RN

Incentives can be a powerful tool to increase workforce capacity when patient volume or intensity increases. A sound and effective incentive program must be time limited, proactively initiated only when very specific predetermined conditions and criteria are present, and provide the type of incentive that motivates the target population.

June 9, 2010 | California Healthcare News

Demonstrating Value Through Bundled Payments

By Mark Dubow, MBA, MSPH and Robert Minkin, MBA, FACHE

As organizations evaluate their readiness for bundled payments, there are two categories of critical success factors to consider: care management infrastructure and physician integration. The following is a subset of diagnostic questions an organization should utilize in assessing if it is ready and well positioned to be selected for and achieve success in bundled payment:

May 26, 2010

The New Competitive Edge: Insights on Bundling from the Front Line

By Robert Minkin, MBA, FACHE

While the ultimate future model for acute care providers and large medical groups may be to achieve ACO status, which is to provide all the healthcare needs to a defined population, a less risky first step is to increase an organization's abilities and competencies by first expanding its current service line approach to integrate the medical professional components into the pricing and cost structure of the organization.

April 14, 2010

Five Reasons to Support and Develop Clinical Integration and ACOs

By James Smith, MBA, FACHE

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) and clinically integrated organizations are being formed across the country. Payers, including government, employers, and health plans, are taking notice of this trend and considering either beginning or expanding their participation with such organizations. The following are five reasons why hospitals, physicians, and payers should support and develop clinically integrated and "accountable" delivery systems or ACOs.

March 1, 2010 | Nursing Economic$

Preventing Heart Failure Readmissions: Is Your Organization Prepared?

By Patricia Hines, Ph.D., RN, Kevin Yu, Michael Randall, MHA

In this article we describe health care reform and the proposed payment changes in relation to hospital readmissions, some leading practices designed to reduce heart failure readmissions in which nursing can play a pivotal role, and an approach to executing readmission reduction strategies for cardiovascular services.

January 14, 2010 | Oncology Issues

Oncology Trends for Community Cancer Centers in 2010

By Mark Dubow, MBA, MSPH and Panos Lykidis, MBA

Today, community cancer centers, oncologists, and the healthcare industry as a whole are refocused on survival in the midst of very turbulent times. While technical signs indicate that the country is emerging from the recession, the pace and degree of economic recovery for communities, physicians, and community cancer centers remains uncertain.

January 9, 2010 | The Governance Institute's E-Briefings

For Board Members Only: Key Trends and Implications for 2010

By Steven Valentine, MPA and Guy Masters, MPA

The year 2010 is about the recovering economy, continued high unemployment, and healthcare reform. Changes in payment structure, the economy, and delivery system changes are a catalyst to accelerate action and there will be winners and losers. The following ten trends and their impacts are The Camden Group's best advice to board members and senior leadership.

January 1, 2010 | Nursing Economics

Nursing Role in Quality and Operational Excellence

By Patricia Hines, Ph.D., RN and Kevin Yu

Improving operational effectiveness will be essential to delivering higher-quality care and improving financial performance. This environment may be seen as a challenge, but it is also an excellent opportunity for nursing services to further demonstrate their value in patient care outcomes and support financial performance.

December 17, 2009 | HealthLeaders Media

Top 10 Ways to Determine Your Readiness for ACOs

By Laura Jacobs, MPH

Accountable Care Organizations ("ACOs") are being proposed as part of Medicare payment reform and are also being considered by some commercial carriers as a mechanism to shift responsibility to networks of hospitals and physicians for "bending the cost curve" and improving quality. Is your organization (either hospital or physician group) ready for a world of ACOs?

November 4, 2009 | MGMA's Connexion

Keep Your Practice Strong: A Checklist

By Mary Witt, MSW

How has your physician practice fared this past year? Your responses to nine key trends determine how well your organization copes with uncertain times. Here are suggestions to help your medical group succeed.

October 29, 2009 | HealthLeaders Media

Utilizing Clinical Integration to Foster Successful Hospital Operations Improvement

By Frank G. Flosman, MBA, Bonnie Barndt-Maglio, Ph.D., RN, and Patricia A. Hines, Ph.D., RN

In order to successfully prepare for the challenges of impending healthcare reform and address the effects of the extended economic downturn, many hospitals and health systems need to not only improve their operating performance, but also should consider doing so within the context of enhancing clinical integration, service and process coordination, and aligning resource utilization across the care continuum.

October 15, 2009 | Payers & Providers

ACOs are Coming

By Steven Valentine, MPA and Barbra Riegel, MBA

Consistently providing high quality healthcare for everyone at a lower cost are the main concepts of healthcare reform. But how? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services believes one way to achieve this is through accountable care organizations (ACOs). It has been proposed that ACOs beimplemented in 2012 as part of healthcare reform. So, what does that mean for you?

October 1, 2009 | Group Practice Journal

Designing Physician Compensation to Achieve Medical Group Goals

By Mary Witt, MSW

This article examines the impact of the changing healthcare landscape on physician compensation plan design, describes the critical success factors in compensation redesign, and discusses how to create an effective process to successfully accomplish compensation redesign.

September 9, 2009 | Health Lawyer

Accountable Care Organizations – Physician Hospital Integration

By Laura Jacobs, MPH et al.

Speakers from Latham & Watkins, The Camden Group, Intelligent Healthcare, and Yale-New Haven Health System participated in a 90 minute webcast discussion of recent health care market trends and the potential of accountable care organizations (ACOs) as a new model of physician / hospital integration. The authors presented during these webcasts, and the following summarizes the content of these presentations.

April 4, 2009 | ACHD Connection

Practical Turnaround Strategies for District Hospitals

By Rebecca Bales, MPA, ASA and Michael Randall, MHA

While there are glimpses of hope in the financial markets, it is likely that most of 2009 will be characterized by softer volumes and suppressed revenue streams for hospitals. For a successful turnaround, consider these strategies.

September 1, 2006 | Journal of Medical Practice Management

Advanced Access Works!

By Mary Witt, MSW

Practices continue to struggle with patient scheduling and assuring access to care for their patients. Consequently practices are seeking new, innovative ways to redesign practice operations to improve patient, physician, and staff satisfaction. One of the foundations of this redesign is Advanced Access.