Financial Decision Making

Most health systems are seeing slim operating margins. Steve Wasson of Strata Decision Technology doesn’t expect much improvement in the months ahead.

About a quarter of LCMC Health’s patients rely on Medicaid, and many may lose coverage. The system is looking at new ways to engage patients and help them navigate the challenge.

When users, including C-suite executives, are exempt from aggressive social engineering, they can become complacent and one of the weakest links in your defense perimeter.

Ryan Czado, chief pharmacy officer from RazorMetrics, offers perspectives on how hospitals and health plans can contain pharmacy costs.

Higher labor costs and staffing shortages are pushing hospitals to pursue mergers. These are the same pressures that make due diligence more complex.

Patient transfer is a significant problem in U.S. hospitals, and evidence suggests that the time it takes to move patients to the most appropriate care setting is on the rise.

Large employers are spending more, particularly on prescription drugs, according to the Business Group on Health. Companies are spending more on cancer care and GLP-1 drugs.

Nonprofit health systems saw modest gains over the past year, but most systems are barely breaking even, according to Fitch Ratings. Pending Medicaid cuts look to pose more challenges.

Some health systems are faring better financially so far this year, but performance varies widely. Hospitals are facing higher supply costs, including rising drug prices.

Federal officials are giving more scrutiny to the financial arrangements between hospitals and health systems and their employed and contracted physicians.

By using data-driven tools to manage internal float pools and local per diem staff, healthcare systems are improving retention, reducing costs, and achieving better outcomes.

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology is hearing reports of layoffs in those programs. Leaders of the association and the Leapfrog Group warn about risks to patients.

A new study released by the American Hospital Association looks at the cost in lost work and investments in security measures. But the toll on staff morale and patients could be even more significant.

Penelope Elebash of Huron discusses getting the most out of staff, the benefits for organizations, and the impact on patient satisfaction.

Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, the president of the American Nurses Association, talks with us about the problems facing nurses and the lack of progress in addressing them.

Better decisions await the organizations who have complete and accurate claims data. It’s difficult to close a care gap when you don’t know the gap exists in the first place.

Even organizations with limited staff and resources can take steps to generate less waste and reduce their impact on the environment.

Healthcare is complex and essential, yet unforeseen injury or illness can easily overwhelm a family both emotionally and financially.

The company reported solid earnings in the first quarter, but like many hospital systems, HCA is anxious to get a better sense of federal policies and their impact.

Prospect Medical Holdings is shutting down Crozer Health and its two hospitals in the Philadelphia suburbs. Staff fear the impact on residents needing care.

Other providers in the Philadelphia suburbs are planning for an influx of patients seeking emergency care and looking to deliver their babies.

Health systems can make choices to reuse more materials and reduce the amount of waste they generate. Alex Chapman of Stericycle talks about the ways hospitals can improve sustainability and cut costs.

The Pacific Northwest health system began an initiative to encourage clinicians to choose less costly treatment options. Dr. Arun Mathews talks about the effort and its success.

With questions about federal spending and economic headwinds, healthcare leaders are grappling with more unknowns, adding complexity to long-term planning.

President Trump has paused tariff hikes on most countries, but they remain in effect on China, which produces key medical supplies hospitals use every day.