Management

Berkshire Health Systems names successor to retiring chief executive, and VCU Health announces first VP for diversity

Gov. Larry Hogan ordered hospitals to postpone non-urgent procedures when COVID-19 hospitalizations exceeded 1,200. Maryland joins other states taking similar steps and struggling to contain the latest surge.

This year, hospitals aren’t just battling the coronavirus; they’re treating more people with other health issues and dealing with staffing shortages. Hospitals are delaying procedures and diverting patients.

Many Americans have postponed or gone without some medical services in the past year, a KFF poll found. Members of minority groups and those with lower incomes are more likely to have trouble with medical bills.

In a full-page advertisement in Minnesota newspapers, healthcare CEOs said their hospitals are filled. More than 40 states are seeing increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

West Virginia University Health System has shifted top leaders into new roles. Medical City, Doctors Hospital and the University of Maryland system named new executives.

The Pennsylvania-based system made the announcement less than three weeks after saying it had an agreement to sell them. Tower has been dealing with serious financial issues after a costly expansion.

The Senate approved the measure preventing the cuts and President Biden is expected to sign the legislation. Healthcare advocates pressed for a remedy before the end of the year.

The groups say they support the law and key patient protections. But they argue a provision in the law must be fixed or it could hurt patient access to care and providers could lose out financially.

The $390 million deal is expected to close in early 2022. Cancer Treatment Centers will be converted to a non-profit organization.

With a bipartisan vote, the House of Representatives approved the Lorna Breen Act. The bill is named in honor of an emergency doctor who died by suicide in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthcare systems have endured plenty of headaches finding supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. There may be some relief in the new year, a leading expert predicts.

The number of applicants rose 18% over the past year, the AAMC said. Women and members of most minority groups made gains.

A new study examined the earnings data from more than 80,000 doctors. The gender gap was largest among surgical specialists.

Nearly 150 hospitals are recognized for quality and efforts to improve safety and transparency.

The longtime leader of Fox Chase Cancer Center has stepped down, while Southeast Georgia Health System names a new chief executive.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals can’t afford the looming cuts, advocates say. The reductions could come at the end of the year if lawmakers don’t act.

The costs of assisted living vary significantly across the country. Even in the less expensive states, most Americans would need to save for a long time to cover the costs of a year in assisted living.

The system continues to expand its presence in the Sunshine State. HCA opened a new hospital in Florida last month.

A federal judge issued a moratorium temporarily blocking the rule, which calls for all healthcare employees to be fully vaccinated in early January. But the legal battle isn't over.

Mark Spinner, CEO of AccessOne, discusses some of the financing concerns that patients expressed in a recent AccessOne survey as well as some solutions that hospitals and health systems can implement to improve communication and price transparency.

Hospitals continue to struggle with higher expenses and low volumes compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to Kaufman Hall’s latest monthly report.

Hospitals contend the cuts in drug payments threaten their ability to care for patients in vulnerable communities. The high court will hear arguments this week.

Women physicians were more likely to cut their hours or work from home. Among couples where both parents are doctors, the gaps are wider.

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital gets new COO, Carilion Clinic names first VP of philanthropy

Exacerbated most recently by the pandemic, physician burnout has been particularly pervasive. Prospectively tracking metrics in the electronic health record (EHR) may identify physicians at high risk of departure.

Healthcare organizations can use the money for salaries, equipment and other costs tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers in all 50 states are receiving funds.

The nation needs more physicians to improve health equity. Addressing the shortage requires offering more support for women and aspiring doctors from minority groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create supply headaches for hospitals. Intermountain Healthcare’s director of supply chain logistics talks about better strategies.

Healthcare providers must use different methods to communicate with patients. And providers need to understand how their patients are thinking.