Undeniably, there is a tremendous allocation of money on healthcare. Arguably, waste occurs, and there is an abundant opportunity for improvement. Furthermore, with an ever-increasing aging population – 15% of Americans are currently 65 years of age or older and that number will double by 2060, the need for services will increase, thereby causing an ever-growing demand. Providing… Read More »
Nutrition is a driving force concerning health. Consequently, the Farm Bill is an important program that contains several provisions that influence our public health. For those who need clarification, The Farm Bill is a package of legislation renewed every five years by congress that shapes the federal food and agriculture policy. The Nutrition component of the bill accounts… Read More »
In over sixteen hundred articles published since 2000, the value of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is irrefutably clear – “ERAS optimizes operative functional status to improve clinical outcome and patient satisfaction.” ERAS concepts are a comprehensive patient care movement that originated in Europe. By treating undesirable perioperative pathophysiologic processes, like colorectal surgery, which was the first surgery… Read More »
Understanding precisely how individuals consume and translate clinical quality information is imperative as we continue to focus on delivering value to those we serve. Now a very data-driven industry, our focus centers on the reliability and accuracy of the data itself. However, this is only half the problem. The method in which we share this information followed by… Read More »
One of my earliest blogs discusses the difference between using the words person and patient to describe those we serve. We use numerous descriptions, depending on what part of the healthcare ecosystem and the message one is delivering. Health plans frequently refer to those they serve as members, whereas physicians and hospitals use the term patients, patient advocacy… Read More »
Understanding Why Hospitals, payers and physicians must work together If we want to continue to increase the value to those we serve; it is crucial to recognize that partnerships are necessary. Thus, it is essential that physicians, hospitals, and payers work together in innovative ways and cost-effectively elevate care and services. Historically, not only has each focused on… Read More »
In healthcare, we continue to increase our focus on preventing illness and disease. With prevention, we also must balance the polarity of whether the preventive treatment outweighs the risks involved. For instance, the association of vaccine usage with possible long-term impacts prevails in the minds of numerous people still, even though the research has staunchly supported their benefit… Read More »
Unlike collecting clinical information and medical claims, collecting the data on social determinants of health is much more challenging. Social determinants of health are understood by most to be the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. Historically, the tried and true method to determine these entailed either using demographic data, usually based on… Read More »
We need to consider several things when we ask a question like “Who Should we focus on to reduce healthcare costs?” In healthcare a modest percentage of patients define a disproportionate amount of expense, i.e., 20-30% of our unhealthy account for 70-80% of healthcare costs. Therefore, it is logical to focus on these individuals if we want to… Read More »
With the initiative of Choosing Wisely, which was introduced to the healthcare community in 2012, there has been an intentional focus on decreasing unnecessary testing such as CTs, MRIs, and labs. Superfluous medical treatment, tests, and procedures lead to not only increased cost, but also the potential for higher incidents of unintended harm. Incidental findings frequently lead to… Read More »