In an era where healthcare expenditure looms large and continues to grow, discussions surrounding non-profit hospitals’ tax-exempt status have gained momentum, triggering conversations to the value communities are receiving in lieu of tax revenue generation. Hospitals were borne out of the social necessity of where to care for people who are sick when they could not be cared… Read More »
I have referenced, over the years, one way to measure value for those we serve. As we continue our journey, being able to quantify what we do is critical to our success. Attached is a link to an article published by the Advisory Board that goes into greater detail on the equation I have discussed. How Sentara measures… Read More »
In the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, value, defined as the relationship between cost and quality, stands at the forefront of discussions. Measuring the cost-effectiveness and the actual value of medical services and treatments has long been a complex endeavor. Enter the Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY), a gold standard in assessing the benefits of therapies, which has provided invaluable… Read More »
Generative AI is sparking intriguing discussions in healthcare, particularly in its role within chatbots for diagnostic and decision-making purposes. The potential benefits are vast, but it’s essential to recognize and address the accompanying risks and complexities. Diagnostic accuracy and adherence to evidence-based medicine have been central issues in recent healthcare conversations. As we strive to enhance outcomes and… Read More »
In the evolving healthcare landscape, delivering appropriate care at the right time and location is paramount. However, one important model of care, very often overlooked, is the home care workforce. With the increasing demand for home services, it’s essential to acknowledge the significance of caregivers who provide services in the home. While physicians, nurses, and professional clinicians receive… Read More »
Since its inception, more than 50 years ago, Medicare Advantage (MA) has experienced significant growth, surpassing the number of beneficiaries in traditional Medicare. This situation has sparked a debate regarding the sustainability of MA benchmarks and their impact on the Medicare Trust Fund. There are two schools of thought regarding the purpose of MA. The first suggests… Read More »
With enrollment in the Medicare Advantage (MA) program continuing to rise and nearly 50% of all Medicare eligible beneficiaries participating in an MA product, now is the time to evaluate the program’s benefits and possible unintended consequences. Why? A recent study by Landon et al., published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, compared the two programs… Read More »
The desire to improve diagnostic accuracy, efficiency, and safety is always on the minds of clinicians. Suddenly, artificial intelligence (AI) arrives, and everyone believes we have found nirvana and a solution to all problems. Unfortunately, despite multiple peaks of excitement, AI still has failed to meet our expectations. When we delve into the reasons concerning diagnostic accuracy, it’s… Read More »
In a manner that was not possible during “normal” times, the COVID crisis allowed us to implement much-needed changes and the expansion of virtual care is one of them. In addition to the growth of virtual care, increasing the healthcare workforce during a time of crisis was necessary. In all, 45 states extended licenses to out-of-state practitioners. Currently,… Read More »
Currently, a significant portion of value-based care payments has focused on primary care-based models. Whether Medicare Advantage, Medicare Shared Savings Programs, Direct Primary Care, or other value-based programs, they all center on primary care clinicians and services. Though there are a few unique specialty-based models such as BPCI, the vast majority are not. These models have had a… Read More »