Health Systems News and Research

RSS

Highmark Health Services creates Accountable Care Alliance to improve health care in Western Pennsylvania

Highmark Health Services is helping to improve health care through the formation of the Accountable Care Alliance, designed to not only improve care, but to also make it more affordable for patients in Western Pennsylvania.

19 Jul 2013

Stanford Hospital & Clinics recognized as one of nation's most wired hospitals

Stanford Hospital & Clinics has again been recognized as one of the nation's "most wired" hospitals and health systems by Hospitals & Health Networks, a trade magazine published by the American Hospital Association. Stanford Hospital & Clinics is one of only 13 systems in California and among 289 nationwide to receive the honor.

18 Jul 2013

Pioneer ACO results include improved quality, lowered Medicare costs

Even with these marks, nine of the health systems -- nearly a third of those participating in the program -- have decided to leave after the first year.

18 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 17, 2013

Today's headlines include a report about how the delay of the health law's employer mandate might undermine enforcement of the measure's individual mandate as well as news that the House will consider a bill that would put off both of these provisions.

17 Jul 2013

Catholic Health Initiatives creates new MSO to deliver physician-management services

Catholic Health Initiatives has formed a new management-services organization to deliver key business functions and physician-management services under a centralized, national organization across eight divisions.

17 Jul 2013

Pilot program finds improving quality easier than lowering health care costs

Lowering health-care costs is tougher than improving the quality of care, according to first-year results from a key pilot program under the federal health law.

17 Jul 2013

Study: STD clinics could be a great place to offer cervical cancer screening

A new study found that STD clinics could provide important access to cervical cancer screenings for women who traditionally have trouble receiving these screenings because of lack of insurance or other obstacles.

17 Jul 2013

Three health systems form new initiative to improve healthcare services

Abington Health, Aria Health and Einstein Healthcare Network announced today the development of a new initiative that will enable the three health systems to work collaboratively while remaining independent as they prepare for the demands of national health reform.

16 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 16, 2013

Kaiser Health News consumer columnist Michelle Andrews reports: "Since smokers' health-care costs tend to be higher than those of nonsmokers, is it reasonable for smokers to pay higher premiums when they buy insurance through the new state marketplaces that are scheduled to open in October? A handful of states and the District say the answer is no" (Andrews, 7/16).

16 Jul 2013

State highlights: Calif. insurers, lawmakers fight over premium disclosure; For-profit hospital re-entrance in Mass.

Despite opposition from insurers, the Assembly Committee on Health last week approved a bill designed to lower health insurance premiums by requiring plans to disclose more information about their rates. SB 746 by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) would require insurers selling coverage to employers with 50 or more employees to provide more detailed information about how and why they raise health insurance rates. Leno said the bill was prompted by a recent dust-up between San Francisco unions and Kaiser Permanente. Union officials asked Kaiser for data and reasons for rate increases. Leno indicated he has not been satisfied with the insurer's response (Hart, 7/11).

15 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: 'Implosion' of the ACA; Administration 'spin machine'; Republicans on 'search-and-destroy' mission

July 3 was the quiet afternoon that a deputy assistant Treasury secretary for tax policy announced in a blog post that the Affordable Care Act's employer mandate would be delayed one year. Something about the "complexity of the requirements." ... Even if you are a liberal and support the goals of the Affordable Care Act, there has to be an emerging sense that maybe the law's theorists missed a signal from life outside the castle walls. While they troweled brick after brick into a 2,000-page law, the rest of the world was reshaping itself into smaller, more nimble units whose defining metaphor is the 140-character Twitter message (Daniel Henninger, 7/10).

12 Jul 2013

Louisiana Blue Cross: Insurance costs will drop for many under health law; other states cope with law's impact

The Miami Herald: Educating Florida About Health Care Reform Starts With Conversation Enroll America, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit whose mission is to educate Americans about their healthcare options under the Affordable Care Act, kicked off its Florida campaign Wednesday in Miami with a training session for more than 25 newly hired organizers who will be reaching out to residents statewide.

12 Jul 2013

Comprehensive analysis of disease burden in US

In nearly every major cause of premature death - from ischemic heart disease to diabetes to interpersonal violence - the United States trails its economic peers, according to new research from a global collaborative of scientists led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

12 Jul 2013

Neuronix to present data on NeuroAD device at Alzheimer's Association International Conference

Neuronix, which has developed an innovative medical device technology for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, announces today that it will present at the leading Alzheimer's Association International Conference, in Boston, United States.

11 Jul 2013

MedSnap introduces iPhone app for health providers to improve medication use and safety

According to a recent IMS Health study, poor medication use by clinicians and patients costs $200 billion each year in the U.S., or 8 percent of all U.S. healthcare expenditures. To improve medication use and safety, MedSnap, LLC introduces MedSnap ID, an iPhone application for clinicians, health systems, hospitals, clinics, ACOs, pharmacies and home health providers.

10 Jul 2013

Study reveals that low-income patients use hospital care more often than primary care

Patients with low socioeconomic status use emergency and hospital care more often than primary care because they believe hospital care is more affordable and convenient, and of better quality than care provided by primary care physicians, according to the results of a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

9 Jul 2013

Washington area hospital group launches its own health insurance plan

In other industry news, the growth of jobs in the health care sector could be a double-edged sword and hospitals seek solution to "alarm fatigue."

9 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 8, 2013

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news about a new ad campaign against the health law, more reaction to the administration's delay of the employer mandate provision and states efforts to restrict abortions.

8 Jul 2013

Employers worry they'll pay bill for those exempt from contraceptive mandate

Businesses are concerned that non-religious employers will end up covering the bill for religious groups that refuse to pay for contraception for their employees. Meanwhile, church leaders continue their push to broaden the exemption from the contraception coverage rule.

4 Jul 2013

Royal Philips receives FDA clearance to market AlluraClarity live image guidance system in US

Royal Philips today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration to market its innovative AlluraClarity live image guidance system in the US.

From Philips Healthcare 4 Jul 2013

Health Systems News and Research

Highmark Health Services creates Accountable Care Alliance to improve health care in Western Pennsylvania

Stanford Hospital & Clinics recognized as one of nation's most wired hospitals

Pioneer ACO results include improved quality, lowered Medicare costs

First Edition: July 17, 2013

Catholic Health Initiatives creates new MSO to deliver physician-management services

Pilot program finds improving quality easier than lowering health care costs

Study: STD clinics could be a great place to offer cervical cancer screening

Three health systems form new initiative to improve healthcare services

First Edition: July 16, 2013

State highlights: Calif. insurers, lawmakers fight over premium disclosure; For-profit hospital re-entrance in Mass.

Viewpoints: 'Implosion' of the ACA; Administration 'spin machine'; Republicans on 'search-and-destroy' mission

Louisiana Blue Cross: Insurance costs will drop for many under health law; other states cope with law's impact

Comprehensive analysis of disease burden in US

Neuronix to present data on NeuroAD device at Alzheimer's Association International Conference

MedSnap introduces iPhone app for health providers to improve medication use and safety

Study reveals that low-income patients use hospital care more often than primary care

Washington area hospital group launches its own health insurance plan

First Edition: July 8, 2013

Employers worry they'll pay bill for those exempt from contraceptive mandate

Royal Philips receives FDA clearance to market AlluraClarity live image guidance system in US

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

Latest News