Archive for December 15, 2011

Changing the Business of Healthcare:
Allocating After Hours Services �

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To maintain and increase revenue in an era of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and bundled payments, healthcare Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) must find new ways of doing business, says Stephen C. Schoenbaum, MD, MPH. Hospitals could arrange after hour services and supports for coordinated care and sell those supports to physicians and practices in the area.

A speaker at the upcoming marcus evans National Healthcare CFO Summit Spring 2012, taking place in Hollywood, Florida, April 26-28, Schoenbaum discusses new business avenues that healthcare organizations could exploit.

With so much focus on lowering costs, how can healthcare CFOs maintain quality of care?

Stephen C. Schoenbaum: The US is one of several countries in which healthcare spending increases chronically exceed increases in earnings and increases in GDP. Each has continuing pressure in improving quality of care and health spending. In the US, healthcare providers that have depended on non-essential practices are already seeing a drop in volume and revenue, and will eventually have to terminate those practices. They will also have to seek opportunities to do business that are aligned with the goals of improving care and decreasing costs. There is already a strong belief among healthcare executives that better care is less expensive care. More efficient processes, ones that eliminate unnecessary steps, create a platform for better quality at a lower cost.   

What can be done to maximize efficiency in healthcare delivery and administration?

Stephen C. Schoenbaum: The existing service payment system in the US encourages more care, not better care. Private insurers are trying to change the way payments are made to encourage better coordinated, more efficient care.

Accountability for the quality of care requires adoption of specific standards and measurements by the US government and others as well as transparency in reporting the results.

What role can hospitals play in assisting ACOs?

Stephen C. Schoenbaum: To increase revenue, healthcare CFOs must find new ways of doing business. There are numerous discussions surrounding the development of medical homes and ACOs. These require a variety of shared services so that they can meet their cost and quality goals.

Hospitals could set up after hours services which could then be provided to a number of practices and physicians. Physicians are not in the office 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but patients need around the clock care.

This will allow for better, less expensive care that decreases visits to the emergency room. While it decreases admissions, it also, assuming they are paid differently, creates a new business opportunity for hospitals. Healthcare executives must open their eyes and realize that they have all the components necessary for this.

How can hospital performance be measured? 

Stephen C. Schoenbaum: Medicare and Medicaid publically report measures online that focus on technical care and patient experience. Both are extremely important. Technical care looks at what is being delivered in accordance with various guidelines and patient experience is an aspect that care givers are not able to determine on their own. 

The overall performance of the US system has actually gotten a bit poorer in recent years. This appears to be related to the increasing number of uninsured people with no or poor access to care. Nevertheless, quality measures are improving, as this is the only area where we have national guidelines. The healthcare system is responding to the existence of guidelines and related measures by working on improving care in those areas. The positive message is that if you set up accountability by having standards and measures in place, you will get results.

Contact: Stacey Melvin, Journalist, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: + 357 22 849 400
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com

About the National Healthcare CFO Summit Spring 2012

This unique forum will take place at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood, Florida, April 26-28, 2012. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on strategies for improving the revenue cycle, preparing for healthcare reform, and being in a position to be able to take advantage of the impending changes in the healthcare system.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website

marcus evans group – finance/insurance sector portal

Complementing our summit format, the Finance Network – marcus evans Summits group delivers peer-to-peer information on strategic matters, professional trends and breakthrough innovations.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com 

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced – kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com

CNO Responsibilities:
Enhancing the Patient Experience and Reducing Costs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) must ensure that nurses are working with patients as opposed to working for them, says Carolyn L. Sanders, RN, PhD, Vice President – Patient Services & Chief Nursing Officer, University of Colorado Hospital. “Having a robust patient and family care centered delivery model where patients actively participate and are partners in care is critical,” she adds.

A speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2012, taking place in Hollywood, Florida, April 26-27, Sanders discusses the importance of ensuring patients are satisfied during their stay.

How can CNOs increase efficiency in the hospital?

Efficiency can be achieved by taking a closer look at staffing patterns relative to census and acuity data and developing staffing models that address the needs of the units and the patients, eliminating unnecessary hours where workload is not there to support it or assigning work to assistive personnel where appropriate. CNOs must focus on patterns of activity, acuity, admissions and discharges, and modify staffing levels to mirror those patterns. All of these strategies are opportunities to increase efficiency and productivity, especially now when we are facing decreased reimbursement. When designing new units or remodeling hospital care areas, we must ensure that support areas are decentralized as much as possible and that medical equipment is easy to find, accessible and the “hunting and gathering” phenomenon is minimized. 

How could the patient experience be enhanced?

Having a robust patient and family care centered delivery model where patients actively participate and are partners in care is critical. Nurses should do things with patients as opposed to for them. Better communication among providers, such as bedside nurse-to-nurse reports that involve the patient and their family will help this development. In addition, models of service excellence ensure all employees are able to see their role in the patient’s experience.

Hourly rounding is a must for both safety and providing a level of certainty for patient. By continually visiting patients, staff can ensure that the patient experience is going smoothly and do whatever it takes to address their needs. The CNO must also work towards increasing employee satisfaction, as this will trickle down and boost patient satisfaction.

With so much focus on reducing costs, do you worry that patient care will be affected?

Every clinician worries about patient care being affected. CNOs must ensure they are hiring the right leaders who have a strong commitment and who can uphold the mission, vision and values of their organization. Transparent leadership styles that employ creative ways of changing care delivery models that ensure quality and safety that also reduce costs is crucial. Leaders must help staff understand cost reduction and quality enhancement, which is not an easy task.

It is important to plan a strategy for the future with the unknowns and uncertainties of healthcare reform.

Any final comments?

CNOs must have a clear vision and empower their teams to help them on the journey towards that vision. Without that, we can reach no destination. It is our responsibility to develop the future of nursing for our patients and our nation.

Contact: Stacey Melvin, Journalist, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: + 357 22 849 400
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com

About the National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2012

This unique forum will take place at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood, Florida, April 26-27, 2012. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on the healthcare reform, nursing in the era of meaningful use and improving patient care. 

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website

marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced – kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com