Delivery System Transformation
The health care community is showing a significant and growing interest in the social determinants of health. The rise of population health, providers’ embracing risk, increased focus on community benefits and growing scientific evidence have all driven an appreciation that social…
Population health is a hot topic. But what does it mean in practical terms?
Population health encompasses clinical and nonclinical approaches for improving health, preventing disease and reducing health disparities. It also means creating a society that gives all individuals an equal opportunity…
As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sharpens the sticks and sweetens the carrots to encourage health care providers to reduce avoidable readmissions, better discharge planning has become a priority for hospitals. A number of strategies have shown promise already:
Health care is transforming to a value-based model, with the goals of improved care quality, access and outcomes for consumers, at lower costs. The means of achieving these goals is the effective management of health and health care services over the continuum of a population’s care and…
Hospital executives are facing a relatively new challenge: managing the financial risk of bundled or capitated payment after a patient is discharged. Now that post–acute care providers are an extension of a hospital’s care delivery model, their performance has direct implications for…
Community health improvement is an ongoing process, and hospital trustees can play a crucial role. The community health assessment is a method used by hospitals, public health departments and other social services agencies to identify and prioritize community health needs and assets and then use…
Conversations about the Affordable Care Act and its effect on hospitals have often concerned readmissions and the health insurance exchanges. Also important for hospitals and patients, though, is the effect the law has had on population health.
Millions of Americans living in vulnerable rural and urban communities depend upon their hospital as an important, and often only, source of care. These communities and their hospitals, however, face many challenges. As the hospital field engages in its most significant transformation to date…
The U.S. health care system continues to grapple with increased chronic disease management, changing demographics, increased responsibility around care coordination and medical homes, and the elimination of disparities in care. Hospitals will play a significant role in creating and implementing new…
With the recent rounds of health insurance company merger and acquisition activity, many hospital executives and their boards may be wondering if a provider-owned plan might make sense for them.