In a society where so many want more—more money, more time off, more adventure—few stop to question the logic of insatiably wanting “more.” Perhaps, no place does the consequence of wanting more negatively impact people than with healthcare treatments. Medication use, for example, shows clear dose-response curves, where over-use can have fatal consequences; negative consequences and death also can result from too much chemotherapy, radiation, antibiotic use, or complications from unnecessary
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High Drug Costs Threatening Affordability of Employer-Sponsored Healthcare
Large employers report that the biggest threat to self-funding medical coverage is the increasingly high cost of pharmacy claims. In their annual Health Benefits Priorities survey, MBGH found that employers consider pharmacy costs extremely problematic. Ninety-one percent of employers cited million-dollar treatments approved by the FDA, and 89% pointed to specialty drug spending as a top threat.
Source: PSG 2023 Trends in Specialty Drug Benefits Report
Employers already pay
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How Hospitals Can Maximize Cybersecurity and Travel Nurse Investments
In the wake of the pandemic, the nursing field has continued to suffer large-scale burnout and a wave of retirements. An estimated 100,000 registered nurses have left the field since 2020 due to Covid-related stress, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), accelerating the chronic understaffing crisis that already strained hospitals and healthcare organizations pre-pandemic.
The remaining nurses are caught in a vicious burnout cycle, forced to bear an
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Personalized Patient Engagement Can Help Cure America’s Non-Adherence Problem
Today, more than 131 million Americans – 66 percent of all adults in the U.S. – use prescription drugs, and one in four use three or more, according to the Health Policy Institute. Not only are we being prescribed more drugs than ever before, but we’re paying more for them too: the U.S. has the highest per-capita pharmaceutical spending among the developed countries. In 2021, the U.S. healthcare system spent $603 billion on prescription drugs.
But even as we’re being prescribed more drugs,
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Balancing AI-Enhanced Automation in Healthcare Revenue Cycle
Typically, hearing the terms “Automation or AI” elicits one of two responses-- an immediate sense of apprehension and avoidance, or a complete overestimation of its capabilities, though in some cases those two responses go hand in hand. However, neither view is particularly helpful as one is trying to understand the tremendous power of this capability and employ it in appropriate places within their business.
The truth is, automation and AI are here and they’re here to stay. Though there are
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The Benefits of a Stand-Alone Care-Management Program
Poorly managed chronic conditions—most of which are related to lifestyle—cost employers $36.4 billion each year in the form of absenteeism and poor productivity. Add in coverage-related and other costs, and that number skyrockets to $575 billion. Coverage costs alone have increased by 47% over the previous ten years.
Research shows that at-risk employees can benefit from care management programs that help them better maintain their chronic conditions, while employers benefit from lower
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What’s Old is New Again: 3 Benefits of Moving Some Servers Out of the Cloud for Providers
In recent years, cloud computing has become the go-to solution for healthcare institutions seeking flexibility and scalability. However, as the digital and legislative landscapes evolve, a growing number of organizations are reevaluating their cloud strategies. Are you best served by doubling down on your cloud-based strategy, or by backing off a bit and bringing some of your services out of the cloud and back down to earth? Consider these cases before completely abandoning your presence on
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Streamlining Digital Preference Cards for Surgeons Improves Operational Efficiency & Patient Safety
In the dynamic world of healthcare, preference cards serve as crucial tools that capture a surgeon’s specific needs and preferences for each type of surgical procedure they perform. These cards typically outline the equipment, instruments, and supplies required for a particular procedure, providing a personalized roadmap for surgical teams to follow. By detailing these specifications, preference cards help streamline surgical planning, foster improved communication among the operating room (OR)
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Balancing Innovation and the Ethical Adoption of AI in Healthcare
In recent years, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has created a wave of excitement and anticipation within the healthcare industry. AI has the potential to revolutionize patient care, improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, enhance treatment planning, and streamline administrative tasks. However, for AI to truly deliver on its promises, it is essential that AI tools undergo rigorous clinical validation. As both industry and government leaders continue to determine the
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What Does The New Tracking Guidance from HHS Mean for Digital Marketers’ Technology Decisions?
Also known as the Kennedy–Kassebaum Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) defines and regulates individuals’ medical records and other individually identifiable health information, collectively known as patient healthcare information (PHI). HIPAA aims to protect patient privacy, safeguarding their entire medical history, information about medical services and treatments they may seek, and other related data. HIPAA also limits how this information is used
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