Remember – just three short but world-changing months ago – when many of us were at the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. The date was January 13th, 2020. Coronavirus was a problem in China, of vague interest – perhaps like SARS, unlikely to have a big impact in the U.S. Our community of healthcare executives, investors, and entrepreneurs were once again gathering in San Francisco. And the adoption of digital health? Well, there was still more talk than action.
The arguments for
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Health IT & Digital Health-Opinion | Op-Eds | Guest Columns | Analysis, Insights - HIT Consultant
The Technological Ironies of the Current State of Value-Based Care
Even though many think of 2008 as the first time CMS began emphasizing quality over quantity via the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), the truth is that we’ve been on a 30-plus-year journey to get to this point.
It really started when managed care became a hot trend, but eventually, the friction between payers and providers was too high and patients were caught in the middle. Then came accountable care, which while still important today, ultimately isn’t creating
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Value-Based Care’s Story Will Turn in the 2020s
Value-based care initiatives matured in recent years thanks to exciting new technology and influential policy changes. But the coming decade will see transformative changes that will eventually lead to a uniform realization of value-based care across the entire healthcare continuum.
Specialty pharmacy represents one area of healthcare that is wholeheartedly welcoming a discussion about value. With the costs of six-figure specialty drugs and the number of patients using them continuing to
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Health IT’s Vital Role in Controlling The Spread of COVID-19
The healthcare system in the United States is becoming overwhelmed as a result of COVID-19 and there is no doubt that this epidemic will test the limits of healthcare delivery systems from end to end. Of course, at the present moment, everyone’s focus is (and rightly should be) on ensuring hospitals and healthcare workers have the appropriate equipment and protective gear they need to stay safe and adequately treat patients. That said, there are other IT considerations that should be taken into
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5 Lessons from Past Epidemics and Shortages to Help Supply Chains Cope with COVID-19
If we don’t learn from history, are we doomed to repeat it? In 2009, as the H1N1 swine flu swept the globe, U.S. hospitals began to run out of test kits. Some had to set up tents to handle the rush of patients. Supplies of personal protective equipment including N95 respirator masks ran out in many places despite millions distributed from the national stockpile.
Today’s coronavirus crisis is exponentially worse yet eerily familiar. Hospitals in New York, the pandemic’s epicenter, are
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What Does The CARES Act Mean for Hospitals and Health Systems?
As of today, the coronavirus has infected almost 2 million worldwide and caused the deaths of more than 125,000 people (Worldometer data as of 12:15 PM on April 14, 2020). In the United States, the relevant figures are more than 600,000 infected and north of 25,000 deceased. Without successful social distancing, those numbers could be dramatically worse.
And still, they are dwarfed by the massive numbers associated with the economic impact of the coronavirus and the illness it causes,
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Understanding and Alleviating Social Isolation Among Older Adults
Social isolation and loneliness among older adults are common and far-reaching issues that have been linked to serious health concerns including depression, cognitive decline, and poor physical health. A recent study found 52 percent of older adults age 65 and older experience feelings of loneliness a few times a year, and 21 percent reported feeling lonely every day. With evidence of social isolation and loneliness among older adults being as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, this is
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Examining a Hospital Ransomware Outbreak
Friendly security can save lives – and that’s not just a provocative phrase to get your attention. It’s actually true.
Hospitals are quickly becoming one of the hackers’ favorite ransomware targets. The steady stream of media reports announcing the latest healthcare facilities that were attacked indicates an end to this targeting is not likely around the corner – and that’s only based on the publicized cases.
Now we have new research showing us that at hospitals impacted by a data breach,
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Addressing Loneliness and Social Isolation in the Medicare Population
In recent years, the healthcare industry's understanding of social determinants of health (SDoH) and their impact on patient outcomes has grown dramatically. Researchers and practitioners now recognize that social isolation and loneliness fall under the SDOH umbrella. In response, many payers and providers are exploring initiatives to address social isolation among members and patients.
The health effects of social isolation and loneliness are costly and harmful. According to Health
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COVID-19: Best Practices to Safeguard Organizations from Cybercriminals
While we may consider health largely a private concern in the United States, our nation depends on the continuity and availability of its healthcare system in a very public way, as evidenced by the current coronavirus outbreak. Our critical healthcare infrastructure is vulnerable at this time, no doubt, but it truly has been inspiring to see doctors, scientists, and other industry professionals from around the world come together to stop the spread of COVID-19. To fend off exploitative
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