What You Should Know:
- A new report from the Commonwealth Fund reveals that despite significant progress in expanding health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions of Americans still lack adequate and affordable healthcare.
- The report highlights the prevalence of coverage gaps, high out-of-pocket costs, and the burden of medical debt, underscoring the need for further policy action to achieve truly universal coverage.
Uninsured and
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Technology
Bed Shortages: How AI Can Help Reduce Length of Stay in Hospitals
Length of stay management in acute care facilities represents a critical frontier for providers and payers to improve their own bottom lines, and also improve patients’ experience with the healthcare system.
Let’s take a closer look at how today’s systemic inefficiencies arose, and how collaboration within provider networks, and between payers and providers, might improve length-of-stay procedures and inefficiencies in the future.
Acute care facility bed shortages, and how they
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Revitalizing Medicare Advantage: How The Push to Streamline Prior Authorization Will Impact Senior Care
As a physician, the odds that you’ve had a negative experience related to the prior authorization process are (unfortunately) highly likely. According to the American Medical Association’s (AMA) 2023 Prior Authorization Physician Survey, 1 in 4 physicians report that prior auths “have led to a serious adverse event for a patient in their care.” Think about the toll that this takes on professionals whose primary job is providing lifesaving care, and the thing preventing this care is outside their
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Suicide is NOT a Symptom: Healthcare Is Missing the Mark on Suicide Prevention
Too many have lost a loved one to suicide. Every 11 minutes someone dies by suicide in the US, often without warning. Suicidality has historically been regarded as a symptom of major depression and mental illness in general. During my training, when someone was at risk of suicide, we were taught to treat the underlying mental illness and the patient will get better. However, in many cases that has proven to not be correct.
In fact, a large percentage of severely depressed
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Leveraging AI to Reach Occupancy Goals in Senior Living Communities: What You Should Know
Artificial intelligence (AI) is seemingly proliferating everywhere, and so are discussions about its advantages and pitfalls. The senior living industry finds itself at this technology crossroads as it tries to figure out if—and how—to incorporate AI into its operations.
Occupancy goals are one area that holds great potential for AI to give senior living communities a nice boost. However, it’s not as easy as just flipping a switch and letting AI take over. To realize the real advantages AI
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Wondr Health Expands Weight Loss Program with Support for GLP-1 Users
What You Should Know:
- Wondr Health, a leader in virtual metabolic health programs, has announced the expansion of its weight and obesity care solution, Wondr Plus.
- The enhancement provides comprehensive lifestyle support and nutrition counseling for employees using GLP-1 weight-loss medications, addressing the challenges of medication adherence and side effects.
Addressing the Need for GLP-1 Support
While GLP-1 medications have shown promising results for weight loss,
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Synapticure Raises $25M to Expand Virtual Care for Neurodegenerative Diseases
What You Should Know:
- Synapticure, a virtual care company focused on neurodegenerative diseases secures $25M in a Series A funding round led by B Capital, the investment includes participation from new investors CommonSpirit Health, CVS Health Ventures, RA Capital Management, and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures, as well as existing investors Google Ventures, Optum Ventures, and Rock Health Capital.
- Founded by individuals with firsthand experience navigating the challenges of
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TELUS Mental Health Index: Physical Activity Linked to Improved Mental Health and Productivity
What You Should Know:
- TELUS Health has released its latest Mental Health Index, shedding light on the mental health of employed individuals across the globe. The US report reveals a significant connection between physical activity, workplace wellness programs, and employee productivity.
- The TELUS Mental Health Index is based on an online survey of 5,000 employed individuals in the United States. The data provides valuable insights into workplace mental health, productivity, and
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Bariatric Surgeries Decline as GLP-1s Use Rises, Impacting Hospital Margins
What You Should Know:
- A new report from Strata Decision Technology reveals a significant decline in the number of bariatric surgeries performed in U.S. hospitals in recent years.
- The trend coincides with the rising popularity of weight-loss medications like semaglutide (GLP-1s), which have gained widespread adoption since their approval for chronic weight management.
Declining Surgical Volumes
Strata's analysis of data from 809 hospitals nationwide shows a clear
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SOFHA and Lumeris Partner to Enhance Value-Based Care in Tennessee and Virginia
What You Should Know:
- State of Franklin Healthcare Associates (SOFHA), the largest employee-owned, physician-led multi-specialty primary care group in the nation, has announced a new partnership with Lumeris, a leading value-based care enablement company, to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia communities beginning in 2025.
- By combining SOFHA’s exceptional provider care with Lumeris’ expertise in population health management and
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