Quality and Outcomes

Hospitals Step Up Efforts to Curb Workplace Violence: What You Need to Know

Mark Moore, corporate director of protective and support services at Dayton Children’s Hospital

U.S. hospitals are seeing a dramatic rise in workplace violence. While some organizations are taking active steps to address the issue — including developing internal and external campaigns — more is needed: Only 43 percent of workers believe their organization’s policies against workplace violence are effective. In most hospitals today, electronic medical records and patient Read More

Measures to Curb Workforce Violence Ramp Up in Hospitals Across America

John Marzano

U.S. hospitals are seeing a dramatic rise in workplace violence. While some organizations are taking active steps to address the issue — including developing internal and external campaigns — more is needed: Only 43 percent of workers believe their organization’s policies against workplace violence are effective. // By John Marzano // In most hospitals today, Read More

Improving Health Equity: A Framework for Sustainable Change

Whitney Haggerson, vice president of health equity at Providence

Getting access to care has been difficult in many parts of the country for years. Even in densely populated urban areas, a shortage of physicians and clinicians often made setting appointments for primary and specialty care a frustrating experience. And then 2020 hit. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the staffing shortage and further restricted access. Today, Read More

Healthcare Equality Index: How Does Your Health System Measure Up?

Tari Hanneman, director of the health and aging program at the HRC

The Healthcare Equality Index defines industry best practices for LGBTQ inclusion and recognizes progress achieved by health care organizations to reach their health equity goals. How does your health system measure up? Health care is a necessity. But not everyone has equal access to medical services, which can negatively impact a person’s long-term health outcomes. Read More

Health Equity and Access: Addressing a Challenge That Too Many People Don’t See

Alan Shoebridge is associate vice president, National Communication for Providence

Providence commits significant financial resources and maps out specific actions to address health inequities. // By Alan Shoebridge // Getting access to care has been difficult in many parts of the country for years. Even in densely populated urban areas, a shortage of physicians and clinicians often made setting appointments for primary and specialty care Read More

Acute Care Telehealth: A Lifeline for Struggling Hospitals?

Teresa Rincon, RN, PhD, FCCM, assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Graduate School of Nursing, and senior telehealth consultant with Blue Cirrus Consulting

Acute care telehealth expands access to care by connecting community hospitals with specialized experts, which helps to close gaps in knowledge and keep care local. When patients in a rural community get sick and need access to intensive care or specialized care, the typical small community hospital — if there is one — doesn’t have Read More

Expanding Access to Health Care in the Face of Provider Shortages

Cheryl L. Serra

By using technology and expanding the care team, Renown Health is increasing capacity and giving patients more ways to access health care. // By Cheryl L. Serra // Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada is a 650-bed facility and the region’s only Level II Trauma Center. Renown serves over a million people across 100,000 Read More

Improving Access to Care: How Health Systems Can Overcome the Obstacles

Lindsay Resnick headshot

Assuring timely access to care — an individual’s ability to obtain health care services — has always challenged payers, providers, and without doubt, consumers. The industry’s constant back-and-forth blame game over cost and access must end. Customers are listening, and so are competitors. Recent market moves are making care more widely available than ever before. Read More

Acute Care Telehealth Expands Access in Community Hospitals

Jane Weber Brubaker

Telemedicine technology connects community hospitals with specialized experts, closing gaps in knowledge and keeping care local.  // By Jane Weber Brubaker // When patients in a rural community get sick and need access to intensive care or specialized care, the typical small community hospital — if there is one — doesn’t have experts on-site to Read More

Access Will Be Profitable — If Health Care Movers and Shakers Are Right

Access Will Be Profitable — If Health Care Movers and Shakers are Right

Retail providers are expanding, and health insurers are profiting, but timely access to needed care remains elusive for many. // By Lindsay R. Resnick, MHA // Assuring timely access to care — an individual’s ability to obtain health care services — has always challenged payers, providers, and without doubt, consumers. The industry’s constant back-and-forth blame Read More

10 Ways to Make Virtual Care Visits Senior-Friendly

Caitlin Brandon, MSc, project manager, Regional Geriatric Program of Toronto

Virtual care visits have become a new normal for many health care patients and providers in the aftermath of the pandemic. But for some patients, adapting to the technological advancements is not so simple. Technology is great — unless it’s a barrier. We don’t have to look back very far for a good example. When Read More

Improving Access: Making Video Visits Senior-Friendly

Jane Weber Brubaker

Most of the guidance on how to prep for video visits is directed to patients. Here, we look at what providers can do to set up older patients for success. // By Jane Weber Brubaker // Technology is great — unless it’s a barrier. We don’t have to look back very far for a good Read More

What to Expect From WebMD’s Acquisition of Mercury Healthcare

Jeff Herman, senior vice president of product management, Mercury Healthcare

When WebMD announced its acquisition of Mercury Healthcare in June 2022, the press release focused on patient engagement solutions. The headline reads “WebMD Health Corp. Acquires Mercury Healthcare, Building on Leadership in Patient Engagement Solutions.” But we learned that WebMD’s strategic vision is broader, also encompassing provider engagement. In a video explaining the vision, Ann Read More

WebMD and Mercury Healthcare: What the Acquisition Means for Physician Strategies

Jane Weber Brubaker

WebMD Provider Services seeks to align physician and consumer strategies holistically, using data and analytics to guide the journey from both sides. // By Jane Weber Brubaker // When WebMD announced its acquisition of Mercury Healthcare in June 2022, the press release focused on patient engagement solutions. The headline reads “WebMD Health Corp. Acquires Mercury Read More

Has Your Health System Adopted Person-Centered Care?

Marcia Nelson, MD, chief medical officer, Enloe Medical Center

If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times: Health care is complex, dysfunctional, and slow to change. But one person can still make a difference. For Angelica Thieriot, it took a horrific experience as patient in a U.S. hospital in 1978 for her to imagine how different things could be if patients Read More

Remote Patient Monitoring: Improving Outcomes and Reducing Costs

Richard Milani, MD, chief clinical transformation officer and vice chair of Cardiology, Ochsner Health

COVID escalated implementation of remote patient monitoring (RPM). Now, with the door pushed open, healthtech companies are competing to burst through and build clinical partnerships that stretch the boundaries of digital health. The potential for mobile health, which includes smartphone apps, wearables, and other monitoring devices, is massive. The percentage of physicians who feel digital health Read More

Ochsner Health Expands Remote Patient Monitoring to New Patient Groups, with Improved Outcomes and Reduced Costs

Marcia Simon

Connected care solves access and convenience issues for patients; real-time data from mobile devices allows physicians to monitor patients at home and intervene when necessary. // By Marcia Simon, APR // COVID escalated implementation of remote patient monitoring (RPM). Now, with the door pushed open, healthtech companies are competing to burst through and build clinical Read More

How to Set Your Health System Apart From Competitors? Try Niche Marketing

Jeff Bean, vice president for system marketing & brand, Geisinger

If niche marketing is defined as the business of promoting and selling a product or service to a specialized segment of a market, then Geisinger has powered its expertise for a specific population and area that is expected to grow going forward. Northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA) is rapidly becoming a distribution and shipping hub for e-commerce Read More

Geisinger 65 Forward Senior-Focused Primary Care Is Pure Niche Marketing

John Marzano

The over-65 population in northeast Pennsylvania is expected to double in the next decade. Geisinger is ready. // By John Marzano // Northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA) is rapidly becoming a distribution and shipping hub for e-commerce to reach roughly 60 percent of the U.S. within a day’s drive. Think Amazon Prime for a 1-to-2 day delivery Read More