Unintended consequences can be just another part of the territory when it comes to lawmaking. But you can really see those unintended consequences in the aftermath of a major government investments like the one made over the last decade in electronic medical records and health information technology. In 2009, the federal government began funding operations for EMR technology to help with the heavy costs.
While the hospital and health care industry required this infusion to take on such a hefty investment, federal regulators smartly ensured proper implementation and operation through use requirements and standards.
The heft of the funding, however, resulted in an onslaught of demand. Many agree the EMR vendors weren’t quite ready for this kind of demand, and it resulted in a clunky rollout that impacted hospital revenue cycles and back-of-the-house efficiencies. Soon, those system rollouts and the associated hiccups, though fewer, became part of the standard reality for hospital information technology executives.
Then came the cyber attackers.
In this episode of the Connected Hospital podcast, we talk about all those things, how the industry is responding, and how lawmakers’ reactions are often more aligned with political points of leverage and opportunity than they are with facts and reality for hospitals.
Medicare Advantage Headlines >>
Three Health Insurers Exaggerated Medicare Advantage Enrollees’ Illnesses, Overcharging Taxpayers $140 Million
The disadvantages of Medicare Advantage programs can extend beyond frustration for patients and lower reimbursement rates for hospitals. A recent
Why Medicare Advantage Plans are Losing More Providers
Medicare Advantage plans’ excessive denials, restrictive provider networks, and contentious contract negotiations continue to increase the number of health systems
Medicare Advantage Has Become Notorious for Prior Authorization Burden
Medicare Advantage plans denied 7.4 percent of medical professionals’ prior authorization requests, or about 3.4 million requests, according to a
Ranking Medicare Advantage Insurers by Prior Authorization Denial Overturn Rates
While the majority of Medicare Advantage insurers overturn prior authorization denials when those decisions are appealed, the appeal process adds
Texas Leads Nation in Number of Counties with MA Penetration Exceeding 75 Percent
Of the 38 counties in the U.S where Medicare Advantage enrollment is 75 percent or more, six are in Texas,
See what else Groundswell Health is working on in healthcare >>
Support trending upward for rural healthcare
Strain and challenges for rural hospitals persist, but awareness is growing as lawmakers prioritize funding and programs for rural health
Groundswell Health Recognized With Industry Awards
Austin-based Groundswell Health this month received industry recognition for its work in strategic healthcare communications. The healthcare-focused communications firm
Celebrating Our Hospital Partners During National Hospital Week
May 12-18 is National Hospital Week, an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the hospitals, health systems, and dedicated health care
From Whim to WeWork to Winning Awards
Lance and I started working together in 2013. It didn’t take long to discover that what we had in common