February 1, 2008
View Archives Issues
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OPPS final rule expands observation services, requires quality reporting
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced sweeping changes to the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) that may significantly affect your hospital's revenue. -
Outpatient payments to be linked to quality reporting
In its final rule for the Outpatient Prospective Payment System for calendar year 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took the first steps linking payment for outpatient services to the quality of care received by expanding the Hospital Outpatient Quality Data Reporting Program and requiring hospitals to report on outpatient quality measures for the first time. -
UPMC denial management program saves $1 million
A multilevel denials management process generates $1 million or more in recovered revenue annually for inpatient accounts at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), a larger health system with 20 medical facilities. -
Critical Path Network: Six Sigma projects add efficiency to discharge process
Six Sigma projects at Sharp HealthCare hospitals have dramatically shortened the time that elapses between the time that discharge orders are written and the time the patient leaves the acute care setting. -
Critical Path Network: Program increases patient, family involvement
Increased patient involvement in their own care is encouraged by The Joint Commission and other organizations as one of the keys to improving patient safety. In fact, "encouraging patients' active involvement in their own care" is one of the National Patient Safety Goals. -
Medicare compliance team reduces denials
Having a team of case managers dedicated to Medicare compliance reduced the number of admission denials from 221 in 2006 to just two by late December 2007 at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ. -
Ambulatory Care Quarterly: More patient-friendly bills ongoing industry goal
Making patient bills more user-friendly not to mention ensuring that they are actually accurate continues to be a focus in the health care industry.