Bulletin Board
Bulletin Board
Hospitals Improving Electronic Data Exchange
Hospitals are improving their interoperability and doing a better job of exchanging health data electronically, according to a review by the federal Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). According to a new ONC report, In 2021, more than 6 in 10 hospitals engaged in key aspects of electronically sharing health information (send, receive, query) and integrating of summary of care records into EHRs, a 51 percent increase since 2017. Availability and usage of electronic health information received from outside sources at the point of care significantly [...]
States Look to Take on Prior Authorization
The majority of states may act on insurer prior authorization practices in the coming year and even though the year is still only a month old, 16 states are already considering legislation to do so. The desire to act on prior authorization comes as providers continue to express dismay over delays in insurer review of the courses of treatment they seek to initiate for their patients, with some providers maintaining that those delays are jeopardizing the well-being of those patients. Insurers, meanwhile, insist that their reviews are necessary to ensure [...]
Telehealth Not Improving Opioid Treatment
Telehealth is not improving access to help for patients with opioid use disorders, a new study has found. Instead, use of telehealth is comparable to visits to providers’ offices when it comes to access. According to the analysis, Results of this study revealed that clinical outcomes were similar among patients who were treated by clinicians with high and low telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that telemedicine is a comparable alternative to in-person OUD care. There was no evidence that telemedicine was associated with increased access to or improved [...]
Future Financial Prospects Mixed for Post-Acute Providers, Analysis Suggests
Assisted living facilities, hospice, and home health providers should see their profitability rise over the next three years, according to a new analysis by McKinsey & Company. Nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, on the other hand, may see their profitability decline as they continue to struggle with the current shortage of qualified nurses. Learn more about the near-term prospects for post-acute-care providers from the McKnight’s Long-Term Living article “Skilled nursing profits will shrink through 2026, even as other post-acute lines gain: analysis.”
Federal Health Policy Update for January 20
The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for the week of January 13-20. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has published updates to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes on the Required Face-to-Face Encounter and Written Order Prior to Delivery List. The update adds ten codes to the list of items that require a face-to-face encounter between provider and patient and a written order prior to delivery as a condition [...]