For years, within the X-ray community, the rate of technological innovation has outpaced the actual adoption rate for that new technology. While many healthcare providers have purchased new X-ray systems in recent years, a surprising number retain legacy systems that are 10, or even 15, years old. Why has X-ray’s rate of...
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Last Tuesday, in a big ceremony, President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law. This law, which came out of the lame duck legislative session between the presidential election and the installation of a new administration and Congress, takes a number of steps to try to address healthcare issues that may exist...
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Have you ever said something you immediately regret? It’s a terrible feeling—the moment when you want to crawl in a hole and never come out, asking yourself, “Did I just say THAT?!” Words and actions are powerful—more than most people understand. Each of us have the capacity to make or break a person’s day, just by how we...
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I can't count the number of times I've thought, “How'd we end up with these two?” (OK, four candidates for those of you who prefer the Libertarian and Green Parties.) Yes, Secretary Clinton and Mr. Trump have their good points and their bad points. My goal here is not to dwell on missing emails, vulgar comments, lies and...
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The Zika virus is rapidly spreading across the globe—and with no vaccine, patients and healthcare providers have cause for concern. The number of Zika cases in the U.S. surpassed 3,100 cases in mid-September 2016, according to a CDC report. As researchers work to understand the virus, imaging may play a key role in the...
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In the 1950s, Humorist Victor Borge said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” At the time, he had no idea that modern medical science would prove him right. He just instinctively knew that humor helped people feel better. Laughing has a positive influence on your mental and physical well-being. Your pattern of thinking...
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At the heart of healthcare reform is the shift to value and focus on outcomes. This is evident once again in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recent bundled payment expansion. Back in April, the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) value-based payment rule took effect. In the CJR model,...
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I’m not a linguist, but I find it very telling that “patient,” a person receiving medical treatment, is spelled and pronounced the same as “patient,” the ability to accept or tolerate delay or suffering without becoming annoyed. We expect a great deal of patience from our patients, especially in the emergency room. Minor...
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Last month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published the 2017 proposed rules for the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS). They included a draft rule on the reimbursement cuts that will affect older X-ray technologies—though there wasn’t a significant update. As you may recall, Congress...
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If you’re an imaging provider, chances are something is keeping you up at night. There’s a lot to know with regard to the market, such as understanding sources of imaging volume growth and declines and predicting future utilization needs and rates. In a previous Cassling webinar presented by The Advisory Board Company,...
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On July 6th, the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) released the draft rule for the 2017 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System. Keep in mind, this is a draft rule and CMS is actively looking for comment on a number of their proposals; so, there is a possibility that the items inside of the rule can —...
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The Medicare program currently pays significantly different rates for services provided in different settings, and site-neutral payments have been considered as one way of eliminating the payment gap. However, that option has proven to be a contentious issue. In a previous Cassling webinar presented by The Advisory Board...
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Are you more “task oriented” or “people oriented?” Are you more outgoing or reserved? What about your staff and patients? How are your interactions with them? About 10 years ago, I was exposed to the DISC model of human behavior. Since that time, I have made it my mission to not only “see patients” but to connect with...
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One of the fastest-growing trends in healthcare is not happening at a university medical center or cancer research facility, but at your neighborhood shopping center, next door to Starbucks. Freestanding emergency departments (FSEDs) – EDs not attached to a hospital – are proliferating in highly populated suburbia, thanks...
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A trip into the healthcare maze can be a frightening, frustrating and lengthy experience for patients. It’s not uncommon to hear patients refrain: “Expect the worst. Hope for the best. Be prepared to wait, be uncomfortable and be ignored.” Being a healthcare provider has its own challenges as well. “How am I ever going to...
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