Sep 24, 2014 | Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Growth in the number of employed physicians is contributing to heightened workplace tensions due to the cultural differences among the three generations now working together
What happens when Gen Y, Gen X, and Baby Boomer physicians are employees in the same hospital, clinic, or medical laboratory? There can be a clash of expectations, values, and goals that may cause tension in the workplace.
This happens when physicians, including pathologists, from different generations and different levels of experience levels come together as employees of hospitals and large medical groups, noted a recent story published by Modern Healthcare.
This is a result of the trend where more physicians are employed by hospitals today than ever before. For example, in 2006, just 16% of doctors worked for hospitals. However, by 2012 that figure had climbed to 20%. If physicians working in medical practices partially owned by hospitals are counted, then 26% of all physicians are employed by hospitals. (more…)
Apr 28, 2014 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Compliance, Legal, and Malpractice, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Industry experts predict private payers will adopt bundled payment arrangements for both inpatient and outpatient procedures
Early evidence indicates that Medicare’s bundled-payment pilot has helped participating providers improve the quality of care while better managing healthcare costs. Should more detailed findings confirm these outcomes, Medicare could decide to expand the range of clinical services it wants covered by a bundled-payment arrangement.
As of the first of this year, in fact, Medicare officials expanded the bundled-payment program associated with the hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) by requiring certain clinical laboratory, anatomic pathology, and other clinical services be reimbursed as part of the bundled payment initiative. This action was taken independent of the bundled-payment pilot program. (more…)
Feb 3, 2014 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Other states are studying Oregon’s innovative Medicaid experiment, which could lead to different forms of reimbursement for clinical laboratories
Once again, Oregon’s Medicaid program is blazing a new trail in the delivery of healthcare. This time, Oregon is organizing its Medicaid services—known as the Oregon Health Plan—to do two things. First, it is developing 16 coordinated care organizations (CCOs) across the state. Second, those Medicaid beneficiaries who represent the majority of costs to the program will receive special case management and clinical services.
Because there will be capitated payments to providers under this program, clinical laboratory managers and pathologists will want to understand how medical laboratories will be reimbursed by the Oregon Health Plan. (more…)
Jan 29, 2014 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Big data is poised to change the healthcare ecosystem and that creates opportunities for forward-looking medical laboratories
First-mover academic center, Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC), is taking steps to incorporate “big data” into the daily patient-care setting. For the medical laboratory industry, this is a signal event because a major component of healthcare big data will be patient genetic and molecular information.
Included on MSMC’s big data team are its genetics laboratory experts. These are high-profile “data scientists” who help doctors make personalized predictions about their patients. This project shows how integrated healthcare informatics—including clinical laboratory test data—will be a key attribute of healthcare moving forward.
(more…)
Jan 22, 2014 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Compliance, Legal, and Malpractice, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Statistics indicate that inpatient admissions and revenues are falling nationally, a development that affects clinical laboratories in hospitals and health systems
One important trend that directly impacts the medical laboratories of hospitals and health systems is the falling rate of inpatient registrations seen nationally in recent years. What exacerbates this trend is the fact that many payers are cutting the prices they pay for certain inpatient services.
Collectively, these two developments mean less inpatient revenue for many hospitals and that often translates into reduced budgets for the clinical laboratories.
But that is not the whole story concerning inpatient revenue. Spurred by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other market developments, payers now want to shift reimbursement away from fee-for-service to new models of reimbursement. This includes capitation or bundled payment models. (more…)
