The Latest Healthcare Industry News

March 9, 2010 - On March 5, the American Hospital Association (AHA) urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to improve the new hospital community benefit reporting form – Schedule H to Form 990 – to better reflect the benefits nonprofit hospitals provide to their communities.  The AHA cited new research that examines how the new form does not fully recognize the community benefit of nonprofit multi-hospital systems.

March 8, 2010 - Since the beginning of the economic recession, safety net health systems have treated more patients overall, including 23 percent more uninsured patients. These health systems have also provided 10 percent more uncompensated care to low-income populations.  The increase in uncompensated care costs average more than $2.3 million per hospital with some hospitals incurring more than $16 million in additional costs, according to survey results released today by the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (NAPH).

March 3, 2010 - While patient safety is top priority in the day-to-day routines of healthcare workers, Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW) gives medical staff and patients alike an opportunity to refine skills, learn something new and celebrate achievements and advances in patient safety. Sponsored by the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), hospitals and healthcare organizations across the United States are encouraged to participate in this annual event, March 7-13, 2010.

March 3, 2010 - Nearly one-fifth of Medicare patients, equaling 2.4 million older adults, are rehospitalized within 30 days of discharge from an acute-care facility. Ninety percent of those readmissions are for acute, potentially-preventable problems, and end up costing the health care system billions of dollars.

Feb. 19, 2010 - These tight economic times have put a lot of pressure on hospitals to cut costs.  Key priorities include eliminating wasteful spending and improper use of assets, which saves money without negatively impacting patient care.  One way to do this, it appears, is to stop patients from walking off with millions of dollars’ worth of supplies every year.