Latest Health Grade's Patient Safety in American Hospitals study finds that there was little progress in reducing patient safety incidents in hospitals for Medicare patients in 2009. They estimate that these patient safety incidents added $8.9billion to the cost of health care in 2009 and that almost 100,000 Medicare patients died as a result of these incidents.Top performing hospitals had 43% fewer incidents than poorly performing hospitals.One more example of how costly poor quality is!!!
Click here to read an article about the report.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Find Out How Health Reform Impacts Self-Insured Employers
Monday, March 29, 2010
Corporations Push For Repeal of Redeuced Tax Deductions in Health Reform Law
Key corporations claim that health reform bill's repeal of employer tax deductions for retiree drug subsidies will hurt their bottom lines.
Click here to read the NY Times article.
Click here to read the NY Times article.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Follow MBGH on Twitter!
MBGH is now on Twitter! Help us grow our followers by clicking the twitter logo.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
It's Coming Down to the Wire, Help Memphis Get Google Fiber!!
Show your support for Memphis to get Google Fiber. Go to http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi/public/options to complete a nomination for Memphis; join Google Fiber for Memphis, TN's Facebook page
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Attend University of Memphis Health Law & Public Polcy Symposium, March 26
Click here for brochure and registration
Health Law and Public Policy:
An Introduction to America's Trillion Dollar Business
History will cement this week as the one which saw the passing of the most significant health law legislation in half a century. Join us for an up-to-the-minute discussion with national authorities never before brought together in Memphis, on The Health Care Ecosystem in Transition; Biomedical Research; Health Care and Economic Development; Health Information Management, Electronic Records and E-Discovery; Perspectives on Health Care Reform; and a Leadership Panel Discussion on Health Care and Public Policy. The day's program will close with an outstanding Leadership Panel comprised of the CEOs from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation, Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare, and St. Francis Healthcare. You don't want to miss this.
Friday, March 26, 2010
8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
To be held at the beautiful new downtown location of the
Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
One North Front Street
Memphis, Tennessee
Health Law and Public Policy:
An Introduction to America's Trillion Dollar Business
History will cement this week as the one which saw the passing of the most significant health law legislation in half a century. Join us for an up-to-the-minute discussion with national authorities never before brought together in Memphis, on The Health Care Ecosystem in Transition; Biomedical Research; Health Care and Economic Development; Health Information Management, Electronic Records and E-Discovery; Perspectives on Health Care Reform; and a Leadership Panel Discussion on Health Care and Public Policy. The day's program will close with an outstanding Leadership Panel comprised of the CEOs from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation, Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare, and St. Francis Healthcare. You don't want to miss this.
Friday, March 26, 2010
8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
To be held at the beautiful new downtown location of the
Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
One North Front Street
Memphis, Tennessee
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Memphis Businesses Get Head Start on Health Reform through MBGH
Click here to read the ABC24 Eyewitness News report (aired on March 23 at 5:00) on the role MBGH plays in health reform.
In the interview, Cristie Upshaw Travis said that even though access to health care dominates the talk about health care reform, Travis said there’s more to the issue. “If we don’t pay attention to the cost and quality of services that everybody receives, we will never see an end to increased costs related to health care.”
In the interview, Cristie Upshaw Travis said that even though access to health care dominates the talk about health care reform, Travis said there’s more to the issue. “If we don’t pay attention to the cost and quality of services that everybody receives, we will never see an end to increased costs related to health care.”
MBGH "Ahead of the Health Reform Curve"
Click here to read the Daily News article on MBGH being a leader in preparing Memphis employers, hospitals, health plans and other providers for health reform.
Note: Cristie Upshaw Travis is a member of the Purchaser Advisory Council for NCQA, not a member of the Board.
Note: Cristie Upshaw Travis is a member of the Purchaser Advisory Council for NCQA, not a member of the Board.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
What Do Physicians Think Employers Should Do?
What do physicians think employer's should do?
82% think employers should offer employees incentives to manage their chronic diseases and/or stay healthy
70% think employers should reduce or waive copays to increase adherence on medications
These strategies are consistent with the current emphasis on "value-based benefit design" which uses benefit design to motivate employees to use high value services which will keep them as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
What do physicians want from employers?
62% want to know about worksite and employer-based programs so they can counsel patients on participation
47% think benefit design should "be an extension of the physician's treatment program" leaving them in control of treatment decisions.
The study, conducted by the Midwest Business Group on Health, also concludes that communication between employers, employees and physicians is critical to improving/maintaining health.
Check out an article on the study by clicking here.
82% think employers should offer employees incentives to manage their chronic diseases and/or stay healthy
70% think employers should reduce or waive copays to increase adherence on medications
These strategies are consistent with the current emphasis on "value-based benefit design" which uses benefit design to motivate employees to use high value services which will keep them as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
What do physicians want from employers?
62% want to know about worksite and employer-based programs so they can counsel patients on participation
47% think benefit design should "be an extension of the physician's treatment program" leaving them in control of treatment decisions.
The study, conducted by the Midwest Business Group on Health, also concludes that communication between employers, employees and physicians is critical to improving/maintaining health.
Check out an article on the study by clicking here.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Unnecessary Angiograms Are Very Costly to Your Health Plan
Recent study released in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that 62% of 400,000 patients that had no known heart disease and were not receiving emergency heart care had no significant heart blockage found in their angiogram results. The study suggests that physicians should do a better job of identifying those patients that need an angiogram, especially for the 20-30% of the patients that have no symptoms.
Medicare pays about $1,400 for an outpatient angiogram and $3,000 for an inpatient angiogram. Private payors typically pay more. So performing angiograms on patients that do not have significant heart blockage is very costly to you as an employer. For these 62% of the patients, payments could be an estimated $446 million (note: estimated by MBGH. Although the test may have not shown any significant blockage, it may still have been appropriate for some of these patients)
So, what can you do about this?
Medicare pays about $1,400 for an outpatient angiogram and $3,000 for an inpatient angiogram. Private payors typically pay more. So performing angiograms on patients that do not have significant heart blockage is very costly to you as an employer. For these 62% of the patients, payments could be an estimated $446 million (note: estimated by MBGH. Although the test may have not shown any significant blockage, it may still have been appropriate for some of these patients)
So, what can you do about this?
- Encourage your employees to discuss less invasive alternatives, and the risks associted with these as well as angiograms, with their physician.
- Check with your health plan to see what type of decision support tools they are offering your employees and how they let your employees know these tools are available. Also ask them how many employees actually use these tools.
- Consider plan design triggers that require accessing decision support services for non-emergencies through the plan prior to scheduling invasive tests.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Latest Health Reform & Legislative Update from MBGH & NBCH
Click here for the latest update on health reform and the Mental Health Parity Act provided by the National Business Coalition on Health.
Updates on:
Updates on:
- Part-Time Employee
- Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
- Retiree Drug Subsidy Tax
- Insurance Reform Effective Dates and Transition Period
- Interim Final Regs Issued for the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008
Monday, March 8, 2010
Cost Effective, Quality, Safe Care Must Be Part of the Med's Plan
Merely waiving co-pays and deductibles is not enough to accomplish what The Commercial Appeal's editorial says the Med must do: "The Med has to convince potential paying patients that it's a quality alternative for medical care."
Waiving co-pays and deductibles reduces financial barriers for patients, but in no way ensures that the care they receive is efficient, high quality, and safe. People should have information on the cost and quality of care at the Med to decide if the waived financial requirements are "worth it". But much of the cost and quality information that is available for all the other hospitals in Memphis is not available for the Med because the Med does not publicly report this information through The Leapfrog Group's Annual Hospital Survey (click here to get results for other Memphis hospitals).
Information that is publicly available on the Med's quality of care shows that significant opportunities for improvement exist. For example, recently released statistics on central line infections in ICUs shows that in 2008, the Med's rate of infection was approximately 238% above the average (click here to read Consumer Reports Health article and click here to get State of Tennessee report) . The Med indicates that they have been addressing this issue, but it would be good for us to know what progress they have made in bringing the infection rate down. If the Med reported to The Leapfrog Group survey, we would know how effective their improvement efforts have been and could track their progress.
In addition, the Med's scores on patient experience of care measures from Medicare's survey for the 12-months ending March 2009 show that only 56% of the patients would "definitely recommend" the hospital to others (compared to a national and statewide 68% average).
Finding a financial solution to the Med's situation is essential, but the Med owes us cost-effective, high quality, and safe care. They owe us this under all circumstances, but especially if they are going to offer us financial incentives to use their services. It is not right to ask people to make the decision to come to the Med based only on the fact that they will "save money". The Med should participate, as all other Memphis hospitals do, in the Leapfrog survey so people can decide if the quality of care they are likely to receive is worth saving money because there are no co-pays or deductibles.
Click here to read the latest Commerical Appeal editorial.
Waiving co-pays and deductibles reduces financial barriers for patients, but in no way ensures that the care they receive is efficient, high quality, and safe. People should have information on the cost and quality of care at the Med to decide if the waived financial requirements are "worth it". But much of the cost and quality information that is available for all the other hospitals in Memphis is not available for the Med because the Med does not publicly report this information through The Leapfrog Group's Annual Hospital Survey (click here to get results for other Memphis hospitals).
Information that is publicly available on the Med's quality of care shows that significant opportunities for improvement exist. For example, recently released statistics on central line infections in ICUs shows that in 2008, the Med's rate of infection was approximately 238% above the average (click here to read Consumer Reports Health article and click here to get State of Tennessee report) . The Med indicates that they have been addressing this issue, but it would be good for us to know what progress they have made in bringing the infection rate down. If the Med reported to The Leapfrog Group survey, we would know how effective their improvement efforts have been and could track their progress.
In addition, the Med's scores on patient experience of care measures from Medicare's survey for the 12-months ending March 2009 show that only 56% of the patients would "definitely recommend" the hospital to others (compared to a national and statewide 68% average).
Finding a financial solution to the Med's situation is essential, but the Med owes us cost-effective, high quality, and safe care. They owe us this under all circumstances, but especially if they are going to offer us financial incentives to use their services. It is not right to ask people to make the decision to come to the Med based only on the fact that they will "save money". The Med should participate, as all other Memphis hospitals do, in the Leapfrog survey so people can decide if the quality of care they are likely to receive is worth saving money because there are no co-pays or deductibles.
Click here to read the latest Commerical Appeal editorial.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Benefit Plan Costs Could Increase if Med waives Co-Pays, Deductibles
The Med's strategy could end up costing Shelby County's benefit plan a lot more money!! Co-pays and deductibles play an important role in encouraging employees to use the appropriate level of care..e.g., a primary care physician vs. an emergency room. If insured employees go to the Med vs. their physician office because there is no co-pay, costs will increase to the plan. Something that needs to be thought about..
Click here to read the CA article.
Click here to read the CA article.
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