January 30, 2023

By Steve Lefar

It’s undeniable that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the face of healthcare over the last few years. In addition to affecting patients and health systems everywhere, it has left a lasting mark on the day-to-day experience of hospital staff. As a result, labor shortages and rapid turnover have compounded to form one of healthcare’s most pressing crises – one that we can do more to understand and change.

February 29, 2016

June 28, 2022

Data from over 300 hospitals reveals contract labor as a percentage of total labor expense is approaching 6%

April 4, 2023

By Steve Lefar

Careers in healthcare were once sought after as prestigious, noble and well-paid, but I have witnessed how they have lost their appeal for many in recent years. This emerging workforce crisis is the result of factors like long hours, non-competitive pay, overall burnout and—while traditionally studied in the context of military personnel but now more commonly applied to those practicing medicine—moral injury.

The Current State Of The Healthcare System

August 25, 2022

by Damian Chipriano, Director of Financial Services at Carilion Clinic

November 4, 2016

STANDARD CARE PROTOCOLS WERE OBSERVED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN IMPROVING CARE QUALITY AND REDUCING COST IN A STUDY COMPARING QUALITY AND COST OUTCOMES WITH AND WITHOUT THE USE OF SUCH PROTOCOLS.

Over the past decade, hospitals have been implementing process and quality improvement programs using strategies proven in other industries to solve their complex challenges. A primary focus of these efforts has been to identify standard care protocols that can contribute not only to improved outcomes but also to reduced costs.

October 12, 2015

CentraCare’s goal to reduce costs while maintaining quality became a continuous effort, not a one-time initiative.

By uncovering variation in physician care, CentraCare Health has been able to identify millions of dollars in cost savings opportunities and become better equipped to achieve its ultimate goal: continuous cost improvement.

October 1, 2019

Yale New Haven Health in New Haven, Connecticut, is a 2,409-bed health system that includes Yale-New Haven Hospital, the primary teaching hospital for Yale School of Medicine that regularly ranks among the best hospitals in the country.

As the business model for all healthcare organizations continues to shift into a value-based model and operating margins continue to shrink, understanding the true cost of care has become mission critical for the organization.

THE PROBLEM

March 14, 2022

Intermountain Healthcare has a reputation for being an innovative health system, with caregivers and IT leadership always looking for ways to grow its footprint and expand options for patients to receive care in their preferred setting, whether virtual or in-person. This mission applies to Intermountain’s hospitals, medical groups, clinics and its health plan, SelectHealth.

June 2, 2020

In the history of America’s healthcare system, there has perhaps been no bigger disruptor to hospital finances than COVID-19, which has strained resources and shut down service lines. Telehealth reimbursement waivers have provided a fiscal lifeline for struggling organizations, but for some, more is needed. That’s where examining and re-thinking labor costs come into play.