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‘Pay-for-performance’ programs may need a reboot
June 17, 2016 -- A new study suggests that so-called “pay-for-performance” programs—in which hospitals are financially rewarded for better patient outcomes and penalized for worse outcomes—may not be working. Ashish Jha, senior author of the study, discusses the…
Patient hospital scores may provide insight into health outcomes
The way that patients rate their experience in a hospital may provide some useful insight into the quality of care at the facility.
Exploring declining hospital readmission rates
Hospitals are expensive and often cause harm, so various policies have focused on reducing hospital use. One such policy—the Affordable Care Act’s Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), which penalizes hospitals for higher-than-expected readmission rates—was most likely the impetus…
High-deductible health plans don’t boost price shopping
Consumers with high-deductible health plans do not appear to be more motivated to shop around for less expensive, higher quality medical care than those with lower-deductible plans, according to a study by Anna Sinaiko, research scientist in the…
Hospital financing affects admission and discharge decisions
Financial incentives may be behind a decline in the average hospital stay in the United States — now down to around 4.5 days from 7.3 days in 1980 — according to a January 4, 2016 New York Times…
Where there’s a hospital monopoly, private health care costs more
A new study has found that health care costs for those with private insurance varies wildly across the U.S.—and that much of the variation has do with how much market power is held by local hospitals. While most…
Boston’s suburbanites find more specialized care closer to home
Boston hospitals and national health care firms are investing millions in building medical facilities such as cancer centers and specialty doctor practices in the suburbs so that patients can get treatment closer to home and avoid traveling into…
Green public housing may reduce health risks from environmental pollutants
For immediate release: October 15, 2015 Boston, MA ─ Low-income housing residents who live in “green” buildings that are built with eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient features appear to have fewer “sick building” symptoms (SBS) than residents of traditionally…
Emergency room doctors busy, despite ACA
Doctors responding to an American College of Emergency Physicians poll released May 4, 2015 report more patients are seeking emergency room treatment since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect in 2014. One of the ACA selling…
Electronic health records failed to improve care for stroke patients
Whether or not a hospital has electronic health records (EHRs) does not mean that stroke patients will have better clinical outcomes or higher quality of care, according to a study led by a Harvard T.H. Chan School of…