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Glassdoor: 9 best hospitals to work for in 2019

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https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/glassdoor-9-best-hospitals-to-work-for-in-2019.html?origin=rcme&utm_source=rcme

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Nine hospitals and health systems made Glassdoor’s annual Best Places to Work list in 2019.

Glassdoor compiled the list based on feedback from employees who chose to anonymously submit a company review to Glassdoor between Oct. 23, 2017, and Oct. 21, 2018.

Here are the nine hospitals and health systems that made the list:

1. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, Tenn.) — No. 13

2. Northside Hospital (Atlanta) — No. 52

3. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (New York City) — No. 64

4. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York City) — No. 66

5. MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston) — No. 68

6. Phoenix Children’s Hospital — No. 83

7. Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) — No. 84

8. Texas Health Resources (Arlington) — No. 89

9. Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.) — No. 98

Access the full list here. Access additional information on the methodology used for the list here.

6 Michigan physicians charged in $464M billing fraud scheme

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https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/6-michigan-physicians-charged-in-464m-billing-fraud-scheme.html?origin=rcme&utm_source=rcme

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A grand jury in Michigan returned a 56-count indictment Dec. 4 that charges six physicians in a $464 million healthcare fraud scheme, according to the Department of Justice.

Rajendra Bothra, MD, owner and operator of a pain clinic in Warren, Mich., and five physicians who worked at the clinic are accused of prescribing patients opioid pain medication to get them to come in for office visits. During the office visits, the physicians allegedly subjected the patients to unnecessary treatment, including facet joint injections. The physicians “sought to bill insurance companies for the maximum number of services and procedures possible with no regard to the patients’ needs,” the Justice Department said in a press release.

The fraud scheme, which occurred between 2013 and November 2018, allegedly involved more than 13 million unlawfully prescribed opioid prescription drugs.

“The damage that opioid distribution has done to our community and to the United States as a whole has been devastating,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider. “Healthcare professionals who prey on patients who are addicted to opioids in order to line their pockets is particularly egregious. We will continue to prosecute such individuals who choose to violate federal law and their ethical oaths.”

 

Partners HealthCare’s annual operating income soars 489%

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https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/partners-healthcare-s-annual-operating-income-soars-489.html?origin=rcme&utm_source=rcme

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Boston-based Partners HealthCare saw its operating income rise in fiscal year 2018 despite a decline in revenues, according to financial documents released Dec. 7.

Partners saw operating revenues dip 0.5 percent year over year to $13.31 billion in fiscal year 2018, which ended Sept. 30. The health system’s significant growth in provider revenues was partially offset by a decline in insurance revenue. Partners said the decrease in insurance revenue was attributable to the transition of members from Medicaid managed care programs into the new MassHealth ACO program in March.

After accounting for a 2.4 percent decrease in expenses, Partners ended fiscal 2018 with operating income of $309.9 million. That’s up 489 percent from a year earlier, when the health system posted operating income of $52.57 million.

Partners reported a 2.3 percent operating margin for fiscal 2018, up from a 0.4 percent operating margin in the year prior.

“While a 2-3 percent margin is slim compared to our peers across the nation, it enables us to reinvest in patient care and provide for the future capital needs of our hospitals and facilities,” said Peter K. Markell, treasurer and CFO of Partners.

After factoring in nonoperating income, Partners ended fiscal 2018 with net income of $826.6 million, up from $659.1 million in fiscal 2017.

 

 

4,000 Kaiser mental health clinic workers launch 5-day strike in California

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https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/human-capital-and-risk/4-000-kaiser-mental-health-clinic-workers-launch-5-day-strike-in-california.html

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Four thousand California mental health clinicians began a five-day strike Dec. 10 to protest what they call understaffing issues that lead to long wait times for therapy appointments.

The strike affects more than 100 Kaiser Permanente clinics and medical facilities, according to the National Union of Healthcare Workers, which represents psychologists, therapists, social workers, addiction medicine specialists and other mental health clinicians.

Workers are striking at Los Angeles Medical Center, Anaheim Medical Center, Fontana Medical Center, San Diego Medical Center, Fresno Medical Center, Sacramento Medical Center, San Francisco Medical Center and San Jose Medical Center.

“The situation inside Kaiser clinics has become untenable,” said Kenneth Rogers, a psychologist for Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser. “We don’t have enough hours in the day to see patients and do all the preparation and follow-up work that goes into every appointment. Patients are suffering and unable to access clinically appropriate care.”

Union president Sal Rosselli told The Mercury News mental health workers also seek benefits and pensions that are equal to what about 100,000 other Kaiser employees receive.

John Nelson, vice president of communications at Kaiser Permanente, expressed disappointment about the strike.

“We are disappointed the leadership of the National Union of Healthcare Workers would ask our highly valued mental health staff to go out on strike, when we’ve been in active negotiations since the summer, having met in 16 bargaining sessions over five months, and with two more bargaining sessions scheduled for next week,” he told Becker’s last month.

“There are no takeaways in our contract proposal,” Mr. Nelson said. “We are offering guaranteed wage increases which would keep our expert therapists among the best compensated in their profession and continue to ensure that we attract and retain the most highly skilled professionals.”  

Kaiser told The Mercury News its medical centers and medical offices are scheduled to remain open during the walkout, although “some nonurgent mental health and other appointments may need to be rescheduled.”