Tag Archives: Hospital

Talbert leaving Rock Hill’s Piedmont Medical Center

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http://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/article160701949.html

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Piedmont Medical Center’s chief executive officer will leave his post at the end of July — after 13 months in charge.

A hospital spokesperson said Brad Talbert, who took the job as chief executive officer in June 216, will soon take a job in Jacksonville, Fla. The spokesperson said she did not know at which hospital Talbert would be working.

“He’s doing what’s best for his family,” said Shelly Weiss, director of public relations for Piedmont Medical Center. “I think that he has a really strong affinity for Piedmont and Rock Hill. The decision to leave the organization was a difficult one, but he and family are looking forward to the next chapter, and it’s exciting for him.”

Chief financial officer Steve Gilmore will take over for Talbert while the hospital begins a nationwide search, Weiss said.

Talbert’s job will not be within the Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Weiss said. Talbert joined Tenet in 2008.

The CEO position oversees all areas of operations at the Rock Hill hospital. Talbert joined Piedmont Medical Center after a stint at Coastal Carolina Hospital in Hardeeville, S.C.

Under Talbert’s leadership, Coastal Carolina Hospital twice received Tenet’s Circle of Excellence Award, the company’s highest recognition for hospitals that show exceptional performance in quality, patient satisfaction and operational excellence.

Talbert has more than 16 years of hospital executive leadership and management experience at hospitals in South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Tufts nurses set to strike Wednesday after talks between union, hospital break down

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http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/technology/tufts-nurses-set-strike-wednesday-after-talks-between-union-hospital-break-down?spMailingID=11458874&spUserID=MTY3ODg4NTg1MzQ4S0&spJobID=1201062655&spReportId=MTIwMTA2MjY1NQS2

Nursing strike supporters on Washington Street wave at people inside Tufts Medical Center on Wednesday morning. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

More than 1,200 nurses at Tufts Medical Center are set to go on strike Wednesday morning after a last-ditch effort to reach a contract deal with hospital officials failed. Both sides spent hours negotiating Tuesday but couldn’t reach a compromise. The Massachusetts Nurses Association said its members would go on strike at 7 a.m. Wednesday. It will be the first strike at a Boston hospital in more than 30 years.

http://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2017/07/12/tufts-nurses-strike

 

CEO turnover increases as hospital losses swell

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http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/ceo-turnover-increases-as-hospital-losses-swell.html

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Hospitals across the nation have seen operating margins shrink as they face dwindling reimbursement, regulatory uncertainty and new alternative payment models. Many hospital CEOs are taking the fall for their organization’s financial challenges, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Thirty medium- to large-sized hospitals across the country have lost their CEOs in the last six months, Janis Orlowski, MD, chief healthcare officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges, told the Houston Chronicle. Some CEOs voluntarily departed to take on a new position or retire, but many were ousted.

“That’s an increase in turnover, probably a reflection of the current volatility of the healthcare market,” Dr. Orlowski told the Houston Chronicle. “Many hospitals are losing money now and the future only looks rockier, with more uninsured and less Medicaid support. Boards want the right person to lead them into such turbulent times.”

To succeed in today’s healthcare market, hospital CEOs need to not only ensure the organization is financially stable but also stay ahead of change and remain engaged in their work, according to the report.

15 hospitals with strong finances

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http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/15-hospitals-with-strong-finances-071117.html

 

Here are 15 hospitals and health systems with strong operational metrics and solid financial positions according to recent reports from Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Hospital and health system names were compiled from recent credit rating reports and are listed in alphabetical order.

1. St. Louis-based Ascension Healthhas an “Aa2” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The health system has manageable leverage, limited debt structure risk and a large portfolio of sizeable hospitals, according to Moody’s.

2. Coral Gables-based Baptist Health South Floridahas an “AA-” rating and stable outlook with S&P. The system maintained key balance sheet metrics and generated better-than-projected financial results in fiscal year 2016, according to S&P.

3. Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Healthhas an “Aa3” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The health system has strong cash flow margins and a favorable business position as the largest nonprofit health system in Texas, according to Moody’s.

4. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphiahas an “Aa2” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The hospital has a history of solid financial performance and strong fundraising capabilities, according to Moody’s.

5. Christiana Care Health Services has an “Aa2” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The Wilmington, Del.-based system has solid liquidity and a history of above average financial performance, according to Moody’s.

6. Greenville (S.C.) Health Systemhas an “AA-” rating and stable outlook with Fitch. The system has recorded dramatic improvement in its operations, posting operating income of $18.6 million in fiscal year 2016 and $20.9 million for the first six months of fiscal year 2017, according to Fitch.

7. Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health has an “Aa2” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The system has healthy margins and a strong market position, according to Moody’s.

8. Kaiser Permanente has an “AA-” rating and stable outlook with S&P. The Oakland, Calif.-based system has a strong enterprise profile with a favorable integrated business model, according to S&P.

9. Bryn Mawr, Pa.-based Main Line Healthhas an “Aa3” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The health system has a solid market position and additional support from independent foundations, according to Moody’s.

10. Columbus-based OhioHealth has an “Aa2” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The system has a strong market position, consistently healthy cash flow margins, a manageable debt load and a solid investment position, according to Moody’s.

11. Parkview Health System has an “Aa3” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The Columbia City, Ind.-based system has solid financial performance, healthy debt service coverage and has seen liquidity metrics improve, according to Moody’s.

12. Albuquerque, N.M.-based Presbyterian Health Serviceshas an “AA” rating and stable outlook with S&P. The system has a solid financial profile and a modest debt load, according to S&P.

13. San Diego-based Rady Children’s Hospital has an “Aa3” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The hospital has healthy balance sheet metrics and a strong market position in pediatric services, according to Moody’s.

14. Madison-based University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinicshas an “Aa3” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The system has strong balance sheet resources and established clinical and academic market positions, according to Moody’s.

15. WellSpan Healthhas an “Aa3” rating and stable outlook with Moody’s. The York, Pa.-based system has a strong and broadening market position and a track record of healthy financial performance, according to Moody’s.

Why Kaiser added tech execs to its med school board

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https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2017/07/11/kaiser-permanente-medical-school-board-23andme.html?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_me_share_analytics%3BlvxxuqaBTIiOEUeGO7Ntwg%3D%3D&licu=urn%3Ali%3Acontrol%3Ad_flagship3_me_share_analytics-analytics_suggested_article

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Kaiser Permanente has selected 13 board members for its new medical school in Pasadena.

The roster includes Kaiser medical executives and Silicon Valley technology leaders, including Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe, and Mary Hentges, former chief financial officer of PayPal and CBS Interactive. Dr. Holly J. Humphrey, dean for medical education at the University of Chicago, will serve as board chair.

The move shows Kaiser’s continued emphasis and investment in technology integration and innovation: Kaiser was one of the first to use an electronic medical records system, and in 2015 Kaiser reported 52 percent of its primary care encounters were telemedicine visits, completed by email, phone or video.

Medical students at the Pasadena school will apply what they learn immediately within the Kaiser system, said Dr. Edward M. Ellison, board member and executive medical director of Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Many existing medical schools involve two years of basic science and lots of lectures.

“Medical school education hasn’t changed for a hundred years. Engaging physicians from the very beginning … and teaching them to be a part of our system, that’s something that other medical schools can’t do,” Ellison told the Business Times.

“We knew we wanted to create physicians who will lead care and innovations in the country. We’re integrating that with technology because it allows us to see care everywhere.”

Half of residents stay at Kaiser, and half go elsewhere after completing their training, according to Ellison. The school can accommodate 100 students on campus and is discussing plans to start satellites in other locations.

In 2015, Kaiser said it would open a nonprofit “national school of medicine” in Southern California. The Oakland-based nonprofit system, which trains more than 600 physicians in residency every year, plans to start classes in the fall of 2019. It will start accepting applications in 2018 and expects full enrollment of 192 students by 2022.

 

Baylor Hires COO, Splits President and CEO Roles

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http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/leadership/baylor-hires-coo-splits-president-and-ceo-roles?spMailingID=11450593&spUserID=MTY3ODg4NTg1MzQ4S0&spJobID=1200956765&spReportId=MTIwMDk1Njc2NQS2#

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Northwestern EVP and COO Peter McCanna will take over Baylor Scott & White’s president role and some responsibilities from CEO James Hinton.

Baylor Scott & White Health says it will split the office of President and CEO, a little more than six months into President and CEO Jim Hinton’s tenure at the Dallas- and Temple, Texas-based organization. Hinton had been serving in both roles since he took over the nonprofit health system in January, as had his predecessor Joel Allison, who retired.

Pete McCanna, who is currently executive vice president and chief operating officer at Chicago-based Northwestern Memorial Healthcare, will assume the new president role in September, and will take over a number of Hinton’s current duties, according to a press release.

While his expected duties as president were not immediately apparent, McCanna has ties to Hinton, having served as chief financial officer at Presbyterian early in Hinton’s 20-year career at that organization, where Hinton served as president and CEO before coming to Baylor Scott & White. Hinton said the new office of the president will expand the capabilities of the health system’s “already talented leadership team, helping us more rapidly evolve.”

Presumably that rapid evolution involves Hinton focusing more intently on integrating the Scott & White Health Plan into the entire organization.

In fact, one reason for Hinton’s appointment in the wake of Allison’s retirement was his extensive experience running an integrated delivery system at Presbyterian, where the provision of healthcare services is combined with a proprietary health plan, allowing for smoother integration of population health principles and tactics. Baylor Health Care System’s 2013 merger with Scott & White Healthcare created the blueprint for such an integrated system, which includes 48 hospitals, 44,000 employees, and the Scott & White Health Plan.

“We are committed to extending Baylor Scott & White’s long history of success by transforming into a nationally recognized, high-value integrated delivery network; and to transform, we must drive costs down, while making the right investments in key areas,” said Hinton, in the release.

McCanna should be instrumental in helping Baylor Scott & White achieve financial and strategic growth targets. In his 15 years at Northwestern, operating revenue grew from $700 million to more than $5 billion, while patient experience, employee engagement and quality goals exceeded targets.

He also gets credit for helping integrate the faculty physician practice plan at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine with Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

“Pete is a highly respected senior executive with a track record of helping to grow organizations, create and implement successful, long-range strategic plans and lead financial turnarounds,” said Hinton. “He is one of the best and brightest in healthcare.”

 

Dirty, Dingy Hospitals: Doctors Blame Debt-Fueled Takeovers

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https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-01/dirty-dingy-hospitals-doctors-blame-debt-fueled-takeover-boom

There are two groups Community Health Systems Inc. can’t push too far: the doctors at its hospitals, and the debtholders it owes billions of dollars. Right now, the creditors are winning, and the doctors aren’t happy.

In Fort Wayne, Indiana, the rancor about Community’s neglect of a local health system has gotten so bad that a group of doctors tried to get rid of corporate ownership and buy the company out. And 1,500 miles away on the island of Key West, Florida, doctors say patients are being overcharged so that Community, sometimes called CHS, can rake in cash.

The two locations are among Community’s most lucrative, and their conflicts are part of the flip side of an industrywide acquisition binge over the last decade. For-profit hospital chains like Community borrowed billions to snap up rivals, facing massive debt reimbursements just as the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, began to wane.

“I understand that they have billions in debt and may need to take money from this chain to service it,” said William Pond, an anesthesiologist at one of the Fort Wayne hospitals and president of the county health department’s executive board. “But it’s very disappointing to see the course that CHS is taking and the devastating effect they’re having on our community.”

Once the biggest U.S. for-profit hospital chain, Community is selling off other, poorly performing facilities to pay off $2 billion of its $15 billion in debt. Yet even as the company skimps on spending and patient satisfaction lags at key facilities like Fort Wayne, its bonds are rising in value — an indication that debtholders are betting that the chain will make a financial turnaround.

The company’s $3 billion of 6.875 percent bonds due February 2022 have gained almost 30 percent this year and were changing hands at 89 cents on the dollar, according to Trace, the bond-price reporting system of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The debt still trades at yields about 8 percentage points more than government debt.

If the chain can’t subdue the unrest at its most profitable locations, it’s not clear how successful the turnaround will be. Indiana and Key West represent just nine of Community’s about 150 hospitals, yet they contribute an estimated 16 percent of the company’s adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to Mizuho Securities analyst Sheryl Skolnick.

CDC Flags Hospitals’ Stubborn Problem with Legionnaires’ Disease

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http://www.medpagetoday.com/hospitalbasedmedicine/generalhospitalpractice/65825

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Most outbreaks preventable with properly designed and maintained water systems.

Most of the country has seen cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with healthcare facilities, CDC officials said Tuesday.

This is “a concerning finding,” a CDC statement said, because of the illness’s increased severity when contracted in hospitals and long-term care facilities. The fatality rate for definite healthcare-associated Legionnaires’ disease was 25% in a new CDC analysis.

Surveillance data from 20 states and one large city identified 2,809 Legionella infections.

Although the analysis found that only 3% of confirmed cases were definitely acquired in healthcare institutions, officials said they believe that a much larger fraction were contracted in such facilities but were diagnosed only after discharge. The CDC’s Vital Signs report indicated that another 17% of infections were suspected to have originated in healthcare facilities, in that the patients had been in such a facility within 10 days of symptom onset.

During a press call with reporters, CDC Acting Director Anne Schuchat, MD, said the study highlights the important work that hospitals and long-term care facilities must do with regard to their water systems. Legionella organisms live in water and outdated systems allow them to spread.

Proper water management “could have prevented four out of five Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks,” Schuchat said. “This means tending to the buildings’ water infrastructure,” she added, particularly in older facilities.

The chief of CDC’s respiratory diseases branch, Cynthia Whitney, MD, MPH, noted on the press call that the agency has developed a water-management toolkit for hospitals and other facilities to minimize Legionnaires’ disease. As important as having a program, she emphasized, is assigning “a dedicated team to execute the program.”

Whitney and Schuchat also said they believe many, perhaps most, Legionnaires’ cases go undiagnosed. Whitney said it’s vital that patients with symptoms consistent with the condition undergo specific testing for Legionnaires’ disease, so that outbreaks can be curtailed at their outset.

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Providence Health & Services plans layoffs to cut costs

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http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/providence-health-services-plans-layoffs-to-cut-costs.html

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Providence Health & Services, a 50-hospital system based in Renton, Wash., will implement a cost-cutting plan that involves layoffs, according to The Oregonian.

The system is looking to reduce costs to improve its financial picture. Providence ended 2016 with an operating loss of $255 million on $22 billion in revenue.

David Underriner, CEO of Providence’s Oregon division, would not disclose how many employees would be affected by the layoffs, according to The Oregonian.

Providence has 111,000 employees, 15,000 of which were hired in the past two years.

Hospitals that spend more on emergency care, inpatient care yield better outcomes

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http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/healthcare/study-investments-patient-care-lead-to-better-outcomes

An MIT study suggests hospitals get more bang for their buck when they spend money on emergency care versus long-term care.

The study, which was published in the current issue of Journal of Health Economics, compared data on outcomes between hospitals that make a substantial upfront investment in inpatient care after a patient experiences an emergency with those that rely more heavily upon skilled nursing facilities and other long-term care options postdischarge.

“We find that patients who go to hospitals that rely more on skilled nursing facilities after discharge, as opposed to getting them healthy enough to return home, are substantially less likely to survive over the following year,” says Joseph Doyle, Erwin H. Schell Professor of Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management, in an article posted on MIT’s news site.

The study sought to weed out inefficiencies in hospital spending that contribute to the higher per capita cost of healthcare in the United States compared to the rest of the world. Statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development peg spending in the United States at 40% higher than the next-highest spender, which MIT notes has led to questions about “significant inefficiencies” in terms of where all that money gets spent.

When the high costs of care get passed along to patients, they can cause a ripple effect in terms of overall population health. In one survey, as many as one in four Americans said they chose to forgo medical care because of prohibitive costs.

The MIT study found that hospitals that spent approximately $8,500 above the average 90-day spend of $27,500 per patient saw a two-percentage-point decrease in their patients’ mortality risk. That compares to findings of a five-percentage-point increase in mortality when hospitals focus their spending on postdischarge nursing facilities.

Doyle suggests these results could form the basis of a new quality metric looking at hospitals with worse outcomes and a higher proportion of downstream spending.