CMS Is Changing How It Pays Doctors To Coordinate Care

CMS has finalized rules that modify how physicians get paid to encourage primary care physicians and other clinicians to spend more time coordinating care for their patients. The intention is to help address the social determinants of health, increase patient adherence to treatment, and improve the continuity of care. Check out this article for all payment updates, including the physician fee schedule. Read more

CDC Updates Core Elements Of Antibiotic Stewardship Of Hospitals

With the March 30, 2020, deadline requiring all acute care and critical access hospitals participating in Medicare to have antibiotic stewardship programs, CMS has updated its Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. The updates provide examples of leadership commitment to antibiotic stewardship programs, highlight priority interventions and process measures, and emphasize the key role that pharmacists and nurses play in improving antibiotic use in hospitals. Read to see if your antibiotic stewardship program follows these best practices. Read more

Medicare Shared Savings ACOs Generated $1.7b In Savings In 2018

CMS announced that the 2018 Medicare Shared Savings Program generated $1.7 billion in total savings. It also reported that ACOs in the shared savings and risk-based models saw reductions in per-enrollee spending. ACOs that took on downside risk generated more savings than ACOs that did not. See the full report for more on how ACOs are trending. Read more

Number Of Certified Physician Assistants Surging

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 31% growth in the PA profession from 2018 to 2028, which the federal agency characterizes as "much faster than average" compared to other occupations. With the anticipated physician shortage, many think that physician assistant participation in clinical care teams is the solution. Check out the full analysis for more on the shifting role of PAs. Read more

In 2018, seismic changes taking place in healthcare will help trigger the evolution of our nation’s healthcare system, including services available to the aging population.