By Ken Perez, vice president of healthcare policy and government affairs, Omnicell, Inc.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program was created in 1992 to give safety net providers—those that deliver a significant level of both healthcare and other health-related services to the uninsured, Medicaid, and other vulnerable populations—discounts on outpatient drugs to “stretch scare federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.”
In brief, the program requires drug makers participating in Medicaid and Medicare Part B to provide discounts on outpatient drugs to 340B providers, which include various types of hospitals and certain federal grantees, such as federally qualified health centers and comprehensive hemophilia treatment centers.
The change to the reimbursement rate and ensuing debate
On Nov. 1, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its final rule for the calendar year (CY) 2018 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), the system through which Medicare decides how much money a hospital or community mental health center will get for outpatient care provided to patients with Medicare. That rule included a 28.5% reimbursement rate cut—from average selling price (ASP) plus 6% to ASP minus 22.5% for the 340B Program. The American Hospital Association estimated that the cut aggregated to $1.6 billion annually for 340B hospitals.
On July 31, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit), by a 2-1 vote, upheld the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) decision to allow CMS to implement the 28.5% reimbursement rate cut, ruling against the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), America’s Essential Hospitals (AEH), and hospital plaintiffs Northern Light Health in Brewer, Maine, Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Mich., and AdventHealth Hendersonville in Hendersonville, N.C.
Businesses operating in the U.S. healthcare sector are required to comply with the data privacy and security regulations first defined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The purpose of HIPAA legislation is to protect the privacy and security of an individual’s health-related information.
When HIPAA was passed, its primary concern was with safeguarding physical records containing protected health information (PHI). Subsequent updates to HIPAA regulations address the way the privacy and security of electronic protected health information (ePHI) are implemented.
In a perfect world, organizations would protect patient privacy and data security because it’s the right thing to do. Unfortunately, the market does not always operate in that way which was the reason HIPAA was necessary in the first place.
How Much Does HIPAA Noncompliance Cost?
Without the ability to levy fines and penalties, HIPAA would be an instructive but toothless set of standards. Fines for HIPAA violations can be issued by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) or state attorney generals.
The OCR issues civil fines directly related to HIPAA violations whereas in many cases, attorney generals enforce equivalent state standards. It can be easier to hold violators accountable with state laws and the financial penalties available can be greater than those imposed by HIPAA. In rare cases, criminal charges can result from activities such as the theft and use of PHI for financial gain.
Not all HIPAA violations lead to financial penalties. In some cases, especially when dealing with minor violations predicated by a misinterpretation of the rules, the OCR prefers organizations to adopt the necessary measures to comply voluntarily. When this tactic fails, the OCR has the authority to impose penalties on covered entities and business associates.
The costs of HIPAA noncompliance fall into two distinct categories.
By Matthew Rice, territory account manager (healthcare), Panasonic Connect.
Imagine this: you’re a home healthcare worker treating a patient when your laptop battery dies. You lose precious time waiting for the device to charge, pushing back your entire schedule for the day. When the laptop finally boots up again, the Wi-Fi connection is spotty which further hinders your productivity and potentially delays administering medication to patients. Further, in the event that your device encountered a drop or spill, it may render the device unusable and you may have to wait for a new device to be assigned to you by your IT department.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that home health jobs will grow 33 percent between 2020 to 2030. Technology must advance alongside this growth to keep pace with the market. Hospitals or healthcare providers work within tight budgetary restraints, but with the continuation of digital healthcare, the right tools are a critical requirement. Devices need to keep up with a home healthcare worker’s day. They need to be durable, reliable, and flexible, lasting for years in challenging environments while able to keep up with digital transformation demands.
Multi-Use Devices for Shifting Patient Needs
Devices that don’t have the ability to withstand drops, spills or temperature changes would only increase stress and frustration in an already challenging job. And, when working in healthcare, sanitation is key. Devices must be able to be sanitized from patient-to-patient, shift after shift. Therefore, a device that can be sanitized and withstand the harsh usage and environmental effects is imperative.
Durability ensures that the device can withstand the tough environments inside and outside of facilities, while modularity means a single device can do more, ultimately reducing operational cost and time needed to maintain multiple devices. When IT purchases new devices for home healthcare staff, technicians must consider how and where devices will be used. For example, a health network may purchase devices for all staff with authentication set-up through smartcard readers.
Later on, if they decide to change their user authentication to fingerprint, they can buy this component separately and have it installed instead of buying new devices for everyone. Personalization also boosts productivity and allows providers to see more patients. A home healthcare worker might program certain keys or buttons to create shortcuts to access commonly used tools.
For example, simply clicking a button to launch a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) can improve response times and speed up how long it takes to deliver patient care. A patient’s care team can use mobile devices to communicate frequently, share data and monitor vitals. This means that patients are treated faster, home healthcare workers can deliver more efficient care and hospitals can improve productivity.
Physiotherapy is one of the most important branches of medicine, as it often helps people lead healthy lives. It also plays a crucial role in injury recovery and rehabilitation. Though it has been around for quite some time now, many aspects remain unexplored and undiscovered.
However, one thing remains constant: people’s health conditions keep changing at an accelerated rate due to several factors impacting their wellbeing. Here we look at the top five trends in the physiotherapy industry which will shape this sector in 2022.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence is an area of machine learning and computer science that deals with creating intelligent machines. In other words, it is a technology that can learn from experience.
AI can recognize patterns in large amounts of data, permitting the user to make accurate predictions about future trends and events. For example, physiotherapists can use AI to predict which patients will benefit most from physiotherapy interventions based on age, gender, and previous health records.
You can also use AI to create a personalized treatment plan for each individual based on their age group or specific condition (for example, acute injury). The benefit here is that you have less chance of over-treating or under-treating the patient depending on what kind of physiotherapy intervention you choose based on your analysis using artificial intelligence tools such as deep learning algorithms or even just simple pattern recognition techniques like linear regression models, etc.
There are few occupations whose representatives are always in demand, one of which is a home health aide. Their duties include personal care (dressing, bathing, feeding), light housekeeping, socializing, monitoring medications taken, cooking, and other household duties. The work is specific but has many advantages:
– A high salary, especially for those who are willing to include cooking, cleaning, and transporting the ward to the hospital in the list of duties;
– The ability to choose the most convenient schedule;
– Receiving paid vacation and sick leave;
– the feeling of fulfilling a critical social mission;
– satisfying an internal need for companionship;
– no problems with finding job openings – the number of offers for aides is growing all the time in all states.
The following will detail how to become a home attendant and home health aide in the United States.
Step 1: Analyze Your Requirements
No matter how rosy the prospects are after graduating CPR training ma, the candidate first needs to make sure that they meet the current requirements, namely:
Has reached the age of 18.
Has a high school diploma.
Can drive and has their vehicle (preferably).
Does not smoke, abuse drugs, or alcoholic beverages.
Has no criminal record.
Sufficiently communicative, not prone to conflicts, tolerant, and resistant to stressful situations.
Has good physical shape. The presence of pathologies in the musculoskeletal system may be a barrier to successful work as a home health aide.
Willing to perform the same duties for extended periods.
Able to perceive and comply with the wishes of the employer.
Another responsibility of the aide is periodic verification of qualifications. So it is not enough to try once and successfully pass the test — in the future, you will have to prove your knowledge and skills again every 2 years.
Step 2: Choosing a training center
The leading search criteria are:
reputation and reviews;
the duration of the service provision;
the cost of training;
number and content of programs;
technical equipment;
qualifications and experience of teachers;
provision of additional services.
The best option would be a center that offers home health aide training and job placement. That way, you can get a job much faster, without having to look for an employer on your own. At the same time, if the conditions offered do not suit you, no one prevents you from finding another job, especially since there are a lot of requests. Just consider that the salary size is directly proportional to the workload at work. The assistant’s task is to strike a balance between the desired salary and the number of responsibilities he is entrusted with.
Step 3: Determining the best training program
Training center offerings can vary in:
duration;
the format of training;
number of topics;
the language of instruction;
the need to purchase additional literature.
Step 4: Attendance
The training period takes an average of 4-6 weeks and includes:
online or offline lectures;
taking tests;
Practical exercises on each topic;
practicing first aid and CPR skills on modern dummies;
counseling before taking the exam.
Step 5: Receiving your HHA certification
Once the program is complete, it’s time for the exam. It includes:
Providing written answers to 60-70 questions on thirteen topics;
evidence of practical skills (depending on the program, there may be three to six).
The certificate, which the NAHC issues after successfully passing the test, is a document that entitles you to work in a particular state as a home health aide. Without it, you can’t legally get a job. It is valid for two years and then renewed, and it is advisable to avoid gaps and take care of this issue beforehand.
Behavioral and mental health challenges are serious issues around the world. In fact, according to recent research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), almostone billion people live with some type of mental affliction or behavioral issues. What’s more disconcerting is that WHO reports that over 75% of people who struggle with mental disorders do not (or cannot) seek help for various reasons.
Enter the era of health technology. New, cutting edge tech is becoming more affordable and it is tremendously impacting mental health for the better. In truth,healthcare technology has revolutionized the mental health industry so that people can receive treatment they need to live full and healthy lives.
Moreover, technology is providing necessary resources and assistance for those who might not have access to treatment. Read on for some key innovations in health technologies that are positively impacting mental health for people all around the world.
Brain Research
Just a few years ago, tech was extremely limited when it came to diagnosing issues in the brain that might result in mental disorders. Conditions such as tumors, trauma, or substance abuse impact the brain to the extent that these triggers cause significant detriment to memory function, and can lead to mental maladies.
As such, biotech scientists have upped their game when it comes to pinpointing and diagnosing conditions such aswet brain, psychosis, bi-polar disorder, and other brain-centric issues that lead to mental instabilities. Technology plays a key role in examining brain function via high-tech brain scans such as MRIs and resonance imaging.
Without advancements in computer and biotech, mental healthcare professionals would lack the resources to assess potential brain damage or disorders that could be the root cause of many behavioral issues or mental illness.
Burnout among doctors and nurses was already a major problem facing healthcare organizations, even before the COVID pandemic – maybe even more for healthcare professionals working in the extremely demanding field of cardiology.
It’s not just a matter of long hours and overwhelming patient loads (although these factors certainly don’t help). Burnout is also the result of the pressure that healthcare providers put on themselves to be perfect when the stakes are literally a matter of life or death. According to one recent survey, 43 percent of cardiologists report feeling burnt out, compared to 39 percent in academic medicine and 32 percent of nurses.
Those numbers are alarmingly high, but healthcare organizations often lack good options for addressing the problem. The COVID-19 pandemic stretched already thin healthcare staff nearly to their breaking point, and the ensuing “Great Resignation” has made it difficult for clinics and hospitals to recruit and retain new talent. Even if a healthcare organization is able to find prospects, budget limitations often prevent them from expanding their staff enough to meaningfully reduce burnout.
Technology (in particular, artificial intelligence) may become a viable solution for many healthcare organizations. Here are four ways that AI can prevent and reduce burnout for clinicians.
By James Talcott, MD, SM, senior medical director, Oncology for Eviti, NantHealth.
A recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that while the U.S. spends nearly two times more per capita on cancer treatments, related mortality rates were only nominally lower. The analysis was a cross-sectional review of 22 high-income countries assessing the correlation between cancer treatment expenditures and 2020-associated fatalities.
In fact, nine of those listed—countries that invested significantly less in cancer care—have lower mortality rates. This study proposes an interesting new perspective: increased spending does not guarantee better results.
So how, then, can we optimize care? As new cancer treatments are constantly emerging, it can become overwhelming for providers to sift through data and treatment options to find the most appropriate—and cost-effective—plan for patients. Oftentimes, patients see quicker and more efficacious results when directed to the right treatment plan early on. This is where early intervention and treatment-validation technology becomes a key factor in optimized cancer care.
Improved Visibility and Patient Empowerment
Treatment-validation technology connects payers and providers, offering access to an advanced research library platform supplying tools and data analytics for the delivery of high-quality care. Clinicians can view thousands of proven treatment regimens, federally registered clinical trials, expected treatment outcomes, and predicted costs, all during the process of curating the best plan for their patients.
The ultimate goal in cancer care is singling out the most efficient and direct treatment plan—bypassing lengthy (and often costly) trial and error methods. In addition, when the patient is empowered with options and stated preferences, based on provider information, they help gain an understanding of the benefits as well as potential side effects of available treatments. This builds and promotes important conversations between them and their physician about their treatment course ahead.
There are few occupations whose representatives are always in demand, one of which is a home health aide. Their duties include personal care (dressing, bathing, feeding), light housekeeping, socializing, monitoring medications taken, cooking, and other household duties. The work is specific but has many advantages:
