Community Discussion

As a management leader, your advice counts!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:08:15 GMT

As a healthcare leader, what advice would you give healthcare executives who are facing, not unlike their colleagues in other sectors, very turbulent times, new challenges, medical staff relationship issues, community expectations, etc.?

Business - Communicating Strategic Plans

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:55:39 GMT

I am interested in learning from others with respect to strategic planning. My perspective is from large hospital systems and managed care systems.

I am on a board of directors for a small, not-for-profit, community service organization. This organization has quadrupled in size during the past three years. I believe it is time to introduce some, more formal, strategic planning exercises.

How much communication should I ask from the management of the organization with respect to strategic plans. I am used to making, minimally, a five year plan for an organization. Is this unrealistic for the smaller orgainzation?

Thanks for lending your perspective!

Breach of a business contract with a physician - Now What

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:41:09 GMT

Scenario

A physician is paid $30,000 a year to perform Medical Director duties related to the hospital's oncology department. The executed agreement indicates the physician will submit time logs documenting her specific duties performed on a monthly basis. The physician has been paid monthly without evidence of the time logs. In addition, the physician has been paid for the last two years under an expired agreement. A whistleblower contacts the OIG to report the breach in this contract and others. You are the CEO. You are anticipating paying civil and administrative penalties related to this specific breach. What is your corrective action plan to prevent this from occuring in the future?

Realizing the True Benefit of EHRs

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:10:14 GMT

I recently assisted a practice with auditing select records of patients with diabetes. The provider was certain that he was ordering all the appropriate test for his patients. However, the audit yeilded different results. In fact, there were a number of patients that did not have "documented" the recommended tests for patients with diabetes as prescribed in clinical guidelines. My question is this, what provisions do you think are necessary to ensure that the providers who do invest dollars into EHRs are maximizing its use to help improve clinical outcomes of patients.

EMR = Improved Documentation Compliance?

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:12:33 GMT

I am interested in hearing from those who have successfully implemented an EMR and how moving from 'paper to electronic' has impacted your organizations ability to enhance and/or improve your compliance with the both your states department of health documentation requirements and to JC requirements. Did it lead to improved compliance? Did anyone structure 'required field' components into their EMR to ensure compliance?

Professionalism and Ethics

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:21:23 GMT

Some interculturalists may argue the notion of "Do unto others..." the Golden Rule, which comes from Deontology philosophy. Milton Bennett, an acclaimed cross-cultural researcher, created the Platinum Rule, which states: “Treat others the way they want to be treated”. Any thoughts?

Governance and Organizational Structure

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:45:24 GMT

I would be very interested in learning about healthcare organizational structure in other countries outside United States. Considering globalization, I wonder if ACHE would be wiling to add a section on other ways healthcare organization is structured in other countries.

Working with managed care organizations

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:30:43 GMT

Knowing that there are many ways to structure a contract with a managed care organization, what has worked best for your organizations and why?

Not-for-profit versus for-profit

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:27:21 GMT

Knowing that the IRS is growing more and more concerned about NFP entering into for profit activities, aside from a potential for-profit activity approaching the magical 20%-25% of revenue barrier, what other items have you considered when deciding to create a for-profit subsidiary?