As the old adage goes, “no margin, no mission,” and hospitals are struggling to to come out on top in their payor contract negotiations. What do hospital and health system boards need to understand to guide their organization through this complex process? Brandon Edwards, a healthcare strategist with over 25 years of experience in managed […]
Anesthesia provider shortages aren’t new, and they aren’t limited to certain geographic regions, but they are getting worse—and it’s time to consider new responses. By 2033, the shortage of anesthesiologists nationwide is expected to reach 12,500, according to an often-cited American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) report. From 2016 to 2021, the number of anesthesiologists […]
AHLA Podcast: Physician Practice Employment and Acquisition: What Is Driving the Changing Landscape?
by Danielle Bangs, Director
When it comes to physician practices, the rate of employment, acquisition, and alignment activity among health care corporate entities like payers, payer-backed groups, private equity, and major vertically integrated retailers has outpaced similar activity among hospitals and health systems. Danielle Bangs, Director, Veralon, speaks with Mike Flammini, Chief Development Officer, Privia Health, and Eric Tower, […]
Wyoming may be part of the nation’s frontier healthcare market, but the state is a reminder to hospital leaders everywhere of the challenges all hospitals face, no matter the level of sophistication or setting. It’s unmistakable: we’re all grappling with post-COVID’s three-headed monster of workforce shortages, externalities, and financial pressures. I was pleased to host […]
Before the early 20th century, there were virtually no physician specialists in the United States. Today, the list of physician specialties continues to expand as medical knowledge grows with new discoveries and advancements in technology. Now, healthcare leaders must consider: How does this super-specialization affect physician compensation? Specialization and Sub-Specialization Historically, physicians were generalists, but […]
The First Wave 2021 was the big year for WRVU changes associated with CMS’s extensive and far-reaching updates to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). The changes, designed to ultimately be budget neutral, restructured reimbursement to increase payments to cognitive specialists (such as primary care and other medical specialties) and reduce reimbursement to procedure-based specialists. […]
As hospitals and health systems continue to evaluate how they compensate physicians, some have expanded upon their work relative value unit (wRVU) based compensation models to include activities for which wRVUs may not currently be assigned. We are seeing this trend applied to administrative activities—such as attendance and participation in committee meetings—and clinical activities that […]
Laborist models continue to gain traction as hospitals seek ways to improve patient safety and professional satisfaction and respond to the national OBGYN shortage. But there are two aspects of the laborist model that hospital leaders often grapple with: reimbursement and compensation. Many hospitals are shifting from “traditional” management of labor and delivery where each […]
Leaders of hospitals and health systems face an array of difficult challenges as they move into 2023. In light of the challenges providers face, the Veralon team has identified high-impact initiatives that may help systems turn the corner for a brighter 2023. Briefly, the challenges include: Weakened balance sheets that limit capital available for new […]
Analyzing and prioritizing service lines like a portfolio can support focused growth, even during a financial crisis. Cost cutting is critical but insufficient to ensure viability and success when the financial crisis faced by health systems is prolonged, as it has been in 2022. Health systems must also grow revenue. Tight budgets and limited access […]