EDPMA Industry Update

Emergency care for the ED

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

Aside from a patient, perhaps no element of a hospital system is as in need of emergency care as the ED itself. Health systems know this and are working to overcome ED bottlenecks by initiating improved throughput systems. They are imposing fast-track, split-care programs to improve patient flow and decrease wait times by caring for patients with lower acuity in one area, freeing up beds for those with more severe illnesses.

EMR tool cuts CT scans in ER patients

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

Electronic medical records can keep track of radiation exposure and reduce unnecessary CT scans in ER patients with abdominal pain, said researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. ER physicians often rely on CT scans to determine the cause of abdominal pain, but there are few clear guidelines on which patients should receive such scans.

Report: 1 in 3 New Jersey ER visits not necessary

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

More than a third of the people who go to hospital ERs in New Jersey are there for nonemergency conditions that could be treated in a doctor's office or clinic, according to a new report from the New Jersey Hospital Association. Overall, the number of ER visits statewide is escalating, up 27 percent in a 10-year period ending in 2010, the report showed. And nationally, more than $400 million is spent on avoidable ED visits.

Former CMS chiefs: Medicare SGR problem can be fixed

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

The Senate Finance Committee convened a group of former Medicare administrators to discuss how they viewed the current crisis on physician fees and the sustainable growth rate formula. Each discussed the resource-based relative value scale system, which helps determine how much physicians are paid and called for a more "bundled" approach to treating Medicare patients.

Study: Button batteries blamed for uptick in ER visits

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

Button batteries are becoming a big problem for children across the U.S. The shiny, coin-sized batteries come in just about everything these days, and now a new study shows that may have led to a doubling in the amount of battery-related ER visits over the past two decades.

Doctors win most malpractice cases at trial

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

Plaintiffs hardly ever win medical malpractice cases that go all the way to a jury verdict, and only 4.5 percent of claims filed ever go that far. Of those that do get to a jury, 79.6 percent of the verdicts favor the physician, a team led by Anupam Jena, M.D., Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found. The analysis indicated that 54.1 percent of malpractice claims ending up in court were dismissed and the remainder were settled.

Missouri high court upholds damages cap, but another challenge remains

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

After winning a recent lawsuit challenging the state's noneconomic damages cap, Missouri doctors continue to fight another battle threatening to overturn the recovery limit. The Supreme Court of Missouri ruled the state's noneconomic damages cap for medical liability cases was constitutional. The second suit, which the state high court has yet to decide, centers on Missouri's latest $350,000 award limit. The cap impacts all medical liability lawsuits starting in 2005.

Reform pushes patient satisfaction, hospital quality efforts

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

With hospitals bracing themselves for changes under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, they are primarily focusing on the patient experience, according to a new study. With patient satisfaction determining 30 percent of Medicare incentive payments and improved clinical outcomes deciding 70 percent starting in October, hospitals are prioritizing efforts that monitor and drive quality and patient satisfaction.

Stage 2 meaningful use rules sharply criticized by physicians

17 May 2012 08:21:17 CDT

Physicians are objecting to proposed Medicare and Medicaid guidelines for demonstrating the next stage of electronic health record meaningful use, saying the new standards would be too burdensome and may discourage practices from adopting the technology.