Consultant Connect’s Post

The current "left without being seen" (LWBS) metric in emergency departments (EDs) drives problematic decision-making regarding patient care allocation. As a critical Hospital Outpatient Quality metric (OP-22) from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, LWBS is tied to financial and administrative incentives, pushing for rapid medical screenings. However, this emphasis can lead to odd care allocation decisions, such as prioritizing low-acuity patients over those who are more critically ill. This practice means that while minor cases are expedited, seriously ill patients may endure longer waits, contradicting the core emergency medicine principle of treating the sickest first. The LWBS metric fails to differentiate between the severity of conditions, treating all patient departures equally, whether for minor issues like sprained ankles or serious symptoms like shortness of breath. To address this, the author proposes a balanced LWBS metric that weights high-acuity patients more heavily, ensuring that ED performance metrics reflect the urgency and quality of care for the sickest patients, promoting better patient outcomes and more effective resource allocation. Implementing telehealth specialists in ED protocols and community services can prioritize high-acuity cases by providing rapid assessments, reducing wait times, and efficiently allocating resources. This integration ensures timely care for critically ill patients, improving overall ED performance and patient outcomes while addressing the limitations of the current LWBS metric. We are the One! #revenuecycle #revenuecyclemanagement #priorauthorization #medicalbilling #medicalcoding #healthcare #healthcaretechnology #accountsreceivables #denialmanagement #consulting #management #implementationpartner

Acute Hospital Care at Home has all the ingredients to improve health care outcomes and costs and is the ideal place to test the impact of multimodal inpatient and outpatient health data streams. Also the utilization and return of information not just to the patient and providers, but care givers as well. Let's do the trials to demonstrate this! #healthcareinnovation #hospitalathome #digitalhealth https://lnkd.in/gT3u4ZBY

The Centre for Community-Driven Research (CCDR) began in 2012 and is an Australian-based charity with a vision to create healthcare systems based on equitable decision-making! Scleroderma Australia works in partnership with CCDR to provide the Pathways Telehealth Nursing Service which is open to anyone in our community that would like to access our specialist nurse! CCDR listens to the issues that people (patients and families) face through a program called Personal Experience, Expectations and Knowledge (PEEK). This ensures that research, healthcare programs, policies and products being developed can reach the patients at the bedside sooner, and better address the needs patients and their families! Working with Scleroderma Australia, we're now starting a new round of PEEK consultations for people who have experienced organ transplants, including lung tansplants. Everyone who has experienced an organ transplant is welcome to participate and we would particularly encourage those who may have had some complications such as infections to participate so that we can take a closer look at how to better manage complications. The PEEK consultation includes an online questionnaire (that takes around 20 minutes to complete) and a telephone interview. The telephone interview is done by one of our nurses and usually takes 30 minutes at minimum, but if you have a lot to say, you can take as long as you need. You can also ask for a copy of your transcript so that you have a record of your experience! To register to participate, click here: https://lnkd.in/gMGQ2us3 This project is being led by Kate Holliday. Kate is Chief Executive at CCDR and an Advanced Practice Nurse in rare and genetic conditions. Participants can get in touch with Kate directly at any time at holliday@cc-dr.org. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gKxJvGSQ . . . . #CommunityDrivenHealthcare #PatientCentric #HealthEquity #PEEKConsultations #OrganTransplantCare #PatientExperience #TelehealthNurse #SclerodermaAustralia #HealthResearch #ComplicationManagement #CCDR #RareConditions #GeneticConditions #HealthcareInnovation

From the Wall Street Journal: U.S. hospitals are adding billions of dollars in so-called facility fees for routine medical care in outpatient centers they own. For patients, that can mean hundreds of dollars more on bills for colonoscopies, mammograms, heart screenings and the like. With more hospitals acquiring medical groups and clinics, the charges are more pervasive. Medicare advisers said that last year the federal insurer likely overpaid for a sample of services by about $6 billion because of the fees in 2021. The added costs aren’t justified, physicians and economists say. The American Hospital Association said that facility fees help to both offset the extra costs that they incur to meet federal regulations and cover costly hospital services like neonatal intensive-care units. Many hospital systems now get at least half their revenue from patients who aren’t admitted.

TWO & ONE-HALF MILLION Ontarians and 6.5 MILLION Canadians in 2024 without a family doctor is unsustainable for an aging population. Our healthcare system must leverage ALL providers, like Pharmacists, to address this urgent need. Pharmacists play a crucial role in offering care, potentially reducing millions of unnecessary ER visits. Ontario has already achieved 1 million Minor Ailments managed by pharmacies, showcasing the potential for further impact. What if the government funded community pharmacies to hire dedicated pharmacists or allowed independent practices to flourish? #Healthcare #Pharmacy #Ontario #Canada #AgingPopulation #MinorAilments #DoctorShortage #Waittimes Rx Billing Genie

I'm an obsessive podcast listener and can usually rattle off a handful of good ones for someone to listen to based on a variety of interests and topics. Last week I encountered one on palliative medicine titled "why doctors die differently than their patients." I was immediately intrigued, listened and went down several rabbit holes reading articles on the topic! What it ultimately comes down to is that medical professionals often set up either/or scenarios to treat an illness or disease. Due to the current healthcare structure they often don't take the time to do a deep dive with patients to talk about the downsides and ultimately EMPOWER patients to make the choice that is right for them based on their beliefs and most important goals. The two doctors on this podcast do an excellent job explaining how palliative matters and how valuable the doctors are who educate and advocate for their patients and their families. If you have time in the car or while doing laundry to listen, please do and share your thoughts! Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eWZNXg53 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eSqU7Qcq #doctors #doctor #podcasts #palliativecare #palliativemedicine #palliative

Very glad to see this report and hope that there will be additional focus on equitable and safe integration of care across all sectors in which care is rendered. As someone who has been studying and promoting improvement of care coordination and integration, our research has shown that the number of gaps in care communication and care coordination are significant in ambulatory settings. This is logical, of course, since the majority of people receive the majority of their care in ambulatory settings. Indeed, for patients of all ages with multidisciplinary needs (eg, behavioral, medical, surgical, social, developmental, education, vocational), these gaps between ambulatory settings are a pernicious source of care fragmentation, harm, and inequity. So much more to do together...

Best Critical Care Services in Gurgaon: Why Care with Fair Healthcare Stands Out When a loved one requires critical care, finding the right healthcare provider is crucial. In Gurgaon, Care with Fair Healthcare is renowned for delivering the best critical care services. With a team of expert caregivers and a commitment to excellence, they ensure that patients receive the highest level of medical care in the comfort of their own homes. Here’s why Care with Fair Healthcare is the preferred choice for critical care services in Gurgaon. Comprehensive Critical Care Services Advanced Medical Care at Home: Care with Fair Healthcare brings hospital-level care to your home. Their critical care services include intensive monitoring, advanced medical treatments, and the management of complex health conditions, ensuring that patients receive continuous, high-quality care without the need for hospitalization. Skilled Critical Care Nurses: The agency employs highly trained and certified critical care nurses who are experienced in handling severe medical conditions. These professionals are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide specialized care for patients with critical health needs. Post-Surgery Recovery: Recovery after surgery can be challenging, especially for patients with critical conditions. Care with Fair Healthcare offers comprehensive post-surgery care, including wound management, pain management, and rehabilitation support, ensuring a smooth and speedy recovery process. Chronic Disease Management: Managing chronic diseases such as heart failure, COPD, and diabetes requires continuous and meticulous care. Care with Fair Healthcare provides expert management of chronic conditions, helping patients maintain their health and prevent complications. 24/7 Emergency Support: Critical care often requires immediate attention. Care with Fair Healthcare offers 24/7 emergency support to ensure that patients receive timely and effective medical intervention whenever needed. Why Choose Care with Fair Healthcare for Critical Care in Gurgaon? Conclusion Care with Fair Healthcare offers the best critical care services in Gurgaon, combining advanced medical treatments with compassionate and personalized care. Whether it's managing chronic conditions, post-surgery recovery, or providing intensive care at home, their expert team ensures that patients receive the highest level of medical attention. Trust Care with Fair Healthcare for reliable, professional, and comprehensive critical care services at home. #CareWithFairHealthcare #CriticalCareServices #BestCriticalCareGurgaon #HomeHealthcareServices #AdvancedMedicalCare #CriticalCareNurses #ChronicDiseaseManagement #PostSurgeryCare #24x7EmergencySupport #HolisticPatientCare

"Hundreds of health systems sought and implemented the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS’s) HaH waiver and invested in the ecosystem necessary to provide #highquality #care #athome... "Many health systems are eager to launch #HaH programs but balk at the significant upfront investment of financial and personnel resources... Thus despite CMS’s waiver program, the overall number of fee-for-service #Medicare patients receiving care via HaH remains relatively small... "HaH providers must demonstrate a return on investment for health systems in terms of both cost and quality, and—to the degree possible—de-risk the decision to build a HaH program." https://lnkd.in/gQJdhGNa