Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hospital News: 'Bedless Hospitals' Follow Shift Toward Outpatient Care; Florida Readmissions Decline
Stat: Bedless Hospitals Treat Patients And Send Them Home The Same Day
As treatments get less invasive and recovery times shrink, a new kind of hospital is cropping up — the “bedless hospital." They have all the capabilities of traditional hospitals: operating rooms, infusion suites, and even emergency rooms and helipads. What they don’t have is overnight space. ... The growth in outpatient healthcare is a fundamental shift in US medicine. MetroHealth, which gets part of its funding from taxpayers and serves a large Medicaid population, has expanded outpatient visits from 850,000 to 1.2 million in the last four years, a 40 percent increase. (Ross, 9/16)
Health News Florida: Readmissions At Florida Hospitals Inching Down, Report Finds
Hospitals in Florida and most other states have made progress in reducing preventable “readmissions,” the unplanned return of patients within a month of discharge, federal officials say. A report estimates that 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries – including more than 3,000 in Florida -- were spared a quick return to the hospital last year because of changes the industry has made since 2010. (Gentry, 9/16)
The Associated Press: Bloomberg's $300M Gift To Hopkins Focuses On Public Health
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is giving $300 million to Johns Hopkins University to deal with public health challenges. The university announced the gift Thursday. Officials say the money will create the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. The initiative will study ways to fight air pollution, gun violence and obesity. (Jones, 9/15)
Detroit Free Press: Massive $1B Debt Refinancing At Henry Ford Health System
The Henry Ford Health System says it will save more than $125 million after undertaking a massive debt refinancing this week that could be the biggest of its kind in Michigan history. The Detroit-based health system announced that it sold about $1 billion in bonds on Tuesday in order to buy back older bonds that had higher interest rates. (Reindl, 9/15)
San Jose Mercury News: Kaiser Buys Highland Some High-Tech Help
Highland Hospital, with a $6 million grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Fund, is buying magnetic resonance imaging equipment that will double the number of patients who can be tested for cancer, disease and health problems. Early detection is key to keeping them healthy and alive. Highland Hospital in East Oakland is the flagship for Alameda Health System, a public health consortium that runs several hospitals and clinics. (Hedin, 9/15)
Modern Healthcare: Ascension's Enormous Footprint Continues To Expand In 2016
Ascension's operating surplus exceeded three-quarters of a billion dollars last year, as the hospital system bought new facilities and recorded more outpatient activity. The system's $753 million operating surplus came from $21.9 billion of revenue in its most recent fiscal year, which ended June 30, resulting in a 3.4% operating margin, according to Ascension's financial documents (PDF) filed with bondholders this week. The operating margin was almost identical to what Ascension recorded in fiscal 2015. Revenue was 6.6% higher. (Herman, 9/15)
Tampa Bay Times: New Technology Allows For Connection Between Family And Infants In Neonatal ICU
Medical Center of Trinity, a 288-bed hospital at 9330 State Road 54, is the first hospital in the Tampa Bay area and the third in the state to use this technology as a way to enhance bonding, said Mary Sommise, director of marketing. Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami and Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines are also using NicView, Sommise said, adding that the $40,000 financial investment at Trinity came from leftover construction funds from the $7 million Level II neonatal intensive care unit that opened this year. (Miller, 9/15)
The Star Tribune: North Suburban Hospital Board Votes To Dissolve, Triggering New Dispute
Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson has been asked to intervene in a dispute involving Allina Health and an elected north suburban hospital board after the board voted Wednesday night to dissolve and stop collecting taxes to support Unity Hospital in Fridley. The North Suburban Hospital District was formed in the 1960s to build and support Unity as a general hospital for the surrounding communities, but board members say the organization’s purpose is dwindling in an era of hospital consolidations and mergers. (Olson, 9/15)
Kansas Health Institute: Topeka Hospital Closing Clinics Because Of Cuts, State’s Rejection Of Medicaid Expansion
Stormont Vail Health of Topeka is closing two regional clinics because of financial pressures created by recent cuts in Medicaid reimbursements and the decision by state leaders not to expand the health care program. Stormont will close Cotton O’Neil clinics in Lyndon and Alma, according to a news release issued Thursday. The Lyndon clinic will close Dec. 31. The clinic in Alma will close Jan. 31, 2017. (McLean, 9/15)
