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Philadelphia (EMBARGOED UNTIL May 11, 2021 at 6:30 PM EST) -A new study published in
The Lancet today showed that a policy establishing minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in hospitals in Queensland, Australia saved lives, prevented readmissions, shortened hospital stays, and reduced costs.
The study, by the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR) at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and the Queensland University of Technology School of Nursing, evaluated legislation enacted in 2016 as a safety measure. The new policy limited the average number of patients per nurse to four, similar to pending legislation in New York and Illinois. The positive results in Queensland should inform policies in the U.S. and elsewhere, said lead-author Matthew McHugh, PhD, the Independence Chair for Nursing Education and CHOPR Director.
Medicaid expansion has provided a financial boost to hospitals, study reveals
A new study published in
Medical Care Research and Review found that the Affordable Care Act, which expanded Medicaid programs to cover people previously uninsured, provided a financial boost to hospitals.
The study conducted by faculty at the Colorado School of Public Health on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is the first to investigate the effects of Medicaid expansion by comparing estimates using data from both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The IRS and CMS data sources serve as primary resources for assessing the impact of Medicaid expansion on hospitals financial status. The comparison of the two is timely and can inform the decisions of health practitioners, policymakers and regulators at a state and national level.
Engaging the community, one mask at a time At 10 sites across campus for 10 weeks, Penn Nursing students made 400 weekly observations about mask usage, part of MASCUP, a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the CDC that includes 53 colleges and universities. Lauren Fisher, a student in the Accelerated BSN Second Degree program in the School of Nursing, hands out mask kits in April. The event signified an endpoint to the semester long MASCUP, which included documenting for the CDC how many people were wearing masks, what type of mask, and whether they were worn correctly.
On a cold and windy April day, six Penn Nursing students stood in groups of two and three at the corner of 40th and Walnut streets. Under a gray folding table, several backpacks perched against an open cardboard box. Tallulah, junior Lily McDowell’s dog and unofficial mascot of the day’s events, stood at the ready, her leash attached to McDowell
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
A new study published in Medical Care Research and Review found that the Affordable Care Act, which expanded Medicaid programs to cover people previously uninsured, provided a financial boost to hospitals.
The study conducted by faculty at the Colorado School of Public Health on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is the first to investigate the effects of Medicaid expansion by comparing estimates using data from both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
“The IRS and CMS data sources serve as primary resources for assessing the impact of Medicaid expansion on hospitals’ financial status. The comparison of the two is timely and can inform the decisions of health practitioners, policymakers and regulators at a state and national level,” said lead author Tatiane Santos, MPH, PhD, faculty at the Colorado School of Public Health and fellow at the Wharton School an
email article
A little more than 10 years ago, the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) set the nation s badly broken healthcare system on a new path. In its bold shift away from the traditional fee-for-service (high volume-focused) payment model, the ACA set the stage for new value-based payment (VBP) models designed to reduce the rate of inappropriate services and sub-optimal care while improving population health outcomes.
Despite delays and setbacks (e.g., congressional efforts to weaken or dismantle the ACA), several VBP initiatives have shown some promise in terms of reduced spending and quality improvement, and participation in VBP short-term models has increased. Nevertheless, the twin issues of cost escalation and suboptimal quality of care persist. And, as the Medicare trust fund plummets, racial and socioeconomic health disparities are amplified.