VA Forges Ahead With Expanded Telehealth Access for Veterans
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced on Veterans Day that it aims to amend the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Healthcare Improvement Act of 2019 to end all copayment obligations for veterans, greatly expanding a decision earlier this year to waive copayments for a veteran’s first three outpatient mental healthcare visits per year through 2027.
DEA Extends Telemedicine Prescription Waiver One More Year
Healthcare providers will be able to prescribe scheduled drugs via telemedicine for at least one more year, thanks to a last-minute extension of a pandemic-era waiver by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Understanding Desired Outcomes and Goals Is Crucial in AI Adoption
Health systems and hospitals also must have appropriate AI governance, so that they not only are evaluating AI when it is adopted but also reviewing how AI models are functioning.
What Happens When Nurses Are Misclassified as Independent Contractors?
While navigating recruitment and staffing challenges, it’s important to look at how nurses will be brought on and integrated into the workforce. Part of this process involves making sure nurses fall under the proper worker classification, and ensuring that the hospital or health system remains in compliance with legal requirements for classification.
Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grades Find Patient Safety Improvements Nationwide
The Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 30 performance measures to assign an “A, “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” to individual hospitals and uses a public, peer-reviewed methodology, calculated by top patient safety experts under the guidance of a National Expert Panel. It is transparent and free to the public. Leapfrog analysts use the data to observe national performance trends and state rankings.
How to Take a Comprehensive Approach to AI Governance
The health system is integrating AI tools into daily work to accelerate decision-making, simplify workflows, and reduce non-clinical task burdens. This includes internally generated innovations that leverage AI to enhance patient experience and reduce clinician burnout, according to Asmar.
How a Care Coordination Center Can Improve Care Inefficiencies
The facility will act as a transfer center, with access to real-time data across the health system’s six acute-care hospitals. A team including nurses stationed at the center will be able to coordinate patient transfers both within the health system and from other facilities into the system.
Will Congress Save Telehealth?
Pandemic-era telehealth waivers that allowed providers to expand their virtual care footprint will end this year unless Congress takes action.
PSQH: The Podcast Episode 116 – Staying Alert for Cyberattacks on Healthcare Organizations
On episode 116 of PSQH: The Podcast, Zach Evans, Chief Technology Officer at Xsolis, talks about the impact of cyberattacks on healthcare.
Making a Business Case for Infection Preventionists
An infection prevention and control executive at Boston Children’s Hospital recently made a business case for hiring more infection preventionists and was able to gain approval to increase staffing by more than 50%.