Author: dianawinder

CMS Seeks Comments on the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program – Comments Due by June 10

May 14, 2025

CMS Seeks Comments on the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program – Comments Due by June 10

In the recently released Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included several requests for information for the Promoting Interoperability Program, which requires hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to submit data demonstrating meaningful use of certified electronic health record technology (CEHERT). Hospitals and CAHs that do not meet the requirements are subject to a downward payment adjustment. Some issues that CMS seeks public input on include:

  • Query of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Measure – This measure requires eligible hospitals and CAHs to attest yes/no on whether they have integrated their state’s PDMP electronic database, which monitors the use of controlled substances, into their EHRs.
    • CMS seeks comments on whether this measure should be performance-based and measure the percent of electronic prescriptions for which the hospital queried the PDMP for prescription drug history.
    • They also seek comment on whether they should expand the types of drugs to which the Query of PDMP measure could apply.

Click Here to Learn More and Comment

  • Public Health and Clinical Exchange Data Objective Measure Scoring – Currently, eligible hospitals and CAHs must attest yes/no on whether they are exchanging data with six required measures in this category.
    • CMS seeks comments on whether they should change the scoring method to allow eligible hospitals and CAHs to earn up to 5 points for each measure, for a total of 30 points for the objective, but must earn at least 1 point for each measure to meet the requirement.
    • CMS also seeks comments on whether these measures should be performance based with a numerator and denominator.

Click Here to Learn More and Comment

  • Use of Modern Technologies to Ensure Data Quality – CMS wants to encourage and support eligible hospitals’ and CAHs’ use of modern technologies and standards to ensure data are usable, complete, accurate, timely, and consistent.
    • They seek feedback on what challenges hospitals and CAHs are experiencing with collecting high quality data,
    • What the primary barriers are, and
    • How CMS can partner with eligible hospitals, CAHs, industry, and Federal agencies to drive further improvements in the quality and usability of health information being exchanged.

Click Here to Learn More and Comment

Rural Health Research: rural and Urban Differences in Suicide in the United States

May 14, 2025

Rural Health Research: rural and Urban Differences in Suicide in the United States

National data from the National Vital Statistics System and the American Community Survey were used to explore trends across urban and rural areas. Among the key takeaways in this brief from the ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center:

  • Crude suicide rates have remained around 14.5 per 100,000 from 2018 – 2021, with rural areas consistently higher than urban areas overall and across all subgroups of interest.
  • Males have higher crude suicide rates compared to females (23.2 vs. 6.0 per 100,000).
  • Groups aged 25-34 and 45-54 in rural areas have the highest crude suicide rates (28.8 and 25.3 per 100,000, respectively).
  • Western states generally report higher crude suicide rates than other Census regions, while Northeastern and Southern states have lower rates in both urban and rural areas.

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Webinar: It Starts with Us: Why Healthcare Worker Immunization Matters, June 16

May 14, 2025

Webinar: It Starts with Us: Why Healthcare Worker Immunization Matters, June 16

Vaccines aren’t just for patients – protecting healthcare workers means protecting everyone. In this webinar, Dr. Paul Carson will break down the CDC’s latest vaccine recommendations for healthcare workers, highlight how immunization helps stop the spread of disease in healthcare settings, and dive into the hot topic of vaccine mandates – what works, what’s challenging, and why it matters.

In this webinar, Dr. Carson will:

  • List the current CDC-recommended immunizations for healthcare workers,
  • Explain the importance of healthcare worker vaccination in reducing disease transmission, protecting vulnerable patients, and maintaining workforce health, and
  • Identify the potential benefits and challenges of implementing vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.

Cost: Free

When: Monday, June 16, 12:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: Adult Vaccine Conversations: Addressing Common Concerns, May 15

May 14, 2025

Webinar: Adult Vaccine Conversations: Addressing Common Concerns, May 15

In this webinar, Dr. Skoy will:

  • Identify common questions and concerns adults have about routine and seasonal vaccines,
  • Describe effective communication strategies for discussing adult vaccines with patients, and
  • Explain the role of the healthcare provider in initiating and navigating vaccine-related conversations with adult patients confidently.

Elizabeth Skoy, PharmD, RPhA, FAPhA, is a Professor at NDSU and the Director of the Center for Collaboration and Advancement in Pharmacy (CAP Center). As part of her faculty position, she has a community pharmacy practice site where she continues to engage in routine pharmacy patient care. Dr. Skoy has represented the pharmacy profession through various agencies including the FDA, CDC, and the American Pharmacist Association. Most recently, Dr. Skoy was named to serve on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Workgroup for adult RSV vaccines.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, May 15, 12:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: How UC Health Unlocked 1,380 Admissions – Without Adding More Beds or Staff, June 18

May 14, 2025

Webinar: How UC Health Unlocked 1,380 Admissions – Without Adding More Beds or Staff, June 18

Like many systems, UCHealth faced growing pressure to expand patient access without increasing its footprint.

By replacing manual reporting mechanisms with an AI-powered operations command center, the system cut average length of stay by 0.4 days – freeing up the equivalent of 35 inpatient beds and enabling 1,380 admissions, without adding physical beds or additional staff.

In this live session, UCHealth leaders will share how they used EHR and IT data to gain real-time, systemwide visibility – enabling faster, better decisions around patient flow, discharge planning and bed use.

Learn how UCHealth is:

  • Predicting discharges and admissions by specified unit on an hourly basis,
  • Getting the right patients in the right bed (first time), and
  • Uncovering admission and discharge bottlenecks by service and level of care

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, June 18, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: Data Breach Defense: Defending Clinical Department Systems and Improving SOC Efficiency, May 15

May 14, 2025

Webinar: Data Breach Defense: Defending Clinical Department Systems and Improving SOC Efficiency, May 15

As data breaches and cyber threats continue to escalate in 2025, hospitals must remain vigilant in detecting and addressing potential data breach incidents. This roundtable webinar will feature insights from hospital executives and cybersecurity experts, offering actionable strategies to help hospitals proactively combat data breacheds and other emerging threats.

Key takeaways include:

  • Best practices for data breach threat detection,
  • Ways to improve the efficiency for overloaded SOC (Security Operations Center) staff, and
  • How to improve data breach coverage when threat actors attack – during evening and weekends.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, May 15, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

On-Demand Webinar: The cost of complacency: What 2024 cyberattacks reveal about healthcare’s security gaps

May 14, 2025

On-Demand Webinar: The cost of complacency: What 2024 cyberattacks reveal about healthcare’s security gaps

Cybercriminals aren’t slowing down – and healthcare remains a prime target. In 2024, the frequency and severity of attacks escalated, exposing critical vulnerabilities in the industry. Are you prepared for the next breach?

Join two healthcare cybersecurity experts for a high-impact webinar where they’ll break down why traditional defenses are failing, how “adaptation” isn’t enough and what urgent changes are needed to stay ahead of evolving threats.

You’ll also gain an exclusive look at a recovery framework, designed to help health systems minimize downtime and fully recover in just five days – keeping patient care and business operations intact.

What you will learn:

  • Why cybercriminals continue to target healthcare – and what’s making them successful,
  • The hidden risks of a reactive cybersecurity posture (and why “adapting” isn’t enough), and
  • A proven framework to get your systems back online in days, not weeks.

Click Here to View Webinar

New Case Study: Transforming Rural Healthcare Through the HRSA LGP

May 14, 2025

New Case Study: Transforming Rural Healthcare Through the HRSA LGP

In the rolling hills of southeastern Kentucky, where the lack of access to healthcare looms large and poverty rates exceed national averages, Grace Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), has emerged as an essential provider for over 45,000 patients across six counties.

This case study, prepared with support from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), describes how Grace Health leveraged the HRSA Health Center Facility Loan Guarantee Program (LGP) to overcome barriers like aging infrastructure, fragmented services, and limited access to rural healthcare to complete two capital projects that reshaped their care delivery. Grace Health CFO Chad Stevens shares his lessons learned and offer a roadmap for health centers seeking to use the HRSA LGP.

Click Here to Learn More about LGP

Click Here to Read Study

On-Demand Webinar: Rethinking medication access & strategy: How top systems are driving resilience, compliance and cost

May 14, 2025

On-Demand Webinar: Rethinking medication access & strategy: How top systems are driving resilience, compliance and cost

The drug crisis isn’t coming, it’s already here. Rising costs and persistent shortages are straining operations. Add growing regulatory pressure, and it’s clear: the old ways of sourcing and managing medications no longer hold.

For pharmacy, supply chain and clinical leaders, the risks are real as patient access, compliance and financial viability all hang in the balance. This executive panel brings together leaders who are reshaping their approach not with theory – but with actionable insights from the front lines of healthcare delivery.

What you’ll learn:

  • How leading systems are mitigating drug shortages while controlling spend,
  • Real-world tactics for aligning pharmacy, procurement and compliance teams, and
  • Strategies to balance risk, resilience and ROI across the medication lifecycle.

Click Here to Watch Now

Webinar: How Cone Health freed up to 220+ hours for patient care daily, May 19

May 14, 2025

Webinar: How Cone Health freed up to 220+ hours for patient care daily, May 19

With more than 50,000 surgical cases annually, Cone Health faced persistent perioperative challenges, including outdated communication, fragmented workflows and underused staff time.

The breakthrough? A real-time, analytics-powered coordination system that streamlined operations across 73 ORs – cutting delays, boosting visibility and freeing clinical teams to focus on care.

In this session, hear how Cone Health integrated predictive and prescriptive analytics to improve resource management, enhance communication and gain full visibility into perioperative operations.

What they achieved:

  • 220+ labor hours saved systemwide daily
  • 65 minutes freed up per nurse each day
  • A 98% reduction in vendor calls

Cost: Free

When: Monday, May 19, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register