Physician advisors provide a critical link between case management and physicians; it's a position that requires deft communication skills, regulatory know-how, and a stiff backbone.
Improving the hospital experience for patients, improving the quality of care, and reducing costs were the goals when case managers at Martin's Point Healthcare in Portland, Maine, stopped working independently and started working as teams.
A Boston resident is at a New York Yankees game in the Bronx cheering on his beloved Boston Red Sox. Despite his best efforts to catch a foul ball coming into the stands, he misses, and the ball bounces off his head. He's woozy, and ballpark officials suggest he get to a hospital for precautionary reasons.
If your hospital doesn't plan to take advantage of government financial incentives for those who become "meaningful users" of EHRs, it is in the minority. According to HHS, 85% of hospitals plan to demonstrate meaningful use and earn incentives by 2015.
