In this issue:

Legislation introduced in nine states to speed up interstate physician licensure

Legislatures in nine states (Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming) have formally introduced legislation that would speed up the process of licensing physicians across state lines, this according to a press release from the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB). Called the „Interstate Medical Licensure Compact,” it seeks to streamline the interstate licensing of physicians while maintaining oversight, accountability and patient protections. In the press release, Dr. Humayun J. Chaudhry, president and CEO of FSMB said, „The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which is now being considered in state legislatures across the country, offers an effective solution to the question of how best to balance patient safety and quality care with the needs of a growing and changing health care market.”

AHA issues toolkit to help hospitals engage trustees, communities in transformation

A new report from the American Hospital Association’s (AHA’s) Committee on Research and Committee on Performance Improvement examines the changing health care landscape and the role trustees and community leaders can play to help guide hospitals during this time of change. The report provides an overview of engagement strategies and can serve as a leadership checklist for working with both communities and trustees. „For hospitals to maintain this strong linkage with their community and to be most impactful in addressing community health needs, they will need to work much more collaboratively with a wide range of community entities to identify the most critical health needs and challenges faced by the community,” the report notes. „They must also consider the obstacles that exist to achieve good health, unite around shared goals and work collaboratively to implement changes that promote a healthier community… Additionally, boards and hospital leaders must maintain a strong local presence and reflect the individual communities they serve.” The Committee on Research is responsible for the development of the AHA’s research agenda, while the Committee on Performance Improvement provides guidance to support AHA’s performance improvement strategy, including Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence.

President’s budget proposal to include $1.2 billion to fight antibiotic resistance

The president will request $1.2 billion to combat and prevent antibiotic resistance in his fiscal year (FY) 2016 budget proposal, the White House announced earlier this week. The request includes more than $650 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to invest in antibacterial and rapid diagnostics and launch a large-scale effort to characterize drug resistance. (Earlier this year, NIH-supported scientists developed a novel technique for extracting antibiotics from soil.) Among other funding, the request includes $280 million to support antibiotic stewardship, resistance and outbreak monitoring, and research and development at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; $160 million for the departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense to address antibiotic resistance in health care settings; and $47 million for the Food and Drug Administration to evaluate new antibacterial treatments for patients and antibiotic stewardship in animal agriculture. The president is expected to release his full FY 2016 budget request on Feb. 2.

 

The PLF has championed the appropriate use of antibiotics. Last year the PLF, In partnership with several national organizations, created an antimicrobial stewardship toolkit composed of resources for hospitals and health systems, clinicians and patients.

Qualities of a high performing primary care practice

How do you know if you’re a high-performing primary care provider? The Peterson Center on Healthcare and Stanford University’s Clinical Excellence Research Center (CERC) sought to figure out just that. Researchers analyzed commercial insurance data from small clinical teams (single- and multi-specialty U.S. physician practices with at least two clinicians providing primary care) and further narrowed the list to those whose performance landed them in the top 25 percent on quality measures. They then conducted a series of in-depth site visits to a sample of the highest performing sites and a comparison group from the middle of the distribution on cost and quality. The researchers identified 11 primary care practices that deliver high-quality care at much lower-than-average total cost to commercially insured populations. The also identified 10 features these high performing primary care sites had in common. They are:

Physicians crucial to ICD-10 implementation

Successful implementation of ICD-10 begins with physicians, according to a recent article from H&HN Daily. The article says the ultimate success of ICD-10 will rely on physician buy-in. To avoid pitfalls, the article says it would be wise for hospitals and physicians to collaborate on this complex and difficult transition for the benefit of the patient and health care system. The article says having more precise codes will lead to more accurate data in electronic health records, which in turn can be mined by those physicians or organizations interested in population health management. The article says another reason ICD-10 implementation is important for physicians is because like hospitals, accurate coding is essential for optimizing patient care.

 

For an overview on the transition to ICD-10, check out the archived PLF webinar, ” ICD-10: The Implications for Physicians.”

Where a physician trained affects how much they spend on patient care

Physicians with one to seven years of experience who trained in higher spending areas of the country spent on average 29 percent more on Medicare patients than those who trained in low spending regions, according to an article (abstract only) from JAMA. After 16-19 years of practice, there was no significant difference. Researchers at the Milken Institute SPH at George Washington University conducted the study. They specifically looked at family medicine and internal medicine physicians completing residency between 1992 and 2010. They found the higher costs persisted even when a physician moved to a lower spending region of the country. The higher spending translated into an extra $522 more spent per Medicare patient each year. The researchers suggest employing interventions during residency training to help curb future health care spending.

Walgreens unveils virtual doctor visit app

A new app from Walgreens will make virtual doctor’s visits a reality, according to a recent article from the Chicago Tribune. Walgreens has teamed with MDLive, an on-demand telehealth company, to connect its customers to doctors for nonemergency health conditions. It is not meant to replace yearly check-ups or emergency situations. According to the article, appointments cost $49 and typically last 10-15 minutes. Doctors can even write prescriptions after the visits. Currently, the service is available only to people who live in California or Michigan. It will be rolled out to more states later this year.

New Choosing Wisely grant program

The ABIM Foundation will soon launch a new grant program that will support seven efforts around the country to reduce the utilization of tests and treatments that have been referenced in their Choosing Wisely campaign. The program is made possible by a $4.2 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This new grant program will support collaborative efforts that include as partners hospitals, delivery systems and medical groups, regional health collaboratives, and state medical societies or specialty societies. Grantee applications are due by Mar. 20, 2015.

MGMA 2015 Business of Care Delivery Conference

Is the challenge of providing better care, improving health and reducing costs burning you out? Many practice teams agree, and they’re seeking to build a new kind of health care system focused on integrated clinical and administrative teams working smarter – not harder. The MGMA 2015 Business of Care Delivery Conference features an educational program showcasing innovative approaches to the business of care delivery. From Jeffrey Brenner, MD, and the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers’ „hotspotting” work to the deep-dive case studies on PCHM and Hospital at Home ^® care models, this year’s conference will turn theory into practice. For more information or to register, click here.

AIAMC annual meeting, Mar. 26-28 in New Orleans

The Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers (AIAMC) is holding their annual meeting Mar. 26-28 at the Loews New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, LA. Brian Hodges, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Vice-President Education, University Health Network and Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto will deliver the keynote address. In addition to Dr. Hodges, the meeting will also showcase faculty from the AAMC, ABMS, ACCME, ACGME, AHA, AMA, IHI, and The Joint Commission. The complete conference agenda may be accessed by clicking here. For more information, visit www.aiamc.org.

AHA 2015 Environmental Scan available now

The American Hospital Association continues to report on the key trends emerging in the health care landscape. The 2015 Environmental Scan features the following health care themes:

To read the complete environmental scan or watch a webcast about it, click here.

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