Category: Anxiety

Rural hospitals tend to use more skilled nursing facility versus home health care services, leading to higher healthcare costs

From RevCycleIntelligence:

Despite receiving similar post-acute care services overall, rural hospital patients tend to undergo more skilled nursing facility treatment than home health care versus urban hospital patients, contributing to higher healthcare costs, according to recent research in the American Journal of Accountable Care.

With increased skilled nursing facility use, healthcare costs rise. The average cost of a skilled nursing facility stay is $11,357 versus just $2,720 for a home health care episode, the study stated, citing a March 2015 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) report.

Colorado-based researchers examined the 2012 National Inpatient Sample from the Health Care Cost and Utilization Project to determine how post-acute care utilization and Medicare spending varies by geographic region.

The data revealed that post-acute care utilization was similar among patients discharged from rural versus urban hospitals. Rural hospital patients were only slightly less likely to receive post-acute care with an odds ratio of 0.95.

 


How Is An Emergency Room Like A Monkey Wrench?

From Investor’s Business Daily:

Which of the following is true: Emergency rooms are the most expensive venues for primary care — or ERs are the least expensive venues for primary care? Arguably, both answers are correct, providing a powerful example of why health care finance and resource allocation in America are so irrational.

Recall that the U.S. military allegedly paid $2,228 for a monkey wrench around 1980 (roughly $6,600 in 2017 dollars). In contrast, you can buy monkey wrenches at Wal-Mart today for between $5 and $30. So, depending on who writes the check, a monkey wrench can be either the most expensive or least expensive tool in your shed.


CNN10 – 04/10/17

Parts of Africa and Europe are struck by terrorist attacks, the U.S. military targets a Syrian airbase, and a CNN Hero helps students with hearing loss.

Optal Officially Europe’s Seventh Fastest Growing Company as Financial Times FT1000 List is Announ

Posted from: https://www.theretailbulletin.com/news/optal_officially_europes_seventh_fastest_growing_company_as_financial_times_ft1000_list_is_announ_13-04-17/

London, 11th April 2017 – Global B2B payment solutions provider and virtual card specialist Optal is delighted to announce it has been placed seventh on the inaugural FT1000 list of Europe’s 1,000 fastest growing companies.