JCAHO Patient Flow Standard Discussed

Robert Wise MD, VP of the  Division of Standards and Survey Methods at JCAHO, is interviewed by “Q,” an otherwise nameless writer for Urgent Matters' eNewsletter.   The Patient Flow performance standard started out targeting emergency department overcrowding.  As the standard was developed, it became clear that the ED was the canary in the mine; ED overcrowding is […]

Pressures Increase to Improve Patient Flow

AHA News reports that the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recently voted  to recommend that Congress cut hospital payments next year by more than $400 million.  

MedPAC's own data show Medicare payments to hospitals are inadequate, and that hospitals' overall Medicare margins stand at a negative 1.9%. Nevertheless, MedPAC recommended a fiscal year 2006 payment update of […]