FairCode Offers Tools to Improve Member’s Clinical Scorecard

January 29, 2016

Did you know that your Patient Safety Indicators (PSI) scorecard may be over-reporting potential quality issues? Many PSIs have multiple exclusions that can be identified through a simple chart review by a FairCode-trained physician. For example, if an elderly patient falls and breaks their hip during admission, how do you know they didn’t break their…

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Helping Address Prescription Drug Abuse in the Commonwealth

January 22, 2016

Virginia has identified prescription drug abuse as one of the greatest patient safety dangers facing the Commonwealth today. Drug overdoses, babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) from opiate withdrawal, and providers inundated with patients seeking narcotics to treat persistent pain have greatly increased in recent years. Meanwhile, physicians are under greater scrutiny about prescribing…

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VHHA Services Rebranding Itself

January 15, 2016

VHHA Services is rebranding itself by changing its name to VHHA Shared Hospital Services – a name that more accurately reflects the benefits of its programs and offerings to VHHA members. (VHHA Shared Hospitals Services will soon unveil a new logo as well.) VHHA Services was founded by the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association in…

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Merritt Hawkins Seeks Survey Participation

January 8, 2016

Merritt Hawkins, the nation’s leading physician search firm and a VHHA Services Endorsed Business Partner, conducts a national survey to determine the amount of inpatient and outpatient revenue physicians generate on behalf of their affiliated hospitals. Sent to nearly 4,000 hospital chief financial officers nationwide, the survey generates vital data that is used by hospitals…

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New White Paper Tracks Reimbursement Trends

December 11, 2015

In 1919, the American Medical Association estimated $3.6 billion was spent in the United States on health care annually, equating to 4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). In 2014, the total exceeded $3 trillion (an 83,000 percent increase), equating to about 17 percent of GDP. A lot has changed between 1919 and today in…

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New Ranking Shows States with Best and Worst Patient Access to Physicians

November 20, 2015

Merritt Hawkins, VHHA Services’ endorsed physician recruitment services company, has released its 2015 Physician Access Index, a national survey that tracks nearly three dozen metrics that influence access to physicians, physician assistants (PA), and nurse practitioners (NP) in each state. As patients seek quicker access to physicians through urgent care centers, retail clinics, telehealth services,…

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Webinar Invite: Physician Leaders’ Role in Becoming a High Performing Health System

November 6, 2015

Truven Health Analytics invites those interested to participate in a free webinar (Nov. 13, 2015, 2:30 p.m. EST) with the theme “What does it take to become a high performing health system?” Participants will hear from Truven Health Analytics’ Associate Chief Medical Officer, Byron Scott, MD, MBA; and Senior Vice President for Performance Improvement, Jean…

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VHHA Services Launches New Website for Members

October 30, 2015

VHHA Services is pleased to announce the launch of the redesigned www.VHHAServices.com website. It is expected to go live today. The new website features an updated look that allows for simpler online navigation of the shared hospital services, programs, and offerings endorsed by VHHA Services. Members are encouraged to review the site when exploring resources…

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FairCode Advice on Avoiding Review Organization Denials

October 9, 2015

Review organizations (RO) tend to reject an uncertain diagnosis that is documented as suspect during a hospital admission even though official guidelines direct ROs to “code the condition as if it existed or was established. The basis for these guidelines are the diagnostic workup, arrangements for further workup or observation, and initial therapeutic approach that…

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VHHA Health Care Career Center

September 18, 2015

VHHA provides health care professionals with a job search resource (www.vahospitalcareers.com) enabling employment seekers to find a hospital that best fits their experience, specialty, and interest. This platform is affiliated with the Hospital Careers network, which includes 18 state hospital association partnerships. Additionally, this online tool allows VHHA members to market their facilities and become…

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