By Joel L. Zive, BS, PharmD, Adjunct Clinical Faculty at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy  |  Mar 21, 2014

Five Ways to Manage the Costs of Your Medicine

While a main precept of the Affordable Care Act is to expand access to health care, in some cases that improved access means more patients are being treated with medications that come with a cost. As a pharmacist, I have to be an insurance sleuth, use common sense, and teach…more.

Categories: General
By Jamie Elizabeth Rosen, Editor, Real World Health Care  |  Feb 28, 2014

A Shot of Courage for Those Who Fear Needles

This is the first of a two-part series on what’s working to prevent and address needle fear. Most people don’t enjoy shots. But for those with needle phobia, the fear of shots can be so severe that they actively avoid medical procedures involving injections, and in extreme cases avoid medical…more.

By Linda Barlow  |  Jun 19, 2013

Does More Data = More Accurate Results?

Every year U.S. News & World Report comes out with its “Best Hospitals” rankings, and providers wear them like a badge of honor. No doubt the recognition is prestigious. But how many people know why hospitals are ranked as they are? We decided to dig a little deeper and break…more.

By Linda Barlow  |  Apr 30, 2013

It Takes a Community for Effective Disease Prevention and Management

To help stem the tide and high cost of persisting disparities in U.S. health care, providers are leveraging Community Health Workers (CHWs) as critical players in improving health outcomes by successfully linking “vulnerable” patient populations to better care. Living in the communities where they work, CHWs understand what is meaningful…more.

Categories: Access to Care
By Linda Barlow  |  Apr 25, 2013

National Patient Safety Program Cuts Bloodstream Infections to Save Lives and Money

Central-line catheters are lifesavers. They’re used in hospitals to deliver therapy where needed and when needed for patients with a wide range of conditions.  Unfortunately, central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) result in thousands of deaths each year and billions of dollars in added costs to the U.S. health care system,…more.

By Linda Barlow  |  Apr 9, 2013

Hospitals, Physicians Embrace Strategies To Reduce Cost of “Frequent Flyer” ER Visits

Pardee Memorial Hospital in Hendersonville, N.C., shaved nearly $405,000 from its Emergency Room (ER) expenses over a one-year period thanks to an integrated program that its founder calls a “patient-centered medical home on steroids.” The program, Bridges to Health, helped its uninsured participants reduce their ER visits from an average…more.

Categories: Cost-Savings
By Linda Barlow  |  Mar 26, 2013

Taking the Digital Leap Saves Community $20+ Million in Preventable Health Care Costs

Hospitalizations dropped by almost 3,000 people over a two-year period in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, thanks to a variety of quality changes and investments in electronic health records (EHR). This tool collects and shares critical health information about individual patients and populations across health care settings. The nearly 11 percent drop…more.

Categories: Cost-Savings
By Linda Barlow  |  Mar 21, 2013

Express Scripts Provides Roadmap to Improve Health Care, Reduce Costs and Streamline Delivery of the Medicine Patients Need

You might be in a “utilization management program” and not know what that means or why it matters to your health. Offered by a variety of employers across industries, utilization management programs are designed to help patients evaluate their health care options and make decisions about the type of services they receive.…more.

Categories: Access to Care
By Linda Barlow  |  Mar 19, 2013

Will Consolidation Change Health Care for the Better?

The Cleveland Clinic believes it will, especially when it produces better patient outcomes and improves care across a spectrum of services. As part of the recent wave of hospital mergers and acquisitions designed to improve quality and lower costs, Cleveland Clinic recently entered a long-term strategic alliance with Community Health…more.

Close menu