Economics

This channel highlights factors that impact hospital and healthcare economics and revenue. This includes news on healthcare policies, reimbursement, marketing, business plans, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain, salaries, staffing, and the implementation of a cost-effective environment for patients and providers.

Cloud service icon with options and devices

Private equity-backed cardiology group puts cloud-based technology in hands of its cardiologists

Cardiovascular Associates of America, backed by Webster Equity Partners, currently includes practices in eight different states. Its partner cardiologists now have preferred access to multiple cloud-based services provided by Athenahealth. 

healthcare business deal

Boston Scientific to acquire medical device specialists focused on stroke prevention for $1.2B

Silk Road Medical is known for developing transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR), a new-look procedure designed to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with carotid artery disease.

The ASNC team at the 2024 AMA meeting, Georgia Lawrence, JD, ASNC director of regulatory affairs; Suman Tandon, MD, FASNC, delegate to the AMA HOD and cardiac imager at NYU Langone; and Kathy Flood, ASNC CEO. #AMA #AMA24 #AMA2024 #AMAHOD #ASNC

ASNC supports AMA effort to limit use of AI in prior authorization decisions

The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) supports an AMA policy that condemns the use AI to make prior authorization decisions rather than a doctor or clinician.

There has been a growing shortage of cardiologists the past several years, but this has accelerated due to burnout from the pandemic, falling reimbursements and increasing administrative burdens. This prompted a joint session on this topic with the ACC and the Heart Rhythm Society at HRS 2024, with ACC President Cathie Biga, MSN, FACC, president and CEO of Cardiovascular Management of Illinois, former ACC president Ed Fry, MD, chair of the Ascension National Cardiovascular Service Line, and EP Parin Patel.

Addressing staffing shortages in cardiology

ACC President Cathie Biga, MSN, RN, Edward Fry, MD, and electrophysiologist Parin Patel, MD, discuss the growing cardiologist shortage.

healthcare value value-based care money dollar

Medical device company raises $104M to fund PFA research

Early research suggests Kardium's PFA system could give cardiologists a new tool for the fight against atrial fibrillation. The company plans to study its technology even more with this latest round of funding. 

Joel Sauer, MBA, MedAxoim, explains why there is a big business trend in cardiology toward remote monitoring and telehealth to cut costs. #ACC #MedAxiom #Telecardiology #remotemonitoring #ACC2024

Telemedicine, remote monitoring help reduce healthcare costs

As profit margins in healthcare continue to shrink, telemedicine and remote monitoring are seeing a large increase to help cut costs while still delivering care outside of the hospital.

physician tracking patient data and reporting on outcomes

Q&A: Cardiologist Karen Joynt Maddox on why new healthcare policies are not improving outcomes

Healthcare's ongoing shift toward value-based care is a good thing, Joynt Maddox explained, but its implementation has been far from ideal. She also discussed population health, the pandemic, health disparities and the rising influence of private equity investments.

Drawing inspiration from the World War II “Why We Fight” campaign that rallied support for the U.S. war effort, American Medical Association (AMA) President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, drew comparisons with the uphill battles physicians are facing today with dwindling reimbursements, physicians shortages, burnout and administrative fights against prior authorization burdens and attempts to preserve access to telehealth. #AMA #AMAHOD24 #AMAHOD2024 #HOD #HOD24 #HOD2024

AMA president calls for physicians to take war-time footing in fight over reimbursement, care quality

Drawing inspiration from the World War II “Why We Fight” campaign that rallied support for the U.S. war effort, AMA President Jesse  Ehrenfeld, MD, spoke on the uphill battles physicians are facing today.

Around the web

One of the most formidable societies of medical professionals in the U.S. is going toe-to-toe with Robert F. Kennedy’s HHS over changing vaccination recommendations. 

Tom Price, MD, former secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), said one way to address the growing shortage of physicians is to expand medical resident positions, but these are tied to Medicare spending so alternative means may be needed.