Older smokers at high risk of lung cancer should receive annual low-dose CT scans, according to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations published earlier this week. The USPSTF concluded that the benefits for a very specific segment of smokers outweigh the risks involved in...
Physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers have formed 123 new accountable care organizations (ACOs) that began operating January 1, providing approximately 1.5 million more Medicare beneficiaries with access to high-quality coordinated care across the United States, the Department f...
Hospitals and medical practices across the United States braced for confusion and administrative hassles as new insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) took effect Wednesday. More than 2 million people enrolled in private plans offered under the ACA during the initial sign-up period...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 15, Issue 1
As the debate over expanding advance practice professionals’ scope of practice continues nationwide, nurse practitioners (NP) in Maryland are asking for changes in state laws and regulations that limit their ability to practice independently as primary care providers. They are also seeking more...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 15, Issue 1
The certification review process for Health Care Staffing Services (HCSS) is very similar to last year’s, according to The Joint Commission. “On-site review activities and certification process remain unchanged for 2014,” the HCSS Organization Review Process Guide states. Changes in the...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 15, Issue 1
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has backed a CMS proposal to phase in new patient safety standards for hospitals that wish to contract with qualified health plans in the Health Insurance Marketplaces.