Many states protect medical staff peer review information from discovery, meaning that a plaintiff's attorney cannot use it against individuals who participate in peer review. The purpose of the protection is to allow medical staffs to discuss peer review issues candidly and...
Physicians and healthcare organizations that were on the fence about participating in an accountable care organization (ACO) may want to take a second look. In October 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its final rule on ACOs, which has fewer...
The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) is taking a stand to protect the identities of healthcare organizations, physicians, and other healthcare practitioners. In September 2011, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) shut down its public-use data file after...
In an effort to cut $33 million from its budget, Washington state has recently passed a law that limits Medicaid patients to three non-emergent ED visits per year. It will not cover visits beyond the initial three, even if the visit constitutes a true emergency. To determine...
There was a time when medical staff standards seemed simpler and they were all located in one place: the Medical Staff chapter of The Joint Commission's Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals (CAMH). But things are different today. Standards that apply to the...
Over the past several years, healthcare quality has come under increased scrutiny. In 2001, the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report Crossing the Quality Chasm highlighted the lack of consistency in the quality of care in the American healthcare system. The IOM report showed...
