bundled payments / shutterstock

The New England Journal of Medicine recently ran an article calling for “Post-Acute Care Reform.” The authors are correct that this is a messed up system that is unlikely to provide the patient with the care she needs. But it is messed up because of previous attempts to “fix” the system.[read more]

building a marketing team

Building a high-performing marketing team and the systems to support them are strategy-critical investments that will generate significant returns over the long term. More than ever, chief marketing executives are being held to a higher standard of accountability for return on marketing investments.[read more]

Funny ICD-10 codes (Stuart Miles/Freedigitalphotos.net)

The new ICD-10 medical billing codes that go into effect October 1, 2014, are totally replacing the current ICD-9 codes. Most of the new codes are straightforward and helpful. On the other hand, it appears that there are some new codes that will make anyone laugh. Here are some that may be particularly humorous to orthopedists and radiologists.[read more]

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro

Although I receive many press releases, I don't post on the vast majority. But the one I'm reprinting here, from Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro on her comments at the first Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing Of 2014, is different.[read more]

The Neuron

The HIMSS conference is so big, with so many different kinds of attendees and exhibitors that it’s almost impossible to have one big theme for any given year. Yet the question of theme for any given HIMSS is something we all talk about. The themes one perceives are at least partially defined by our own interests and area of focus.[read more]

discussing patient engagement

As a healthcare professional I believe patient engagement is critical to successful outcomes. From my perspective, the more engaged and involved a person is in their own healthcare the better chance we have of helping them achieve their personal health goals.[read more]

Maine health legislation / shutterstock

Expanding MaineCare (as Medicaid is called there) will not only burden state taxpayers; it will also increase inappropriate use of emergency rooms, decrease access to care for Maine’s most vulnerable residents, decrease private coverage, and even increase unemployment.[read more]

Mark Fisher

In this podcast interview, Mark Fisher, Republican/Tea Party candidate for Governor of Massachusetts discusses his views on healthcare with healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of the Health Business Group.[read more]

Power of three in communications

To communicate why you believe a particular medical product is a helpful and reliable resource for all parties involved, you will at some point introduce its benefits. Cutting the benefit list down to a simple trilogy is all you need when it comes to succeeding in a presentation.[read more]

BioPharma Beat

In this month's BioPharma Beat, we bring you an interview with Hallam Stevens, who just published a fascinating book on the history of bioinformatics. This mesmerizing account highlights not only the critical importance of this field, but also how it has evolved over time to play a major role in the understanding of life and disease.[read more]

Neurochemistry

Studies reveal hard science data behind why the sometimes fanciful, sometimes fictional art of storytelling is a highly effective as a communications tool. In healthcare marketing, storytelling is growing in popularity from doctor-patient conversations to branding messages.[read more]

patient engagement / shutterstock

The evidence is clear that a patient-centered approach -- not a paternalistic, “we know best” approach -- is linked to increased patient engagement, better outcomes, more adherent patients, lower utilization and better patient experiences.[read more]