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Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Scott Becker - 6 Healthcare News Stories We Are Following Today 2-3-26
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This is Scott Becker with the Becker Healthcare Podcast. We're going to cover six stories that we're following this morning at Becker's Healthcare. As always, I'd love your feedback on sound, quality, content, whether it's helpful, not helpful, length of episode and more. If you're the first person to provide me with with your feedback, we'll send you a $50Amazon gift certificate. Please text Scott Becker at 773-766-5322. We find the help that the feedback incredibly helpful. So even if you don't win the gift certificate, know that we greatly appreciate your thoughts. Again, 773-766-5322. Here's six stories that we're following today. First, Providence Mission Hospital in Laguna beach, which happens to be a beautiful place, is starting a multi year planning process to phase out acute care and emergency services. They attributed their decision to the fact that their census has been really low, 80% of the hospital's inpatient beds are unused each day and that the cost to renovate the facility, particularly given the California seismic requirements and more, are huge and hospitals built in 1959. This note on the refurbishing renovating of the hospital, something that resonates with a lot of hospital leaders, not just in California because so much physical plant was produced 60, 70, 80 years ago and needs updating and updating is very, very expensive. The second story we're talking about today is the Ascension. CEO Eduardo Conrado, who's a brilliant leader, says that Ascension is taking a closer look at Medicare Advantage plans. Ascension is among the organizations rethinking how and whether to continue to participate in Medicare Advantage plans. Delays in care, high denial rates and growing administrative burdens are prompting tougher contract discussions and increasingly systems going out of network and not joining Medicare Advantage plans. Eduardo says that Medicare Advantage plans the program has strayed from its original purpose and that's become a source of friction for health systems and a point of confusion and stress for patients versus what it was originally intended to do. That's another discussion of major health systems having challenges with Medicare Advantage plans and the payers. Third is a story at Munson Healthcare. Munson Medical center president has been there for a couple years, is no longer with the organization. He's leaving effective February 2nd. The chair of the COO of Monson Healthcare said they extend their gratitude to the CEO, but the president is leaving Munson Medical Center. Munson Healthcare is a great Traverse City institution for those not familiar. Traverse City, Michigan. Beautiful, beautiful place. Fourth Colorado Hospital CEO resigns the interim CEO taking over. Liz Sellers resigned to take another job. This was at Pioneers Medical center in Meeker, Colorado. Fifth HCA acquires 13 more urgent care centers, six freestanding emergency departments. This is largely in Texas. They already did acquire a number of them in Florida. And so they continue to increase their footprint in both Florida and in Texas in terms of EDs and urgent cares. Over Christmas break this year, I was treated in HCA Florida Urgent care. That hca, that was an hca. It was branded as I think as HCA MD now actually got great treatment. So very positive, et cetera result, you know, in terms of my own personal experience. Sixth story we're talking about today is an interview with an orthopedic surgeon says the business of medicine tsunami is overwhelming orthopedics. He talks about the increased reach of private equity consolidation. Insurance companies has fundamentally changed the way that orthopedic care is delivered and healthcare in general and how it's being delivered. This is an interview with Dr. Louis Levitt, the authors of these stories today that I'm talking about from Becker's Healthcare, Kristen Kuchno, Ellen Condon, Andrew Cass, Madeline Sheets and Cameron. In any event, thank you for listening to the Becker's Healthcare podcast again. I'd love your feedback. 773-766-5322. Thank you for listening to the Becker's Healthcare podcast.