Ease the Way - Gebauer Patient Comfort Blog (21)

Managing Healthcare Reform: 4 Areas of Focus

By: Bethany Nock | On: January 3, 2017

Nurses have always played an integral role in providing quality care. New legislation from the last five to six years has provided even more opportunities for nurses to have an important part of enacting change.

There’s never been a better time for nurses to take an active role in healthcare management and innovation because of the Affordable Care Act. As a nurse leader, you are uniquely positioned to shape healthcare reform efforts in your hospital.

Keep these four focus areas in mind as you manage healthcare reform at your organization.

How to Prepare Your Clinic for Value-Based Payments

By: Bethany Nock | On: December 28, 2016

In health care, even minor changes to everyday procedures—for example, updating clinic protocol to include the application of a topical anesthetic before a procedure—take time to get used to. Every member of a care team, from a staff nurse to a physician, must update the routine that they’ve possibly been following for years.

When a major change is introduced, such as the recent transition from fee-for-service (FFS) payment structures to a value-based care (VBC) model for all healthcare systems, it means unprecedented changes in how healthcare organizations are run.

Whether you’ve just entered private practice or your practice has been open for years, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed by the new reimbursement process. Although the new system may be challenging, these strategies can help make the transition easier.

5 Tips for Promoting Continuing Medical Education

By: Bethany Nock | On: December 21, 2016

Does your staff groan when the topic of continuing medical education (CME) classes comes up? CME classes that fail to engage participants or provide useful information can be a waste of time, even if they’re required.

Making a few changes to your CME program can be instrumental in changing your employees’ attitudes about the continuing education requirement.

Here are five tips that will help you convince staff that CME classes are worth their time.

How to Successfully Train Your Staff on New Medical Devices

By: Jennifer Clark | On: December 13, 2016

Technological innovations not only enhance patient-centered care but also help improve efficiency. Depending on the complexity of the medical device, the learning curve can be steep. If your staff isn’t thoroughly trained or lacks a basic understanding of the purpose and limitations of a machine or device, the risk of patient injuries increases.

Developing a comprehensive device training program can help you avoid these errors and ensure your patients receive the full benefits of the latest medical technology.

Keeping the following things in mind will help you develop an effective medical device training program.

How Private Practice Physicians Can Combat Rising Costs

By: Bethany Nock | On: December 7, 2016

Cost containment is one of the most important issues facing private practice physicians today. The price of supplies, increasing staffing costs and declining reimbursements all affect your bottom line, as does the constant need to update computer equipment and software. In fact, a 2016 Medical Group Management Association survey revealed that physicians spend $32,500 per year on healthcare technology alone.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to tackle rising costs. These tips just may help you keep your costs down this year.