Healthcare Blog

Reid Healthcare Bill Broken Down

2009-11-20T21:14:17Z

Bill Sullivan, on Fox Business News, explains Reid’s Healthcare Bill. He talks about what it Does and Does Not do. There are some good things that the bill will do, for example it gives insurance to 31 million uninsured & costs less than Pelosi’s plan. But one thing Sullivan says it doesn’t do is reform health care (it gives insurance options to low income individuals, but takes away from Medicare – expands Medicaid so really no fundamental change).

Video can also be seen on Fox Business here: http://video.foxbusiness.com/11765996/breaking-down-the-reid-health-care-bill/?category_id=1292d14d0e3afdcf0b31500afefb92724c08f046

Cutting Costs in Your Facility Today

2009-11-20T19:10:54Z

I recently came across this article in this week’s edition of Business Week (November 23rd issue). This article talks about the $700 billion that is wasted in healthcare nationwide each year. Although healthcare reform will address some of these wasted dollars, a lot of that impact won’t be seen for a few years down the road. With healthcare spending continuing to increase, this is something that can’t wait.

For facilities across the country it is an important and a top of mind initiative to figure out how to provide higher quality care while spending less money. While we are all working to find a solution to this problem, here are some suggestions/approaches to help address cutting your healthcare costs TODAY!!!

1 – Fraud & Abuse
2 – Healthy Workforce
3 – Family Doctors
4 – Community Effort
5 – Stop Infection
6 – Take Their Medicine
7 – The End of Life
8 – Use Insurance
9 – Patients Decide
10 – Apologize

Take a look at the full article in Business Week, written by Catherine Arnst, here to see more details:
http://www.wtol.com/Global/Story.asp?S=11456587

Upgrading Technology in Healthcare

2009-11-13T19:27:30Z

Here’s an article posted today on www.news-medical.net. It addresses some concerns that healthcare organizations are currently facing with regard to potential changes that could happen in the not too distant future. Inefficiency is a constant struggle for many organizations in healthcare and quality of care is always a high priority. With the high probability of change in healthcare reform, having up-to-date technology in your facility is essential.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20091113/Healthcare-providers-plan-to-make-better-use-of-healthcare-information-technology.aspx

If you are having issues with this currently, it can get even more difficult for you if you’re not taking action now. The ability to get things done quicker and faster will allow you more time to focus on the top quality care that your organization strives for.

Tenet Healthcare CEO on CNBC

2009-11-13T15:12:40Z

Tenet Healthcare CEO, Trevor Fetter, speaks to healthcare reform on CNBC. He discusses the challenges and issues with the current system along with his insight on the downfalls of a massive public option.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1325448370&play=1

Careerbuilder CEO Matt Ferguson – Where are the Jobs?

2009-11-06T16:51:50Z

As unemployment rose to 10.2%, the highest it’s been since April of 1983, the economy also continued to lose jobs. Although the rate is declining month over month, we still lost 190,000 jobs in nonfarm payroll employment for the month of October.

The healthcare industry continued to add jobs as it has been consistently each month. There were 29,000 jobs added in the healthcare industry for October 2009, an industry that has added over a half million jobs (597,000) since the recession started.

A full report can be seen here on the Bureau of Labor statistics website: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

In this video, Matt Ferguson talks about the employment situation and which industries are performing better with the most jobs. He also gives a few tips as to what you can do to make yourself more visible as a job seeker and in the best position to get in front of employers for those opportunities.

This video was from an interview this morning on CNBC:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1321069925&play=1

Open Positions, Unqualified Candidates??

2009-11-06T15:10:07Z

Recently I stumbled across this article published on CNN Money. The article highlights the struggles organizations that require highly-specialized, scarce talent are facing. If you are in the healthcare industry, odds are that you and your organization might be facing some of the same problems.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/03/news/economy/jobs_sit_open/index.htm?postversion=2009110313

It isn’t always easy filling highly specialized positions in industries such as healthcare, where the candidate pool is limited. But even if it’s not easy, there are approaches and disciplines you can follow to ensure yourselves the best odds in landing the qualified applicants that you need. It’s important that when you’re advertising your openings, that you are doing it the proper way that will save you valuable time and money in the long run. I’ve included below some key pointers to help you successfully target, attract, & bring in the right talent to your open positions.

1 – Understand who your target audience is and where they are looking. In order to put your organization in the best position to receive these qualified applicants, you must first know who it is you are targeting and then realize where it is they go to find their next opportunity for employment.

2– Once you’ve determined who you’re targeting and where they’re looking, know and identify your company’s employment differentiation. Odds are that your organization isn’t the only one that is seeking highly qualified talent. You need to identify ways to position the organization as a more attractive option than the others you’re competing with. Ask yourself, “Why would I choose this company over anyone else?” This has to be included in your message before you go to market advertising your openings, otherwise you probably aren’t going to be fully satisfied with what you end up with.

3 – The 3^rd key is the development and execution of your strategy. You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t take ½ an aspirin to cure a headache.” Well the same is to be said in healthcare recruitment where the talent isn’t plentiful. You’ve got to take strong action to get the types of candidates you want.

If you follow these 3 basic components, it will allow you the best opportunity to not only receive the candidate pool you desire (reduce unqualified applicants that aren’t a fit), but help enable you to design an efficient system that will ensure your organization the best chance at timely and effective hires in the future.

These healthcare occupations forecasted to grow 50% per year through 2014…

2009-08-24T17:58:03Z

1. Home Health Aides
2. Medical Assistants
3. Physician Assistants

http://www.healthcareers.net/health_care_industry_employment_outlook.php

First-stop docs could get a pay raise

2009-08-24T17:56:42Z

Despite bitter disputes over the best ways to overhaul the health care system, there’s consistent agreement about the need to expand the role of primary care doctors. Those physicians are in short supply, and experts are predicting a pay raise for these doctors whose speciality is keeping patients healthy.

http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/2009/08/24/first-stop-docs-could-get-a-pay-raise/15621

Healthcare social workers in great demand through 2016

2009-08-14T14:04:04Z

Employment of social workers is expected to increase by 22 percent during the 2006-16 decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm#emply

These healthcare positions are in demand in Oklahoma…

2009-08-14T14:03:41Z

http://www.okhealthcareers.com/heatlthcare_job%20_outlook_text.htm