Category Archives: health plans

health plans

Hospital M&A Getting Tough (But Misguided) Scrutiny From Lawmakers

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Katherine Rourke

As us in “the biz” know, the pace of hospital M&A isn’t going to slow down anytime soon. Hospitals are huddling together to scale up for countless reasons. The reasons for hospital consolidation are just about unstoppable, of course, as … Continue reading →

Posted in accountable care organizations, EHRs, EMRs, health information exchange, health it, health plans, hospital M&A, hospital operations, managed care | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

FTC: This Merger Looks So Good, It Has To Be Illegal

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Katherine Rourke

If you’re as cynical as I am, it’s not hard to take a certain amusement in the goings-on in Toledo over the merger between an aggressive for-profit hospital chain and a suburban not-for-profit. Over the past few months, the Federal … Continue reading →

Posted in EHRs, health it, health plans, Healthcare news, hospital finance, hospital M&A, hospital operations, hospital transformation, Non-profit hospital, Takeover | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

The great sucking sound: For-profit buyouts a drain on communities

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Katherine Rourke

Few have spent more time than I calling out non-profit hospitals on their inadequate charity care levels.  But when it comes down to it, I’d prefer a non-profit whose chain can be yanked over a for-profit with no public service requirements … Continue reading →

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Possible Kaiser data, tomorrow, straight from the whistleblower's mouth

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Katherine Rourke

OK, guys, if you know anything I don’t about the machinations around the $3 billion (or $5 billion, name your number) installation of Kaiser’s Epic EMR, now’s the time to share.  I say that because tomorrow, I’m going to pull … Continue reading →

Posted in EMRs, health it, health plans, hospital administration, managed care, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Kaiser, the whistleblower and the $3 billion EMR

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Katherine Rourke

If you had to guess, Kaiser’s $3 billion EMR a good investment? Do you believe that the Kaiser HealthConnect system will be a greater success with patients than clinician? And if clinicians are still using it at gunpoint, should Kaiser shift gears entirely and focus on patient access? Continue reading →

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Video/satire: The real health plan business model

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Katherine Rourke

The following song, by brilliant social and political satirist Roy Zimmerman, offers his view of health plans’ real business model. His take? As far as health plans are concerned, sick patients would be (far) better off dead. Continue reading →

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