By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    physical health
    5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health
    September 9, 2022
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    February 16, 2022
    healthcare organization
    5 Actionable Strategies For Healthcare Organizations
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    email marketing in healthcare
    Harnessing the Power of Email Marketing in Healthcare
    October 26, 2023
    healthcare claims
    The Role of Communication in Resolving Complex Workers’ Compensation Claims in Healthcare Settings
    September 22, 2024
    Wounds and Wisdom: What Motorcycle Accidents Teach Us About Health and Healing
    Wounds and Wisdom: What Motorcycle Accidents Teach Us About Health and Healing
    February 12, 2025
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: How Has Healthcare Reform Impacted Hospitals?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > How Has Healthcare Reform Impacted Hospitals?
Health Reform

How Has Healthcare Reform Impacted Hospitals?

MarlenaStoddard
Last updated: October 28, 2017 12:38 pm
MarlenaStoddard
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

Healthcare reform is causing hospitals to better manage care, increase the efficiency of their facilities and become more cost-effective. It is fair to say that this is a fluctuating scenario for the healthcare industry, with both positive and negative impacts in the way that hospitals operate. Efficiency Increases in efficiency efforts have streamlined costs and improved facility management over the last few years. However, there is a downside to streamlined efficiency care. National Nurses United, the country’s largest union of registered nurses, reports that opportunities to drive down costs have resulted in serious nursing job cuts, as well as overall staffing cuts. Many hospitals are focusing on budget cuts and reductions of labor, anticipating a scenario with lower patient census. One reason for this lowered census is the popularity of high-deductible insurance, leading many to defer medical care because of cost. At the same time, millions of Baby Boomers have switched to Medicare, which pays hospitals lower rates than other insurers. Healthcare Reform Will Hold the Bottom Line Most of uninsured costs are covered, gaining hospitals some funds that were written off in the past. The hope here is that more money will be available for providers, and an insured and theoretically, healthier population will lower cares and costs over time. This, of course, relates entirely to the hospital’s location and the amount of care received by indigent patients. A caveat to remember is the immense amount of coverage necessary for all the Medicare and Medicaid patients needing to be provided for. These patients indicate that it is many times difficult to find physicians, with the current attrition rate of doctors. Value-Based Care Healthcare is no longer about service volume and more about results through accountability for patients. Outcomes and their costs are being evaluated and hospitals meeting requirements are receiving extra federal funds as a reward. The downside of value-based care is cost of administration to attain these goals. A healthcare paralegal who graduated from paralegal degree programs says far more is now expected of hospitals in paperwork, care, and legal compliance. This is a direct result of the millions of new healthcare recipients seeking treatment. Legal Impact of Healthcare Reform Healthcare reform has brought many new, insured patients into hospitals, and this has created new revenue. However, many states refused to expand Medicare coverage for their populations, largely because there is no financial incentive to do so. As these financial conditions, plus federal penalties for readmissions continue, a shift is moving towards outpatient care. The Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine reported that some of the seemingly worst-performing hospitals and most often penalized were dealing with serious variables such as low household income for patients and patients with low educational background and difficulty following instructions. These patients had trouble performing activities of daily living like feeding themselves and bathing, thus causing readmission penalty punishments for hospitals in certain locations. Healthcare reform has brought about many changes, for both patients and healthcare professionals. Hospitals are still adjusting to many of these and will continue to feel the effects of change over the next few years.

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

biopharmaceuticals
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical InnovationsPublic Health

The Price, Cost, and Value of Bio-Pharmaceutical Care

October 3, 2013

Dartmouth: Risk Adjustment Doesn’t Work

February 22, 2013

IPAB: Fix It, Don’t Repeal It

August 9, 2011

The Continuing Explosion in Healthcare Costs

March 8, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?