Clinical

Nurses, we’ve all been there: our first day on the floor as a new graduate nurse. I remember mine. Six-thirty in the morning, walking onto the cardiac unit with a slightly nauseous feeling, hoping that my preceptor would be nice, that I wouldn’t make any mistakes, and that I would appear to actually know something. Little did I know that first day would be easy compared to some that would follow. More

The month of May, named after Maia, the goddess of fertility – along with the goddess of spring and growth – is the perfect time to remind the women we love how important it is to stay healthy – and not just because we celebrate Mother’s Day. The month is chock full of female-friendly observances designed to ensure that women keep their health top of mind.    More

As we celebrate National Nurses Week, I reflect on this past year and my professional and personal experience in assisting the new graduate RN on the journey to becoming a professional, skilled nurse.  More

In a previous blog, one of my colleagues shared information about CMS adding a second cohort to Bundled Payment for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced), and the addition of outpatient total knee arthroplasty to this voluntary program, which provides utilization and spend data for hospitalization plus 90 days of the episode. The application period for the second cohort opened on April 24 and will only be open until June 24. More

One day I was listening to a hospitalist express concerns about the nursing staff, a team of professionals I had the pleasure of leading. More

As health care continues to evolve with new technologies and continued pressure to lower costs, health systems must also evolve to decrease variation in care and eliminate waste – all of this without affecting patient outcomes. It’s a seemingly tall order, but one within reach of fulfilling. More

The use of a value analysis process in the health care setting isn’t new. In fact, it’s become a strategic imperative for health care organizations as they work to provide the highest-quality, most cost-effective care for their patients. However, in my experience the one complaint I hear most often is, “Why does it take so long to put through an initiative? Where is the speed to value?” More

You arrive at 6 a.m., lunch in hand and the hospital is humming quietly. You open the door to your windowless basement office, turn on the lights and power up your computer. As the monitor’s glow transitions to your inbox, you’re reminded of the stack of cost savings and process improvement ideas that you have on the burner.  More

As the advanced practice provider (APP) workforce continues to expand its footprint across the health care landscape, significant focus has been placed on maximizing clinical team capabilities by executing to full scope of practice to provide high-quality, cost-effective care. To achieve these very important goals, organizations must ensure they have the structure to adequately support the needs of the entire provider team and especially for this expanding group of APPs.

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