The Role Nurses Can Play in Bridging the Gap Between Behavioral, Physical Healthcare

A nurse is typically the first person a patient interacts with, and he or she can set the tone for the entire visit. This is especially crucial in treating patients with behavioral health conditions or addiction, as they may be afraid to open up about the situation, said Teresa Jacobson, project manager for the Holistic Health Integration Project in Clermont County, Ohio.

Omission of Observation Stays in Readmission Measures Misses Key Patient Cohort

Regulators and payers use hospital readmissions as an indicator of quality of care, but the omission of observation stays provides an incomplete picture, according to a paper in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine.

Proposed APM Would Offer Support for Palliative Care Teams

An innovative payment strategy developed to identify and address gaps in care for seriously ill patients and to support and ensure sustainability of interdisciplinary palliative care teams has earned backing from the AMA and a key Health and Human Services (HHS) panel.

Chronic Diseases are Taxing our Health Care System and our Economy

The discussion of the soaring costs of health care in the U.S. often focuses on the high costs of treating diseases, rather than on the potential economic benefits of preventing them. Changes in lifestyle and diet could prevent many of the chronic diseases driving up the nation’s health care costs, improve health, and reduce the need for expensive treatments.

Mobile app Helps Rural Patients with Pre- and Post-Op Care

The state of rural healthcare is dwindling, and with 46 million Americans living in rural areas, the lack of resources can pose a threat to the care they receive and overall outcomes. In the case of hip, knee and other joint replacement procedures, the most common elective surgeries in the U.S., this presents unique challenges.