Paul Keckley

[Blog] Dark Winter for Hospitals: 3 New Challenges Facing CEOs and Their Boards

(The Keckley Report, November 16, 2020)

"Polls show Americans trust hospitals and physicians (67%) for their medical needs over other options over urgent care (29%) and retail solutions (10%). And Gallup’s Institutional Confidence Monitoring Surveys show confidence in the medical system (aka hospitals and physicians) up at 51%--the highest since 1977. But despite mounting confidence and trust and a growing reservoir of good will earned in the pandemic, hospitals enter the dark winter with three unprecedented hurdles that keep their CEOs, and their Boards awake:

  • Logistical Access to Vaccines Poses Huge Issues for Hospitals
  • Workforce Anxiety
  • Access to Capital”

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[Article] 5 issues hospitals want Biden to tackle in his first 100 days

(Healthcare Dive, November 10, 2020)

"Former Vice President Joe Biden is beginning his transition to power as the novel coronavirus is breaking somber records in the U.S. — and hospitals in some areas find themselves stretched to the brink once again. Although the pandemic will undoubtedly be the top priority for a Biden administration come Jan. 20, there are other key issues to tackle in the early days.

  • Pandemic response, continued relief
  • Bolstering healthcare coverage
  • Increased access to Medicaid
  • Reimbursement challenges
  • Telehealth"

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[Article] Pandemic spurs consumer-friendly healthcare services that patients expect to continue

(Healthcare Dive, November 16, 2020)

"The pandemic accelerated demand for more consumer-friendly healthcare services, including telehealth visits, online scheduling and mobile check-ins to reduce wait times, according to a new report from Kaufman Hall. Providers unable to keep those changes in place, or those whose services are limited in scope, capacity or functionality, will struggle competing against those with more options or new players with retail experience, including CVS Health and Walmart."

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[Article] Trends in Outpatient Care Delivery and Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US

(JAMA Internal Medicine, November 16, 2020)

"The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered patterns of health care delivery in the US. In the context of declining in-person outpatient visits, many clinicians began using telemedicine for the first time, spurred in part by regulatory changes that expanded public and private insurer reimbursement for a wider range of telemedicine services. From the weeks of January 1 to June 10, the rates for telemedicine visits increased from 0.8 to 17.8 visits per 1000 enrollees (increase of 17.0 or 2013% change); in-person visits dropped from 102.7 to 76.3 (decrease of 26.4 or −30.0% change); total visits (telemedicine and in-person visits combined) decreased from 103.5 to 94.1 (−9.1% change)."

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[Article] Amazon Expands Push Into Health Care With Online Pharmacy

(Bloomberg, November 17, 2020)

"Analysts have long expected Amazon to dive deeper into health care in a bet the company can bring its digital real estate and logistical prowess to bear on a roughly $4 trillion industry in the U.S. with a reputation for inefficiency. The e-commerce giant on Tuesday unveiled Amazon Pharmacy, a section of its retail website and mobile application that lets people order medication. Shoppers can pay using their health insurance. Prime members who don’t use their insurance are eligible for discounts on generic and brand-name drugs on Amazon’s site or at about 50,000 participating pharmacies." 

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