Betsy Ryan is president and CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association. Her blog, Healthcare Matters, examines the many issues confronting New Jersey's hospitals and their patients. Readers are encouraged to join the discussion, because healthcare matters - to all of us.
Don't miss a single posting. Sign-up here for automatic updates via email.
|
We All Lost a Friend in Fr. Joe - February 04, 2010
Those of us who work in healthcare lost a cherished friend recently with the passing of Fr. Joseph Kukura. And while they may not know it, New Jersey’s poor and vulnerable citizens lost a hard-working advocate as well. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
NJHA Welcomes Dr. Alaigh as N.J. Health Commissioner - January 28, 2010
Congratulations to Dr. Poonum Alaigh on her nomination to join the Christie Administration as commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
Healthcare Community Shows Outpouring of Support for Haiti - January 14, 2010
Many of you have expressed a desire to come together as a healthcare community to help the victims of the Haitian earthquake. After reaching out to the American Hospital Association, we agree that the most expedient way to help is through an already established relief organization. The federal government’s US Aid service www.USAid.gov is leading an assistance effort, as are many other worthy organizations such as the American Red Cross. We encourage you to support the cause of your choosing, and thank you once again for demonstrating the caring and compassion of New Jersey’s healthcare community. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
System Suffers When No One is Willing to Pay Fair Share for Healthcare - December 14, 2009
There have been some news headlines recently about hospital “charges.” Chances are you’re not affected by this issue, because only about 4 percent of patient cases are actually affected by these charges. It’s complicated, but it’s important to remember that what a hospital lists as its charges and what it actually gets paid for its healthcare services are two very different things. Charges are like the “list price” for hospital services. In all but a very small number of situations, those list prices are ratcheted down dramatically by insurance companies or government health programs. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
Thanks, Senators, for Supporting NJ’s Behavioral Health Patients - November 24, 2009
Thanks to every member of the Senate Health Committee that voted unanimous approval of a package of bills that will help our state’s mentally ill population. This legislation will go a long way toward addressing the plight of behavioral health patients who often wait countless hours, sometimes days, in hospital Emergency Departments awaiting transfer to an appropriate behavioral health setting. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
Behavioral Health Patients Need Care Beyond the Emergency Department - November 23, 2009
I just testified at a Senate Health Committee hearing in support of three bills that will help our state’s mentally ill population. Believe it or not, in our great state we have patients – children and adults alike – waiting in our hospital emergency departments for placement into appropriate levels of behavioral care – sometimes up to five days. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
N.J. Hospitals Go 4 for 4, but Quality Work Continues - October 19, 2009
Some valuable new data was released recently showing progressive improvement in the quality of care given in New Jersey hospitals. So while my previous blog may have convinced you that I’m only focused on the Sports page (it’s looking good for that N.J. Turnpike series!), I also read with great interest the Hospital Performance Report issued by the N.J. Department of Health and Senior Services. This report showed that N.J. hospitals continue to improve the quality of healthcare in our state. Our hospitals improved their performance in all four overall categories contained in the report – heart attack care, pneumonia care, surgical care and heart failure care. In fact, this year we saw an increasing number of “100s,” which is the top score that reflects full compliance with certain standards of care. This year’s report also included several patient safety indicators for the first time, and New Jersey’s hospitals performed better than or on par with the national average in 10 out of 12 indicators. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
What’s More Divisive Than Healthcare Reform? Baseball - October 12, 2009
On a national scale, the big debate is still about healthcare reform. NJHA is actively involved with our congressional delegation, and the American Hospital Association in shaping the final package. Right now we’re tracking five – count ‘em, five – different proposals. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
Corzine and Christie Meet With NJHA - September 21, 2009
NJHA was honored to host the two major gubernatorial candidates Sept. 18 at a special meeting of our Board of Trustees. We also invited hospital CEOs to attend the meeting. The room was packed when our first candidate, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie (R ) arrived. After being introduced by NJHA Board Chairman John Gribbin, Mr. Christie made a brief 10- minute statement. He cited some of the many problems confronting New Jersey’s healthcare community – poor reimbursement, the charity care burden – and promised to do “more listening than talking” on healthcare issues. He then proceeded with about 35 minutes of questions and answers with NJHA and its members. Questions ranged from dealing with public corruption in New Jersey, to providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants. It was a good dialogue. Read the rest of this Entry
|
|
|
|
It’s Make-or-Break Time for Healthcare Reform - September 08, 2009
The nation this week hears an address from President Obama that may make or break healthcare reform efforts. The August recess was a rough one for the President and the Democrats in Congress. The anxiety voiced at town hall meetings, whether you agree with the concerns or not, gave many pause about moving forward on the path (and there are multiple and varied paths) that Congress has indicated. The Democrats themselves are not in agreement on a key reform proposal – the public plan option. House liberals tend to support this, and the more conservative House Blue Dogs don’t. Support for the public option among Senate Democrats is even more tenuous. Read the rest of this Entry
|