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.
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Project’s Goal: No Pressure Ulcers - March 11, 2010
Several years ago, my aging aunt developed a pressure ulcer – what most people would call a “bed sore.” Despite medical care, it took more than a year for the sore to finally heal, and I know that the skin loss from a pressure ulcer can never fully return. I saw firsthand the personal toll that pressure ulcers can have on a loved one. But as a healthcare executive, I also know that preventable conditions such as pressure ulcers have tremendous costs for our healthcare system as a whole. Nationwide, costs associated with pressure ulcer treatment exceed $1.3 billion. Read the rest of this Entry
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While Leaders ‘Summit,’ N.J. Hospitals Are Testing Healthcare Solutions - March 01, 2010
I watched with great interest last week as President Obama and congressional representatives met in a bipartisan summit on healthcare reform. One of the lead discussion points was the need to find innovative ways to eliminate wasteful spending and consumption of healthcare services. One promising strategy is already underway here in New Jersey, where NJHA and 12 of its member hospitals and their participating physicians have received approval from the federal government to test an innovative new incentive method called “gain-sharing,” which aims to reduce healthcare costs while improving quality of care. Read the rest of this Entry
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New Jerseyans’ Health Must Remain Priority in Budget Debate - February 17, 2010
I had the privilege today of testifying before the Assembly Budget Committee on the budget challenges confronting our state and the impact they may have on New Jersey’s hospitals and their patients. Read the rest of this Entry
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Snow-pocalypse? You Can Count on Hospitals and Wawa - February 11, 2010
This week I read an intriguing article about how Wawas are usually successful in staying open in the worst of weather conditions. Hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities are like Wawas in that respect, except they have been doing it longer. (By the way, for my friends outside the region, Wawas are like 7-Elevens except they seem to be on every corner in central and southern New Jersey. Wawas are good for a good cup of coffee, a loaf of bread, milk, or if you are so inclined, a hoagie – or sub if you prefer.) You might say they provide comfort food. New Jersey’s healthcare facilities provide comfort to their patients. They have plans in place long before the big storm hits to ensure that they will have adequate staff, supplies and utilities to ensure that quality patient care continues…even if the rest of New Jersey is enjoying a snow day.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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