Here are seven updates:
CMS' Andy Slavitt hints at MU's finale
Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of CMS, said the meaningful use program will end soon in his Jan. 11 address at the J.P. Morgan Annual Health Care Conference. Mr. Slavitt said, "Now that we effectively have technology [in] virtually every place care is provided, we are now in the process of ending meaningful use and moving to a new regime culminating with the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization implementation." To read the entire story, click here.
Orthopedic Institute for Children to open ASC in LA, names ASC clinical director
The Orthopedic Institute for Children is opening its OIC Ambulatory Surgery Center in Los Angeles in the summer. The center will be the region's first standalone surgery center centered on orthopedic pediatric care. The Orthopedic Institute for Children appointed Jamie Wells, RN, as clinical director of the ASC.
Advocate Health Care to run 56 metro Chicago Walgreens clinics
Advocate Health Care will own and operate 56 Healthcare Clinics at Walgreens stores across the Chicagoland area. Walgreens' clinics will enhance care coordination for Advocate patients and Advocate will brand the clinics as Advocate Clinic at Walgreens and will open under Advocate in May 2016.
Obama defends ACA in State of the Union Address
President Obama implored Americans to reject Republican political attacks on the healthcare law and said the ACA has issued significant dividends in the last six years. He will head to Nebraska and Louisiana to urge residents to sign up for coverage before enrollment closes.
NY ASC at risk of losing operation certificate for inadequate Medicaid, charity care
Surgicare of Manhattan in New York is in the application process for a two-year extension of its five-year limited life approval. The approval includes a two-year extension of its operating certificate. However, New York Public Health and Health Planning Council could deny the application based on the surgery center's trailing number of charity and Medicaid cases.
Physician burnout continues to spread
Medscape's 2016 Lifestyle Report found burnout is present across all specialties and demographics. Critical care physicians experience the highest rate of burnout (55 percent), followed by urology (55 percent) and emergency medicine (55 percent). The survey found burned out physicians reported bias at a rate of 55 percent, as opposed to physicians who did not report burn out (45 percent).
VA falls short by $1.9 billion
An audit of the VA's private healthcare program books discovered the VA failed to spend $1.9 billion of the $4.8 billion allotted for non-VA care in 2013. From Oct. 1, 2013 through March 31, 2015, VA medical center administrators overestimated the funds they would need to pay for outside care for veterans by $543 million, thus leaving that money unavailable for patient care.
More healthcare news:
5 key thoughts on overcoming the top challenges for ASCs today
Obama defends ACA in State of the Union Address — 5 highlights
VA falls short by $1.9 billion — 5 things to know