Annette Walker

"A one-year analysis of 21 Kaiser Permanente Northern California Oncology practices presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting found that each of its oncologists respond to an average of 19 secure patient-physician portal messages per day, including weekends (Abstract 1503). The unseen value of these messages was estimated to be more than $11 million, including roughly $3.8 million in avoided out-of-pocket patent copayment costs and $7.7 million in missed billing. Major cancer centers are increasingly billing for some nonurgent patient portal messages, including Johns Hopkins Medicine, Michigan Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. In addressing the ethics of billing, Dr. Nazha said that health systems need to create an approach that, “1) is efficient and equitable, 2) ensures patients receive valuable and timely access to medical services, and 3) protects the well-being of healthcare providers.”" https://lnkd.in/eYgsKy_x

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https://lnkd.in/gPKWwfTq The current state budget is $300B and the current deficit is $38B. This proposal would cost an estimated $300B to $400B which would more than double the state budget. Two questions remain unanswered. First, how are you going to pay for this? Double the tax rate? Secondly, how are you going to pay the doctors and hospitals? It seems to me that before any bill of this magnitude gets introduced you should be able to know how it's going to be paid for and how you are going to keep from killing the delivery system. Call me crazy but I think those are pretty important questions.

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KH's most recent Flash Report unveils promising signs of financial performance, with a notable slowing of margin decline. The widening gap between lower and higher performing organizations highlights the focus on long-term investment and innovation in high-performing orgs. Lower performing organizations must focus on enhancing efficiencies and reworking key elements like their operating model and portfolio management. Explore the insights in the report here: [National Hospital Flash Report May 2024 Metrics](https://lnkd.in/ggUcyDPh). For resources to boost performance, visit us at https://lnkd.in/enBa3Tp

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ICYMI: My colleague Dinesh Kotak, MD, published a new article on the incredible, transformative power of precision medicine in cancer care. Pathologists from the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group | Kaiser Permanente are able to provide results to oncologists within 2 to 3 days, so we can provide patient-centered service faster than ever before. Ensuring our patients have fewer sleepless nights is a priority. This is the way we can pave the road for value-based care. Read the full piece: https://ow.ly/AZRE50SKBuc #PrecisionMedicine #Oncology #HealthInnovation

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