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Pregnant women and new mothers need information and support so they can plan and be proactive if they choose to breastfeed their babies, according to The Joint Commission's (TJC's) newest Speak Up educational campaign.
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Educators often talk about "teachable moments," those times when the patient is ready to learn. This moment might be in a waiting area, exam room, or a hospital bed. To take advantage of these times, staff in the Section of Patient Education at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, look for new ways to deliver patient education.
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The Joint Commission has release another episode in its animated Speak Up video series, "Speak Up: Reduce the Risk of Falling."
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Almost all private plans now require authorizations for radiology services, reports Richard J. Suszek, director of patient access at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO, and Missouri Medicaid began requiring authorizations in July 2010.
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More often, patient access financial counselors find themselves in the unenviable position of telling patients about out-of-pocket responsibilities running into the thousands of dollars.
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In a quick-moving, high-volume area such as the emergency department (ED) of Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills, MI, communication breakdowns are bound to happen between patient access and clinical staff.
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If a patient complains that a registrar seemed to care only about money, or insists he or she waited way too long to be registered, Jan Fowler, director of patient accounting at Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie, PA, makes a point of meeting with the staff person involved to hear their side of it.
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A team of patient access specialists consisting of top performers, role models within the division, and lead personnel offer a wide range of expertise and experience to registrars at Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, NC, reports Christina Baugh, supervisor of PRN registrars and Patient Financial Service Specialists for corporate patient access.
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Claims denials at The University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville have increased 20% to 30%, particularly from major payers including The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, United Healthcare, and Humana, according to Stephen Hovan, executive director of patient fiscal services.
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About half of the self-pay patients presenting for services at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville ultimately obtain Medicaid coverage, reports Marsha Kedigh, RN, MSM, director of admitting/emergency department registration/discharge station/insurance management.
