CMS has reported that 2,579 hospitals will be affected by downward payment adjustments in 2017 due to penalties associated with the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). That translates to an average penalty of over $190,000, or a 0.73% reduction in reimbursement value. One of the biggest factors for these downward payment adjustments is avoidable ED readmissions. Over the last five years, healthcare organizations have been reporting on this measure without the weight of downward adjustments. The hope was …

As healthcare organizations map out development and marketing projects for the year, there’s an important trend to consider: video marketing. Software company HighQ presents a noteworthy infographic on why video will be one of the top marketing trends in the year 2017. With 55% of people watching online videos on a daily basis and 78% engaging with videos weekly, the popularity of this channel is unmistakeable. But how exactly does this play into healthcare marketing in particular? Video …

In today’s healthcare world, a website isn’t just a check on a marketing to-do list. It’s an essential tool for maintaining a solid patient base while providing those patients with in-demand online services. Hospitals, outpatient groups, pharmacies, health IT vendors, and laboratories are all facing new challenges and opportunities in the digital media space. Hospital website design is a specialized field that focuses on creating highly usable, patient-centered, HIPAA-compliant sites. Both prospective and current patients are always evaluating …

Since 2010, healthcare has seen a 125% increase in criminal attacks to their digital patient data. In fact, according to a study by the Ponemon Institute, 91 percent of healthcare organizations have been hit by at least one data breach. What is surprising, however, is that human error is reported as the primary cause of data breaches. The study found that almost all successful cyber attacks can be traced back to one or more human errors. Source: CIO.com …

With features such as immunization records, growth charts, medical record sharing and age of majority rules engine, Bridge’s portal was the ideal choice for this pediatrics practice. December 13, 2016 – DALLAS, TX – Kansas City-based pediatrics practice Pediatric Associates – a private practice with two locations and 17 providers – has implemented Bridge Patient Portal® for its robust suite of pediatric-specific features and its capacity to interface with Greenway™ EMR software. Pediatric Associates will benefit from a …

When Second View Medical a one-stop-shop for patients seeking second opinions across a wide variety of specialties — came to Medical Web Experts (MWE), they had big goals. The practice wanted to develop a user-friendly, secure, full-service telemedicine platform that would allow doctors to provide second opinion consultations to international patients. Here’s how we worked together to come up with just the solution they needed. Full-Service Medical Website Development Solution for Telemedicine As a first step, Medical Web Experts’ …

Branded Mobile Health Application and Deep Integration with GE’s Centricity and EMR Products are Critical to WESTMED’s Selection of Bridge Patient Portal KIRKLAND, Wash., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — According to a recent Nielsen survey, most Americans use digital and electronic tools to manage everyday activities except when it comes to healthcare. In fact, only one in five have access to online appointment scheduling. To create a more connected patient experience and improve patient outcomes, WESTMED Medical Group …

How can you make sure your hospital app delivers maximum value? It’s no secret that hospital app development often comes with a hefty initial price tag. According to one survey, 18% of hospitals spend anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million in mobile app development, and 56% have a development cycle of 7 months or more.

Even if you’re creating great content, you may be missing a key ranking factor. For patients and providers alike, there’s no doubt about it: health care has changed significantly over the last decade. For providers, the shift towards value-based reimbursement models has presented a real opportunity to improve quality of care. For patients, the surge in high-deductible health plans has engendered a much more information-driven patient who approaches choosing a provider from a more active position. In fact, …

It’s no secret: patients today are taking a more active role in researching treatments and providers before choosing where to spend their healthcare dollars. As with other sectors of the economy, the internet is the go-to source for healthcare consumers to research their options and educate themselves about their conditions and treatments. When it comes to hospital website design, it’s imperative that the trends and behaviors of today’s healthcare consumer be taken into consideration.