Do you want to know how the health plans in your territory stack up? Your customers sure do. So do their patients. National Committee for Quality Assurance Health Insurance Plan Ratings are designed to provide consumers with a picture of how health insurance plans perform in the areas of consumer satisfaction, prevention and treatment. Last fall, NCQA published its 2016 … [Read more...]
(HEDIA) The ingredients of health plan ratings
The National Committee for Quality Assurance rates health plans on a 1-5 scale (5 is highest) on these parameters: Consumer satisfaction Prevention Treatment Some questions within each: Consumer satisfaction Did members get appointments, preventive care, tests, and treatment easily? Did members get appointments, preventive care, tests, and treatments … [Read more...]
(HEDIS) Resource use and quality: A disconnect
Many people believe high-quality healthcare requires more services and must cost more. But is that really true? A tool from the National Committee on Quality Assurance shows that some health plans delivering high-quality care also do better at avoiding waste. NCQA’s “Relative Resource Use” (RRU) measures help illustrate how services like doctor visits and medical procedures … [Read more...]
New Measurements for HEDIS
Infection exposure risk one of the new measures for 2017 The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set – HEDIS – is a tool used by more than 90 percent of America's health plans to measure performance on important dimensions of care and service. Because so many plans collect HEDIS data, and because the measures are so specifically defined, HEDIS makes it possible to … [Read more...]
State of the Profession
By Mark Thill Repertoire asks medical sales reps how they feel about the industry heading into 2017 Medical sales reps who responded to a recent Repertoire survey remain positive about the profession that some entered 40 or more years ago. Despite long hours and many challenges, 87 percent said they would choose a career in medical sales all over again if they had the … [Read more...]
A Simple Explanation
By David Thill How to bring clarity and understanding to even the most complex topics Editor’s note: Whether selling a product, training hospital staff, or presenting to the board of directors, the quality of the presentation matters just as much as the content. Chris Anderson, president of TED – the nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading innovative ideas, and … [Read more...]
Contracting Executive Profile
Nate Mickish, Senior Director, Texas Health Supply Chain Services, Texas Health Texas Health consists of 275 physician offices; 12 ambulatory surgery centers; 17 imaging centers; 12 free-standing emergency rooms; and five acute facilities. Approximately $150 million in spend throughout the program. Nate Mickish joined Texas Health in January 2013 as senior … [Read more...]
Lynn Medical Celebrates 50 Years
What began in 1966 in Southeastern Michigan as a business focusing on cardiology and imaging has grown into a full-service dealer, servicing healthcare providers throughout the United States with an inside sales force. Even so, providing cardiology and diagnostic imaging equipment remain at the core of Lynn Medical’s mission. “We have always been and will continue to be a … [Read more...]
PUBLISHER’S LETTER: An Optimistic Tone
Happy New Year! As I write this Publisher’s Letter, I am filled with optimism for 2017. The Dow is sniffing 20,000. There is a good chance the medical device tax will be completely repealed, allowing our industry to get back to doing what we do best -- investing in new technologies as well the U.S. worker. I'm also optimistic by the distribution rep survey we … [Read more...]