Why we people do not get proper consumer service is the biggest question now. Apart from fast food joints the worst consumer treatment is acquired from the people who work for doctors, when ironically we should have got the best treatment there. In cases of emergencies where e require immediate attention we are told to fill forms moreover calls irritate you on confirming whether you would be able to clear the bills even if the insurance doesn’t. Apart from banks, medical customer service frustrates people with long calls and often hang them up. The only difference is that you speak with a live person instead. Then there are these unfriendly tools on the websites which assures you about the non occurrence of the problem again but if we had spend time searching every inch of the website this wouldn’t have happened in the first place. read more at:http://managementhelp.org/blogs/training-and-development/2012/03/07/poorest-customer-service-in-the-land-where-it-really-counts/ 

A recent research report shows that Medicare ACOs are facing difficulty to control and manage patient care because most beneficiaries have unrestricted choice over choosing healthcare providers. Much of the specialty care received was provided outside the patients' assigned ACO. The potential challenges in outpatient care are: the proportion of patients assigned to an ACO in 1 year who remained assigned the next year

• The proportion of office visits outside a patient's contracting organization

• The proportion of Medicare outpatient spending billed by a contracting organization that is devoted to assigned patients.

For more details please visit Mark Crane’s article in this link: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823951

Insight, a free healthcare analytics software tool launched by Practice Fusion uses real time data from healthcare industry to show patterns against various diagnoses and prescriptions against diseases across seasonality, age, gender and other parameters.

Membership can be taken where more details such as patient and doctor details etc. are available. This software can also be useful for pharmaceutical companies to change their strategies. To know more kindly visit:

http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/analytics/practice-fusion-releases-free-healthcare-analytics-tool/d/d-id/1268917

With the advent of healthcare industry, the flow of data has increased by leaps and bounds. Now with the presence of analytics, huge number of unstructured data can be easily analysed to find out patterns and behaviours which in turn helps the companies associated with healthcare to take more sound and logical decisions.

To know more kindly visit:-

http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/healthcare-data-goes-big-great

America according to a recent survey, the healthcare industry in America, have a large untapped market. The Hispanics (an inhabitant of one of the countries of Spanish America), besides being cost conscious are also reluctant in going to doctors but depend more on pharmacists. Thus a potential market lies in the Hispanics. But the Mexicans, Puerto Ricans etc. who fall under various categories of Hispanics must be approached differently as their behaviours and mentality are different.

To know more, kindly visit:-

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/obamacare-deadline/future-health-care-america-think-hispanic-n111461

When talking of Big Data, most of the times we mean business. But now, Big Data can improve your health too. Yes, it’s true.

Big Data is increasingly playing a role to modernize biomedical researches. Scientists, researchers and clinicians are leveraging the power of Big Data to generate aggregate of digital data through DNA sequencing, biomedical imaging and transforming a patient’s health record electronically.

With the help of Big Data, linkages can be found out between various genes, diseases and traits. Given that there is a huge database of genetic variants associated with diseases, like that of VARIMED, a list of gene-disease pairs can be established. This can be tracked down to the traits by developing disease – trait associations, depending on which a prediction can be made whether an individual will develop a particular disease.

To know more on how Big Data can play a role in improving our health, read at http://www.govexec.com/excellence/promising-practices/2014/05/how-big-data-can-improve-your-health/84904/?oref=voices-top

Wearable technology is the latest trend in healthcare industry. This technology helps doctors, by assisting them in the operating room and providing real time access to electronic health records. By collecting information through this technology, healthcare providers now have more complete and essential real-time data to treat patients. David Peterson - CMO Emdeon Inc., believes that the adoption of wearable healthcare-related devices could indeed be a significant step in patient engagement and improving population health. Not only doctors, now patients can also monitor their own health continuously. Read more about this technology at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vala-afshar/wearable-technology-the-c_b_5263547.html

The universal healthcare system should be divided into private and public spheres according to the commission of audit. The audit suggested a complete reform in health system in order to be sustainable. As per the report, more deregulated and competitive markets with appropriate safeguards have the greatest potential to improve the sector's competitiveness and productivity. In the current community rating system, risks are shared and therefore insurers can't charge a sick person higher premium than a healthy person. They also recommended that high income group should take out private health insurance. For more details please visit the following link: http://www.afr.com/p/national/end_universal_healthcare_audit_says_zrc6GH6VmXQx2YBwlB7gSJ

The goal of Accountable Care Act is to lower costs and improve outcomes through the creation of Medicare Accountable Care Organization but deep fragmentation in the health system is preventing to reach these goals. To know about this research, please follow this link: http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2014/4/23/study-fragmented-health-care-system-could-hamper-medicare-acos

A recent study suggests that more than two-third of US population is being served by the ACOs. According to Department of Health and Human Services' the latest approval of ACOs in January brings the total number of Medicare ACOs to 368, up from 259 last year. Currently there are total 522 ACOs serving both Medicare and non-Medicare patients. According to CMS, 10% of Medicare beneficiaries will receive their healthcare from ACOs. The research also found that Medicare ACOs are serving near about 33 million non-Medicare patients. Though there is a significant growth in ACO participation, Mr. Niyum Gandhi, a partner in Oliver Wyman's Health & Life Sciences practice and one of the firm's experts on ACOs, criticized the fact by saying "The process of shifting American healthcare to a new, sustainable model is nowhere near the finish line. On the other hand, these numbers mean we have a critical mass lined up at the starting gate." To know more, follow the article written by Oliver Wyman (leader in management consulting) at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/accountable-care-organizations-now-serve-up-to-17-of-americans-2014-04-23?reflink=MW_news_stmp

CMS has announced that surveyors will scrutinize dementia care and Minimum Data Set coding in an upcoming pilot program. The programs are expected to start from mid 2014. The survey will be concentrated on the processes of antipsychotic prescribing. The special Minimum Data Set surveys will evaluate coding practices and examine how well facilities link care plans to MDS assessments. For more details please visit:http://www.mcknights.com/special-surveys-on-dementia-care-minimum-data-set-coding-will-launch-by-mid-year-cms-announces/article/343573/

US Community hospitals are facing issues like declining volume, shrinking patient care and other financial problems. In this situation most of the community hospitals are merging with large entities to survive. In Virginia, Community Memorial Healthcare of Virginia will join Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, the biggest health safety-net provider in the state, to help improve its bottom line and maintain quality care access throughout the region. Community Memorial expects $2.7 million in Medicare cuts next year and $2.9 million in 2016. For more details please visit Katie Sullivan's article link: http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/mergers-key-community-hospital-survival/2014-04-22

Orange health solutions had acquired MZI healthcare. Great point partners, a private equity firm based in Greenwich, has helped in this merger. Orange health mainly serves hospitals and healthcare organizations to establish ACOs and value based care models, whereas MZI supports the healthcare providers with data analytics, predictive modelling, medical care management and health benefit management technologies. This merger will provide an integrated, one-stop solution that allows providers to solve their technology and service needs. For more please visit: http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/accountable-care-organizations/private-equity-firm-invests-in-aco-company-s-data-analytics-merger.html

The health care industry in India is growing at 1.5 times the GDP growth rate, but still use of information technology in healthcare is insufficient. Currently, Government of India is encouraging private participation due to constraint in public funding capability. Government has launched Health Management Information System (HMIS) in order to take better decision on public health delivery. HMIS portal will convert local health data into real time information, management indicators and trends. A research suggests that the growth rate of India’s health care market is 25%. Also the research suggests that India has the fastest growing healthcare IT market in Asia. Currently seeing the growth rate, many multinational companies are entering in to India’s healthcare industry with innovative and customized products. For more details please visit: http://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2014/24904/intelligence-by-variety-where-to-find-and-access-big-data-infographic

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is lobbying CMS to modify the shared savings rule. According to AHA, the current rules are bringing too much financial risk to the providers without offering them enough financial rewards. A recent report suggests that out of 114 providers in Medicare Shared Savings Program, only 29 were able to realize the savings. AHA has recommended that CMS should extend ACO engagement period from 3 year to 6 year. As per Linda E. Fishman, an AHA senior vice president of public policy analysis and development, the only way CMS can encourage ACO participation is by modifying shared savings program. For more details please visit Ron Shinkman's article link: http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/hospitals-want-cms-ease-aco-rules/2014-04-21

As healthcare industry changed dramatically and became more consumer driven- prevention, personalization, prediction, pre-emption and personal responsibility have become important. Telecommunication companies are coming with advanced and customized products to meet unique requirements of the healthcare industry. Products range from providing connectivity for enterprise mobility, asset management and exchange of health data in various formats, platforms for healthcare IT tools; mobile apps for physicians and healthcare professionals to patient engagement solutions. As healthcare moves toward "On-demand, anytime, anywhere" concept, sensor technology will revolutionize the healthcare industry. For more details please visit: http://www.forbes.com/sites/reenitadas/2014/05/19/healthcare-beware-new-intruders-are-coming-introducing-the-new-gold-rush/

Healthcare policymakers recommended that a politically independent working group or health commission is needed to drive significant changes in the industry. The reason behind establishing health commission is to avoid healthcare funding crisis. A research group in New Zealand predicted that the country has only around eight years to make changes in spending patterns of the industry before health costs start to impact the Government's ability to keep the country within budget. For more details please visit: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1405/S00065/independent-role-recommended-to-drive-healthcare-change.htm

Patients want digitalized version in healthcare industry similar to amazon.com where they will get all information about insurance, prices, and availability. New entrants -- ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to telecommunications companies, retailers, athletics firms, consumer products businesses, and more -- have entered the fray, with more expected to target this $2.8 trillion opportunity.  For more please visit the link: http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/patient-tools/healthcares-next-phase-think-amazon/d/d-id/1251010

This article is released by Southampton ACO. It tells us in details about the benefits of joining an ACO. For more details please visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/05/prweb11811576.htm  

A recent study, conducted across the major cities in India suggested that doctors have been facing problem to deal with patients who use internet to find the cause of a particular disease. Internet in general and medical websites is becoming doctors' worst nightmare. We cannot deny internet's potential in providing healthcare information. But debate is, whether too much information is dangerous or not. In this scenario different doctors are providing different opinion about the use of internet. Some of them find that internet is useful, and they also feel quite comfortable while discussing the diseases with well-informed patient. An analysis on a health information site suggests that only 10% of the searches land up on reading articles about symptoms of diseases. In fact, health websites play a far more diverse role than doubling up as an online doctor or symptom checker. Doctors are also afraid of wrong information which is available in net. For more details please visit Nirmalya Dutta's article link: http://health.india.com/healthcare/online-medical-information-bane-or-boon-for-the-healthcare-system/