ABIM Foundation

Hospitals are performing better on quality and safety metrics than they did pre-pandemic, despite seeing sicker patients—and more of them. In the first quarter of this year, hospitalized patients—despite facing more acute, complex health issues—had a survival rate over 20 percent higher than anticipated based on the severity of their conditions compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, per the report. Newsweek American Hospital Association Vizient, Inc https://lnkd.in/gSCb_p4u

Medical debt is a significant problem in the U.S., impacting millions, including those with insurance. When hospitals resort to aggressive collection tactics, it can wreak havoc on credit scores and create a cycle of financial hardship for patients already in a vulnerable position. Lown Institute https://lnkd.in/exfN95Zv

A physician reflects on what drove her out of primary care, and how it might be fixed. Health Affairs https://lnkd.in/ed6c_txG

Just Leaders for a Just Health System (JUSTICE SQUARED) invites health care organizations and community leaders to join a collaborative journey to confront structural racism in health care. With up to $300,000 in funding ($400,000 for safety net institutions) available, teams can take meaningful steps toward change—learn how to get involved today.

Building on insights from a June 2024 convening of health care leaders, we’ve partnered with AcademyHealth on a two-year initiative to explore the prevalence, impacts, and solutions related to medical debt policies in health care systems.

Typically, a rigid institutional reliance on a sequential process of hypothesis, study, experimentation, and evaluation drives the development of health programs and policies. While this process works in many cases, the results are not always long-lasting. The roots of many health problems persist in their communities, despite expanded funding and advanced resources. In light of this reality, should healthcare leaders do more of what has been done in the past, or should they explore another way—a new way of thinking—to design collaborative, people-driven programs and policies that can improve and sustain the health of their communities?

Developed with the Robert Graham Center and Simple Healthcare, and supported by the ABIM Foundation, this report explores what factors enable primary care-centric ACOs in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to generate savings and deliver better care for patients. https://bit.ly/4fK986C

https://lnkd.in/eGm-43qz

Join our fabulous team at Undue Medical Debt. Help us partner with health systems and other healthcare providers to get debt and relieve it. Become a part of a dynamic, pragmatic organization whose mission is to eliminate the fears and financial distress which burden both patients and providers. https://lnkd.in/eXzSCrmx

Excited to be launching this project on behalf of AcademyHealth in partnership with ABIM Foundation focused on medical debt and associated hospital practices. Medical debt can significantly erode patients' trust in clinicians and the healthcare system. When patients feel they are being financially exploited or burdened by unexpected costs, it can lead to a sense of betrayal and disillusionment. Worse, it can also lead to a vicious cycle of patients avoiding care, experiencing poorer outcomes, and incurring higher healthcare costs. A recent ABIM Foundation convening highlighted gaps in our understanding of the impact of hospital policies--such as debt collection, simplifying financial assistance, and advertising ethical billing--on patient behavior and profitability. There are also gaps in understanding how changes in these practices can best be identified and implemented. Our project will gather data to explore the nature, prevalence, and impacts of health system medical debt-related policies and practices as well as fill knowledge gaps tied to policy change and implementation. We hope this work will contribute to ABIM Foundation's commitment to transforming the culture and practices of health system leaders through its focus on the intersection of medical debt and trust. Jessica Perlo Tim Lynch Marya Khan Taylor Dunlap https://lnkd.in/gmVGyZBb