The ever-evolving demands of healthcare delivery in academic medicine have resulted in both a challenging clinical practice environment and provider dissatisfaction for some in our department. Department of Medicine leadership aims to create an environment where our providers feel valued, understand their role in the larger context of Johns Hopkins Medicine and are motivated to(...)
Clinical Affairs
Ambulatory Updates and Reminders
Posted by | Administration, Patient Care1) Infusion Center hours have been expanded for greater access! Dr. Sisson’s prior email: Ambulatory Services is pleased to announce that effective Wednesday, June 1, 2016, the Osler 6 IV Infusion Center has expanded its hours to 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Osler 6 offers an alternative site of care for same-day patient treatment(...)
Professional Fee Billing News
Posted by | Administration, Patient CareThis past spring the Department of Medicine leadership conducted a survey of section chiefs, clinical directors and division administrators in order to elicit means to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the DOM’s professional fee billing operation. On behalf of myself, Production Unit Manager Amanda Holmes, and Coding Manger Denise Burke, we thank all who(...)
What’s the Buzz in Johns Hopkins Ambulatory Medicine?
Posted by | Administration, Patient CareThe Department of Medicine supports diverse outpatient practices that offer a range of highly sought-after clinician groups. This strength can also present challenges when trying to apply clinic standards for ambulatory medicine. What initiatives are most important to improve patient care and safety? Who decides the priorities? How do we achieve the goals? These questions are(...)
Improving MHAC rates: How Answering DocuCheck Queries Helps Represent the Outstanding Care We Provide and Improves the Hospital’s Bottom Line
Posted by | Administration, Patient CareWhy are we talking about MHACs? To promote quality improvement and financial responsibility, Maryland and the federal government have instituted hospital pay for performance programs. Maryland is unique nationally in that the state sets hospital reimbursement rates for all payers. Maryland hospitals have a waiver from CMS’s Value Based Purchasing incentive program (limited to Medicare(...)
Ambulatory and Access Updates
Posted by | Administration, Patient CareThe Department of Medicine has provided a great deal of leadership and direction when it comes to access and ambulatory operations. Our access team continues to out-perform the hospital average and produce high levels of service. Our ambulatory groups have succeeded in lowering the rate of provider-initiated cancellations, decreasing the number of open encounters, all(...)
The Move to Meyer
Posted by | Administration, Patient Care, Vice Chair ContributorsAfter the successful renovation of the Nelson building, the hospital has been busy renovating the 7th, 8th and 9th floors of the Meyer building. In the fall of 2016, patient rooms and some offices currently housed on Halsted 2, 3 and 4 and Osler 2 will move to the Meyer building. Meyer 7 will house the(...)
The Sepsis Core Measure
Posted by | Administration, Patient Care, Vice Chair ContributorsOn October 1, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and The Joint Commission (TJC) launched a Sepsis Core Measure for all 4000 Joint Commission-accredited U.S. hospitals. Core Measures are evidence-based process measures to reduce morbidity and mortality. Well-known examples include inpatient pneumococcal vaccination, venous thromboembolism prophylaxis requirements and achieving quick door-to-balloon time(...)
GBR II – What’s next?
Posted by | Administration, Patient CareThe new Global Budget Revenue (GBR) agreements seem to be working. Initial statewide data show hospital volume is declining and quality is improving. We are now entering year three of a five-year demonstration project with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of the waiver modernization program. So what’s next? One of(...)
Looking Ahead for Ambulatory Practices
Posted by | Administration, Patient Care, Vice Chair ContributorsWithin the Department of Medicine we have a broad array of ambulatory practices, with diverse patients, practitioners and locations. This richness is our strength and challenge in many ways. Initiatives designed to make both the patient’s and practitioner’s experience positive and more uniform will require a coordinated effort to identify best practices in the outpatient(...)