Chief Healthcare Executive

On World Down Syndrome Day, advocacy groups are worried about the prospect of cuts to Medicaid. We talked with Heather Sachs of the National Down Syndrome Congress about the concerns surrounding potential reductions for Medicaid and how they would impact those with Down syndrome. When asked about her level of concern, she says, "We're calling it a five-alarm fire." https://lnkd.in/ehqDehcw

AI proved to be the dominant discussion topic at both the HIMSS and ViVE conferences in recent weeks, but the conversations on AI are changing. We look at the evolving conversation on AI in the latest edition of CHE 360, our LinkedIn newsletter.

Millions will be watching and betting on March Madness, and the American Psychiatric Association is drawing attention to the growth of online gambling. An APA poll found 28% of Americans are betting online every day, and some spend hours betting online. Petros Levounis, professor of psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, says he's concerned about the number of people betting online on a daily basis. "The financial devastation that can very well happen with online gambling is of particular concern," he says.

More than 30 years ago, Scripps Health purchased property in San Marcos. Now, Scripps Health is planning a $1.2 billion campus with a new hospital and ambulatory facility. Chris Van Gorder, MPA, FACHE, president and CEO of Scripps Health,?said the time is right. "Our patient population in the area has since grown to the point that it made sense for us to move forward," he said.

For the second year, U.S. News & World Report has compiled a list of America's top ambulatory surgery centers. U.S. News unveiled its first rankings last year, and the analysis has gained the attention of patients and ambulatory surgery centers.

Primary care needs much more attention, says Ripley Hollister, a board member of The Physicians Foundation. In an interview, he talked about the drop of physicians choosing primary care as a career and the growing number of Americans without a doctor. "We can fix it, and we need to fix it, and we need to make sure it's not getting any worse," he says.

After receiving a "transformational" $125 million gift, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia announced plans to build a new pediatric hospital. The health system is also planning major improvements at its existing hospital. Madeline Bell, president and CEO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said the system will "create a space that could accommodate the needs of children now and for years to come.” Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and his wife, Aileen, provided the gift, capping a number of contributions in recent years.

After overcoming some community opposition, Deaconess Health System has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Jennie Stuart Health. The deal is expected to close by Aug. 1. Shawn McCoy, CEO of Deaconess Health, pledged to invest in improvements at Jennie Stuart. “With greater capital investment and the adoption of best-in-class technology, this highly qualified team can better serve patients and improve the standard of care locally for many years to come," McCoy said.

The White House has dropped its nomination of Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weldon has received increased scrutiny for his view on vaccines. In the wake of Weldon's nomination being pulled, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., says the Trump administration "should immediately nominate someone for this position who at bare minimum believes in basic science and will help lead CDC’s important work to monitor and prevent deadly outbreaks."

Each year, ECRI compiles a list of the 10 leading threats to patient safety, and the leading threat this year is a lack of listening. We talked with Marcus Schabacker, president and CEO of ECRI, about the dangers when doctors dismiss the concerns of patients and families. He says patients are experiencing a form of "medical gaslighting," even if it's unintentional. “We don't think that physicians are trying to mislead patients in a certain way,” he says. “That's not what we're saying. But what we're saying is there's just not enough attention paid to what patients really say and what their symptoms really are.”