For some reason, many associate the middle months of the year with lying in the sun, lounging around the house or generally letting things slide a bit. They’re called the lazy days of summer for a reason, but just how accurate is that description? True, the kids are out of school for several weeks, and adults will often take off work for individual or family vacation. But a lot of kids get summer jobs or have sports or other activities, and some trips to the beach or the mountains are so stressful that many need a vacation from their vacation. And to be honest, with smartphones, tablets and email always at the ready, who really disconnects in full?
The business of America doesn’t stop just because we’ve hit June. And that is especially true for the healthcare sector. People will still have a need to see their doctor and to schedule procedures; and health emergencies don’t always wait until the fall. Because hospital workers can’t afford to call it quits when the temperatures rise, we offer this array of helpful articles for your summer reading. They are both educational and we hope inspirational.
To kick off this edition of Focus, we have Laura Legg, a vice president at Coronis Health, addressing the social determinants of health. This is especially timely as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) now requires healthcare organizations to screen patients relative to five socioeconomic factors. Pay close attention to this article.
Next, we have Professor J. Bryan Bennett, who always manages to provide relevant and hard-hitting data that healthcare entities need to consider if they intend to stay successful in their overall mission. “The Impact of Toxic Leaders” is an instant classic, and hospital executives will not want to miss what Mr. Bennett has to say on this subject.
Our own Justin Vaughn, a compliance department vice president at Coronis Health, provides two offerings in this issue of Focus. First, is an article that deals with the extent to which doctors and other clinicians are allowed to use text messaging in the hospital setting—in the context of passing on patient information. Does this or can this constitute medical record documentation, for example? Justin brings home the facts. Mr. Vaughn then provides an article that stresses the importance of a viable compliance program for hospitals and other healthcare entities. This will act as a definite heads-up for decision-makers.
Attorney Christopher Ryan talks about the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) in an article that is sure to inform. Everything a hospital administrator would need to know about the CTA is logically and cogently laid out. Each anticipated question is asked and answered. We are fortunate to have Christopher’s legal expertise available to our readership.
Finally, Daniel Douglas, vice president of operations for Coronis Health’s Hospital Division, presents a piece entitled, “Community, Collaboration, Critical Access and Cash.” Daniel demonstrates the interaction of these elements and the important part Coronis Health plays in tying them all together.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Focus; and, if you do find yourself with some time this summer to laze around the pool, make sure to take along some reading material. You can tell yourself and others it’s a working vacation!