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Deconstructing the Security Risk Assessment
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What is the most important piece of advice I would give an organization regarding cybersecurity risk management? My first response was simple (perhaps too simple): Just do it.
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Scrutinizing the Community Benefit (and Harm) of Non-Profit Hospital Billing Practices
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In a recent article, we raised the question of whether nonprofit hospitals are effectively “earning” their privileged tax status by returning a community benefit greater than, or at least equal to, the cost of their deferred taxes. We also discussed how the Affordable Care Act provided essential tools, the Community Health Needs Assessment and the […]
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Today’s Revolutionary Idea: Communities Should Benefit From Community Benefit (And How The Community Health Needs Assessment Can Point Hospitals In The Right Direction)
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The community hospital – frequently a nonprofit organization organized around community service, charity care, and serving the poor in multiple capacities – has been a cornerstone of our health system. Today, the majority of the 6,219 hospitals across the United States (2,978 or 57%) are nonprofit. As a nonprofit, this means that they do not pay certain local, state, and federal taxes, such as property and income taxes. This exemption is not insignificant: in 2020 alone, it amounted to $28 billion.
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Embracing the Shift: Adjusting to the New Normal in the Era of Covid-19
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Many of us are still coping with the processes involved with this adaptation and the changes that have occurred over the last few years. As the long-term effects of the pandemic are still unraveling, it’s hard to define when and how exactly things may solidify in this altered paradigm and how much of an impact all of this will have on us in the future.
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The Role of “Social Facts”
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The year is 2014. The place is Birmingham, England. The City Councilor of Birmingham has received a document now known as the Trojan Horse Letter. This letter outlines a plot by Islamic extremists to systematically take control of local schools.
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North Carolina’s Plan to Address the Mental Health and Substance Use Crisis
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NC Governor announces $1B investment in behavioral health and resilience services to transform mental health and substance abuse services, focusing on building stronger crisis support systems, increasing access to care, and using data/technology for better health outcomes. The plan also includes measures to expand telehealth services, improve school care, and enhance the quality of life.
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The Current Mental Health Landscape in America
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Media saturation has caused stress and uneasiness for many people. Social media is now a primary news source, providing instant access to events that are hard to escape. There aren’t a lot of opportunities to “unplug” from the stressors that accompany life and unprecedented events. This constant engagement can amplify anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
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5 Tips to Protect Your Privacy Online
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For this week’s segment of Our Ideas, Principal Tina Simpson brings us five ways to protect your data and privacy on your adventures scouring the internet. To recap the importance of this past Saturday’s holiday, Data Privacy Day, we hope these tips highlight and bring awareness about respecting privacy, safeguarding data, and how to enable trust among you and your peers.
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Disparities in Healthcare: A Prevalent Challenge in the U.S.
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Challenges with healthcare disparities are not new to the American healthcare delivery system. It has become a hot topic in the healthcare arena. Guest Author Lavondia Alexander comes this week with the challenges of healthcare disparities and potential solutions.
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Reflections on Digital Security Awareness: Why Availability is Not the Same Thing as Accessibility
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While October has now passed, recognizing the threat of cyber-attacks is closer to the front of mind for business leaders across industries. There is also no shortage of activity among cybersecurity professionals, advocates, and the federal government to inform the broader community of best practices.
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Don’t Speak: The Consequences of Silencing Healthcare
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When legislation is in pursuit of controlling the narrative in one space, we automatically reduce the number of areas in which someone can explore who they are, find their support system, and begin to integrate that part of their identity into their overall self.
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Addressing the Shift from Traditional to Digital Mental Healthcare Services
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How we deliver healthcare is rapidly evolving, the use of telehealth and mHealth applications in behavioral health interventions and management is one example where technology innovations provide at least partial solutions to critical deficits in our healthcare network.
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Policy & Procedure Components You Need For Your Organization’s Success
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Writing and organizing accessible policies and procedures for an organization, its employees, and contractors is essential. Policies and procedures lay the foundation upon which organizations are built, reflecting your values, and guiding your employees.
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Proper Cybersecurity Practices Amid Big Data & Privacy Breaches
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Between Peiter Zatko’s testimony before Congress regarding Twitter’s privacy and security operations earlier this month and Uber’s data breach last week, the last few weeks have been eventful when it comes to #InfoSec headlines.
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No Surprises (?) in the No Surprises Act
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Earlier this January, I had my yearly physical. After my visit, I paid my copay and went about my day, assuming that was the end. Then in May, I received a mystery bill of $200 for services rendered “by my provider.” What a surprise! Let’s talk about the absurdity of the No Surprise Act, shall we?
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A Case Study in Security by Design & the Cost of Failure
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Two weeks ago, the Washington Post broke a story on the former Twitter Executive and head of security, Peiter Zatko, blowing the whistle on Twitter’s privacy and security practices.
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The Big Question: Is there Harm Reduction in Healthcare?
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There’s no denying it: healthcare is full of bureaucracy (even spelling “bureaucracy” feels bureaucratic). We’re told that red tape is about quality and cost containment. But is it really?
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A Spotlight on Competition: Reflections on Adam Smith, Alain Enthoven, and Winston Churchill
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In the United States, we rely upon free market principles of competition, supply, and demand to provide efficient pricing related to healthcare services. This reliance has led to excessive market concentration in health care. While Americans have spent the past 50 years resolutely resisting proactive regulation to correct this market failure, Atrómitos Principal Tina Simpson shares why she is hopeful that recent “course corrections” applied via an Executive Order and agency action from the FTC and DOJ are not too little too late.
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Challenging Nostalgia and the Fallacy of “Return”
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Almost immediately after we began addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, we began talking about a “return” to pre-COVID times. That conversation is still happening. Peter Freeman reflects on what a “return” really is, and whether or not we should be clamoring to go there.
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Post-Public Health Emergency: Don’t Forget the Importance of Telehealth
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The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) moved us to provide and receive telehealth services. As the PHE comes to an end, many of us are reluctant to give up the flexibilities and access telehealth providers to achieve and maintain health. This week, Principal Tina Simpson reminds us about our pre-COVID telehealth experience and advocates for continued (and maybe increased?) access through telehealth.
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It’s Pride, Y’all: From Pride to Trauma and Back Again
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On May 31, 2022, President Biden signed a proclamation announcing June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month in the United States. Peter Freeman reflects on Pride Month through the lens of identity-based trauma. He also reminds us that Pride isn’t just about who is here now but about who has yet to arrive.
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North Carolina’s Tailored Plan: To Contract or Not to Contract
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Are you ready for North Carolina’s Tailored Plan contracting? If not, get a quick definitional run down of the Tailored Plans and key aspects of the program to help evaluate your contracting strategies and decisions. This is particularly timely because one key date is coming up very quickly – July 16, 2022 – providers must have executed contracts with Tailored Plans to be included in the initial beneficiary choice period.
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Understanding Cybersecurity and Sutton’s Law: Where the Money Is
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There is no shortage of reasons why it is imperative for healthcare providers to improve their cybersecurity insurance. But, recently, doing so has become harder and more costly. Principal Tina Simpson breaks down the causes of these challenges and discusses why coverage is still important. (And if you don’t think the coverage is important, just ask Willie Sutton.)
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A Conversation We All Need To Have.
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It keeps happening: Domestic terrorism waged with military-grade weaponry against our children, our families, our communities, and our sense of safety. And we – by and through our government – have done exactly zero to stop it. Because this will keep happening, it is a conversation that we all need to have.
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State Directed Payments: Part II– Medicaid Supplemental Payments
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In the second installment of the series on State Directed Payments, Sarah Jagger shares the good, the bad, and the really (really) stupid about Medicaid Supplemental Payments.
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#ANFSD: Making That Change Stick with Elizabeth Varones of Anthos
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Atrómitos Principal, Tina Simpson, talks with Transformational Coach and Change Management Consultant, Elizabeth Varones, Founder and President of Anthos Consulting. This article highlights key takeaways from those conversations and provides important insight for leaders as they prepare for change, and persist in making that change “stick.”
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State Directed Payments: Part I—Medicaid Financing 101
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Atrómitos Vice President of Operations, Sarah Jagger, kicks off a new 3-part series on Medicaid State Directed Payments. This first article provides an important primer on key constructs of Medicaid financing. And a brief introduction of state-directed payments that play an important role in state Medicaid financing strategies and are the focus of upcoming policy recommendations to Congress by the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC).
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Say Yes To Making Good Things Happen
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April is National Volunteer Month in the U.S. and there are a lot of wonderful organizations that could use a helping hand. You can find opportunities within the organizations and communities you are already engaged.
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Thinking about Technology in Health Care – The Gap Between Use-Case and Usability
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Lack of EHR usability is related to patient safety and quality concerns as well as provider burnout. Tina Simpson discusses the importance of integrating user centered design principles as it relates to the development, implementation and regulation of EHR platforms.
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Funding for Female Founders and Other F Words
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In recognition of Women’s History Month, Principal Tina Simpson narrows in the single most important limiting factor to the establishment and growth of women (and minority) owned businesses: access to capital. She calls out the hypocrisy of “safe” investment bets, challenges women leaders and entrepreneurs to ask for more, and demands that investors and funders rise to the challenge. After all, #thefutureisfemale.