Kelly Emrick MBA, PhD

  In our interconnected world, the relationships we forge shape the fabric of our lives. From family bonds to romantic partnerships, from friendships to professional connections, these relationships have the power to uplift, inspire, and bring joy. However, not all relationships are created equal. Sometimes, we find ourselves entangled in toxic dynamics that drain our energy, erode our self-worth, and leave us feeling trapped and powerless. Toxicity can manifest in many forms – manipulation, gaslighting, emotional abuse, physical violence, and more. It can infiltrate any relationship, from the most intimate to the most casual. Toxic relationships can have profound impacts on our mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress. They can make us question our reality, doubt our self-worth, and lose sight of who we are. Nevertheless, here is the truth: you are not alone. Toxic relationships are far more common than many people realize, affecting

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) campaign against healthcare worker burnout took a step forward this week by releasing a new instructional guide for executive-level hospital leaders (CDC, 2024). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation have collaboratively developed the “Impact Well-being Guide: Taking Action to Improve Healthcare Worker Well-being.” This initiative is designed to support hospital leaders and executives in enhancing the professional well-being of healthcare workers. The guide leverages NIOSH’s extensive expertise in occupational safety and health, enriched by its 50 years of experience in the field, to propose an evidence-informed and practical framework to improve the work environment for healthcare professionals. This summary provides a detailed overview of the guide, its foundational principles, key actions, and implications for hospital operations and healthcare worker well-being

According to Numerof and Schlosser (2022), healthcare executives must grasp that achieving proper population health requires a transformative shift from the outdated fee-for-service (FFS) model to an entirely new patient-centered, value-based care model. The unsustainability of FFS has been laid bare by staggering financial losses at major health systems, rural hospital closures, and overall economic distress exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. At its core, FFS is provider-centric, with little accountability for outcomes across the complete care continuum. As highlighted in the Numerof & Associates 2022 State of Population Health Survey Report, COVID exposed FFS’ profound failure to address social determinants of health, leaving millions vulnerable. The pandemic also revealed FFS’ precariousness when procedure cancellations cut off revenue. Executives must accept that FFS’ days are numbered amid trends like growing government payer mix with lower reimbursements, private payer pus

In today’s blog, I investigate an article by Oates et al. (2024) from “The State of Academic Radiology.” Academic medicine is very complex, requiring a deep understanding of the intricate hurdles of the academic radiology community. As Oates et al. (2024) described, radiology is grappling with and exploring innovative solutions to navigate many challenges. The landscape of academic radiology is as diverse as the medical field itself, with approximately 200 departments across the US. Despite their differences in size, location, and affiliations, each department shares a tripartite mission: delivering patient care, providing education and training, and advancing scholarship. In the investigation, the insights gathered from four distinct academic centers are vital, and it is clear that the path forward is not one-size-fits-all. Each institution, from the small to the very large, brings forward unique strategies to adapt to the ever-changing medical landscape. The discussion pivots around

 Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2024 ECRI releases its top 10 list of top patient safety concerns for 2024. The list is ranked in order of concern, one being the most significant. You can download the full report at https://www.ecri.org/top-10-patient-safety-concerns-2024 .   1.       Transitioning new clinicians from education to practice 2.       Workarounds with barcode medication administration systems 3.       Access to maternal and perinatal care 4.       Unintended consequences of technology adoption 5.       Physical and emotional well-being of healthcare workers 6.       Complexity of preventing diagnostic error 7.       Equitable care for people with physical and intellectual disabilities 8.       Drug, supply, and equipment shortages 9.       Misuse of parenteral syringes to administer oral liquid medications 10.   Preventing patient falls   Who is ECRI? ECRI is a global, independent authority on healthcare technology and safety. ECRP services ass

The plundering of America’s hospitals Here is a summary of the article.   The article exposes how private equity firms and a real estate investment trust called Medical Properties Trust (MPT) have profited massively by stripping hospitals serving low-income communities of their real estate assets. MPT specializes in buying land and buildings from hospitals and then leasing it back to them, forcing the hospitals to pay rent on property they previously owned. Many of these hospitals were already struggling financially before selling their real estate to MPT. The added rent burden from the sale-leaseback deals deepened their financial troubles, resulting in at least 13 hospitals having to close or go bankrupt after transactions with MPT. However, the private equity owners of these hospitals could extract huge windfalls by selling the real estate to MPT, even though their hospital investments were failing. Major firms like Cerberus, Apollo, and Leonard Green paid themselves lucrative

  Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are a cornerstone of the United States healthcare system, providing essential primary care and preventive services to over 31.5 million patients annually, with a significant focus on underserved populations (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2024). The transition to Value-Based Payment (VBP) models represents a paradigm shift in healthcare financing, aiming to enhance care quality, cost-efficiency, and health equity by shifting away from traditional fee-for-service models that incentivize volume over value (Lewis et al., 2024). The VBP model is underpinned by several theoretical frameworks, including the Triple Aim framework, on improving the patient experience, improving the health of populations, and reducing the per capita cost of healthcare. The Health Equity Framework also emphasizes addressing disparities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes among diverse patient populations (Lewis et al., 2024). The transition to VB