IBM Watson Health has published its annual “15 Top Health Systems” study showcasing top-performing health systems in America based on overall organizational performance.

The Leapfrog Group’s 2018 Hospital Safety Grades found that a handful of facilities have made major strides in reducing infection rates and deaths due to error. Of the 2,500 hospitals examined, 89 receiving an A this year had previously been rated as a D or F.

In an April 23 release, CMS announce it is seeking input on an alternative payment model that would allow direct provider contracting (DPC) between payers and primary care or multi-specialty groups. CMS asked for comments to inform possible testing for such a model for Medicare Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid.

Ronny Jackson, MD, the White House physician who President Donald Trump nominated for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, was in line for difficult questioning at his confirmation hearing later this week. Now, the question is whether such a hearing will take place at all.

Online patient education for individuals with orthopedic conditions is a low-cost and effective route to improving knowledge and satisfaction, according to a study published April 23 in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

President Donald Trump has postponed this week’s speech on battling rising prescription drug costs, according to the White House. No future date, time or location has been announced for the speech, previously scheduled for Thursday, April 26.

A dozen years ago, Ronny Jackson, MD, was leading a small team of physicians in Iraq, handling surgical shock trauma in the third year of the war. This week, Jackson could be a few hearings away from becoming the Secretary of Veterans Affairs—and assuming control of an organization that looks after some 3.5 million individuals.

Higher deductible bronze-level plans were more popular on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges in 2018, but customers may not be aware that moving toward this coverage will leave them paying out of pocket for primary care until they hit their deductible—leading some to avoid primary care altogether due to the costs.