In April 2014, several EMS-based mobile integrated healthcare and community paramedic (MIH-CP) pioneers embarked on an ambitious project to develop outcome measures for MIH-CP programs. The MIH-CP Performance Measurement project was initiated to develop and describe performance measures that encourage achieving the optimum sustainability and utilization of patient-centered mobile resources in the out-of-hospital environment and […]
“There ought to be a law…” How many times have you said that in your lifetime? Funny thing is, statements like that are more often than not how new laws come about. But how do you get from a good idea to actual changes in public policy, or stop bad public policy from being implemented? […]
“BOLO” is a pretty easy term to understand, even for us “civilians” who may not have a background in law enforcement. It indicates that you should be looking out for something—a vehicle or person typically. We can apply the same BOLO principle to EMS, or even everyday life. Sometimes, not being on the lookout has […]
For the past three issues, we’ve looked at mobile integrated healthcare (MIH) from the perspective of numerous potential payers: hospitals, third party payers, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), accountable care organizations (ACOs), home health and even hospice agencies. Many of the established EMS agencies that provide MIH services receive funding from one or […]
Hospice care is one of the fastest growing components of our healthcare delivery system due to the recognition that palliative care is a very appropriate and humane part of healthcare delivery. It also has a significant impact on healthcare system expenditures. Thirty percent of all Medicare expenditures are attributed to the 5% of beneficiaries who […]
In discussions on Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) program sustainability, we often say, “follow the money,” to find the stakeholder at risk for writing the check for healthcare service delivery. That trail often leads to commercial health insurance companies such as Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Humana, United-Healthcare or others. Commercial insurers have a very genuine interest […]
Some of the most common questions in the development of a Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) strategy relate to financial sustainability. Yes, it is the right thing to do for the patients and it’s necessary to meet the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim (improved patient outcomes, improved population health and reduced cost of care), but […]
One of the many ways the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is revolutionizing our healthcare delivery system is by placing significant emphasis on the patient’s experience of care. Under the Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) formula, hospitals receive performance-based bonuses or penalties based, in part, on the patient experience of care domain. Up to 30% […]
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—most commonly referred to as the ACA, or “Obamacare”—officially turned one year old on June 28. It represents some of the most sweeping changes to the financing of the U.S. healthcare system since Medicare. Much like Medicare, it brings with it a revolutionary opportunity to the mobile healthcare industry. […]
“Emergency Medical Services.” Really? Spend a week or two in our worthy profession taking some 9-1-1 calls, or responding to patient’s medical needs, and you will quickly realize that few of the requests for our services are really emergencies. Now, before everyone reading this quickly turns the page, let me offer some insight about the […]
Matt Zavadsky is the Director of Public Affairs at MedStar Mobile Healthcare, the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance provider for Fort Worth and 14 surrounding cities in North Texas. He holds a master’s degree in Health Service Administration and has 30 years’ experience in EMS, including volunteer, fire department, public and private sector EMS agencies. He’s a former paramedic and has managed private sector ambulance services from 10,000 to more than 100,000 annual call volume in various locations. He has also served as a regulator in Lincoln, Nebraska and Volusia County (Daytona Beach), Fla. He is an adjunct faculty member for the University of Central Florida’s College of Health and Public Affairs teaching courses in Healthcare Economics and Policy, Healthcare Finance, Ethics, Managed Care and U.S. Health-care Systems.
More Articles from Matt Zavadasky
Inside Current Issue
Implementing a Health Information Exchange
Documentation Differences
SARS-Like Virus a Global Threat
Recall Alert
