It’s hard to believe that January 2017 has come to a close. It’s that time of year where, depending on where you live, you're celebrating your NFL or NBA team as winners. Unfortunately, where Litmos Healthcare is located we are, well, sports losers. We start the year with hope; hope that our teams will work […]

A nonprofit would be just an idea without the volunteers that power the steam in your organization. However, volunteer burnout is a very real thing, and being civic minded doesn’t necessarily make a person an effective volunteer. A recent study by Pantheon Institute showed that the estimated value of volunteer time was $23.56 per hour—pretty […]

  The classical Triad of the Chinese tradition is the union of heaven, earth, and man. A loose interpretation of the Triad structure is the Master, the Red Pole (who oversees defensive and offensive operations), and the White Paper Fan, which provided financial and business advice, functioning as a liaison between the different units. Money, […]

Technology is grand; cellphones are like mini computers that fit in your pocket! A report by SilkRoad Technology found that 75% of healthcare employees check personal social media at least once a day on their mobile devices during working hours, and 60% access it multiple times. So as a professional working in the healthcare industry, […]

I remember when fishing meant finding a quiet lake with my dad during one of our family camping trips, putting a disgusting worm on a hook and throwing a line out into the water. Aside from the worm stuff, it was serene and peaceful. Now, however, the sophistication of technology and the increase in criminals, […]

Reading about the struggles some healthcare organizations' experience collecting upfront payments reminds me of the Wild West. New settlers arrive to the landscape and run like maniacs to stake their claim. It’s chaotic, disorganized and the strongest survive. The weak find themselves in a shootout at the OK Corral! The Affordable Care Act brought many […]

By Chris Geraci, Marketing Coordinator Litmos Healthcare Some of you may remember the written letter, handwritten chart notes, having just five television channels (on a good day), and the TV remote was your youngest sibling. Now we text, tweet, travel, and transfer money with one click… and without a thought. You’d look over your shoulder if you […]

You might remember how epic it was to have cable for the first time—so many channels, regardless of the fact there was still nothing on. MTV still played actual music videos, not this “Big Brother” drivel that’s on now. Remember that first VCR? The size of a toaster oven and as heavy a microwave, but […]

The word joint brings to mind working together “jointly,” for the greater good—an excellent example of most healthcare organizations. Individuals with various backgrounds and skillsets coming together to care for one individual. Sadly, many organizations are disjointed. The new Joint Commissions rulings complicates an already sometimes muddy set of regulations. Like most laws and rules, […]

The billing and collection staff in most healthcare organizations often suffer the highest rate of turnover, yet they are imperative to the continued operation of your business. These staff members, sometimes called the patient access staff, don’t always have the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with your patients or interact in any way other than […]

Recently, I was watching The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60th. It was a grand celebration in a way only Disney can do. Towards the end of the special, Neil Patrick Harris donned a pair of mouse ears, took a selfie, and posted it on Twitter with #ShareYourEars. Reason being, Disney will donate $5 to […]

The ACA has caused a steep increase in patient responsibility by way of higher co-pays and deductibles. These factors have become a bigger part of the revenue cycle and are a challenge for facilities to capture the additional costs. Patients have become savvy consumers, comparing costs for services and selecting providers, clinics, and hospitals that […]

Most of us have been in that social situation where a couple gets in a disagreement; the “Bickersons” are oblivious to the awkwardness their argument is causing among those around them. If you’re the onlooker in that situation, a vortex opening in the middle of the room and sucking you up would be a welcome […]

I’ve never been one for fast food, but I am obsessed with In-n-Out Burger. Perhaps I associate my first time through their infamous drive-through in Ontario, CA with my first trip to Disneyland; regardless, I am obsessed. In twenty years, I think my order has only been screwed up twice, to which I promptly returned […]

“Hack a Jordan,” is a device used by NBA teams when they play the Los Angeles Clippers. For those unfamiliar, this term refers to teams who intentionally foul DeAndre Jordan, center, for the Los Angeles Clippers. Jordan is infamous for his free throw percentage (or lack thereof), which was 39 percent last year. That’s pretty bad. In comparison, […]

Days before Christmas, I gathered all my empty coffee cups and prepared for my winter solstice, briefly stopping in the doorway of my friends office to wish her a merry Christmas. I asked her about her plans, assuming they would be similar to mine: a loud chaotic celebration with family. Her response caused me pause. […]

Last week my dad had pretty serious foot surgery. He'll likely end up with a bit of swagger, but more Tinman than P-Diddy. He was operated on in one of the largest hospital systems in the country, an organization that previously set records for their care, automation, and patient engagement. Maybe it’s my own personal […]

The OIG recently released its annual report and expectations for 2016. As expected, HIPAA, Meaningful Use and Compliance are at the forefront, but it’s not impossible to ensure your organization is compliant with these rules. For the most part, the HIPAA rules and regulations are fairly consistent with the expectations of the OIG’s standards, with the HIPAA rules […]

A look at why Kaiser Permanente leads the way in patient engagement and satisfaction. In the 1990's I worked for my local school district and the health insurance they offered was Kaiser (I KNOW…gasp). At the time, Kaiser was under some scrutiny for their staff and clinics; if you publicly acknowledged Kaiser as your provider, […]

A recent survey showed that 57% of bad debt in hospitals was from three areas: High deductible health plans. High patient copays. Underinsured patients.   You can’t change the numbers, but you can change the outcome. The recent laws surrounding healthcare led many to believe that this new found insurance will give them access to services […]

Is your job un-complicated? I'll wait for you to stop laughing… with each passing month I see our clients and my friends, who are in the medical field, being spread so thin. It reminds me of the sandwiches my mom use to pack me in grade school – two slices of bread with a one […]

In some places summer went out with a bang, but cyber-criminals are waiting to blow up your weakest link. Understanding the vulnerability of personal health information (PHI), is not enough. Neither are having fierce security protocols if they are not supported and executed by everyone in your organization. This year there have been 221 breaches […]

I believe healthcare staff start each day with an unmatched passion to care for patients; it takes a special kind of person to do this job. I have friends who are doctors and nurses – who talk with passion, about an ailment or patient they treated. One friend, in particular, works in a wound care […]

The fireworks may be over, but cyber-criminals are waiting to blow up your weakest link. Understanding the vulnerability of personal health information (PHI), is not enough. Neither is having fierce security protocols that are not supported and executed by everyone in your organization. This year there have been 92 major breaches involving PHI and we […]