State Directed Payments: Part II– Medicaid Supplemental Payments
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.
#ANFSD: Making That Change Stick with Elizabeth Varones of Anthos
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.”
State Directed Payments: Part I—Medicaid Financing 101
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).
Entrepreneurs Think They Are Responsible for Everything, So They Are
Entrepreneurs aim to fix and better the world but thinking they are the best ones for the job can restrict their impact. To scale up, they need to delegate. Sara Auld from Upper explains how entrepreneurs can become comfortable delegating.
The Cost Of An Underfunded Mental Health System
Our mental health system is in crisis and requires meaningful strategies to address its sustainability and access challenges. S. Ryan Estes from Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth explains how we got the mental health system and how we can build the one we need.
Say Yes To Making Good Things Happen
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.
Thinking about Technology in Health Care – The Gap Between Use-Case and Usability
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.
Funding for Female Founders and Other F Words
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.
Standing with Ukraine – A Personal Reflection
This week, we reflect on the war Russia brought to Ukraine and what standing with Ukraine means to us.
Understanding Stability, Agility, and Distribution of Our Healthcare
Healthcare is more than the prevention, treatment, or maintenance of clinical conditions. It also plays a role in how governments establish legitimacy in the eyes of their citizens. Peter Freeman asks the question: how is the current health infrastructure of the United States impacting the perception of our government?
Change is Great! Now, You Go First.
Change is hard, and we are biologically programmed to avoid it. Creating and sustaining a “positive workspace” is crucial to supporting your teams through inevitable change. Stephanie Adams of WNY People Development shares the eight components of a group she looks for when coaching leaders on optimizing their teams.
#ANFSD: Understanding the Why: Change as Loss
In the second installment of her Now For Something Completely Different series on change management, Principal Tina Simpson lays out a fundamental truth about change: it is associated with loss. But who is experiencing the loss, and how is that loss best addressed? As a leader, Tina argues, it is your responsibility to know the answers to those questions.
National Patient Recognition Week: Building Trust and Improving the Doctor-Patient Relationship
In health care, we are all seeking to make some big, positive changes. This week, as we celebrate National Patient Recognition week, Atrómitos’ Vice President of Operations, Sarah Jagger reminds us why that doesn’t happen without recognizing patients and the role they play in transformation – and how we can tie it all back to the lessons of Groundhog Day.
Recognizing Data Privacy Week & Transparency
Data Privacy Week is upon us and requires us to take a crucial look at the data privacy infrastructure (or lack thereof) within the United States. Atrómitos Principal Tina Simpson lays out where we are, where we could be, and the responsibility each of us has to better protect all of our data.
Marketing 102: Three Ways To Approach Marketing If You Are Not A Marketing Expert
Effective marketing is crucial to the success of your business. But what if don’t have a background in marketing? What should you consider and how do you begin?
#ANFSD: And Now for Something Completely Different (or so we hope)
The new year is traditionally a time for new beginnings, new ways of doing things, and new adventures. But starting the “new” (or, in some cases, stopping the “old”) is not easy. Change is hard, both for us as individuals and for the organizations and companies we work in. So Atrómitos Principal Tina Simpson has set out to help us navigate change management through her new series: And Now for Something Completely Different.
The 1, 2, and 3 of Policy Engagement: How To Stay Current With Limited Resources
Everything we do is dictated by a policy (or the lack thereof). By extension, that means everyone is impacted by policy. But not everyone engages with the policy process: some of us never learned how, some of us do not have the resources to do so, and some of us think it is not our responsibility. For those of you interested in becoming more involved, we talk through some ways to get started.
Reflection and Resilience: Leaders Take Note
As we close out 2021, Atrómitos President Michealle Gady reflects on the concept of resilience, how it intersects with self-reflection, and how Leaders can and should understand and use them both.
The Log4J Vulnerability: Explained
It has been a frenetic week in cybersecurity following identification of the Log4J defect and its global exploitation, Atrómitos Principal, Tina Simpson, takes some time to break down what happened, why it matters, and what you need to know going forward.
Why Health Coverage is a Key Indicator of Economic Growth and Stability
Efforts to expand access to health insurance often focus on the direct, health-related benefits to individuals. Peg O’Connell explains how health insurance is also about the economic health of our communities.
HealthTech 2021: Back to Business
While attending the GIANT digital technology conference in London, Atrómitos Principal Tina Simpson enjoyed the familiarity of convening once again with colleagues in-person; a “here we are again” feeling. But then the realities of how technology is integrated within and across healthcare organizations became apparent and she realized, “Well, here we are again.”
Trickle-Down Economics and Underrepresentation: The (Partial) Design of “Underserved” Communities
As the year comes to a close, many of us focus our end-of-year giving on supporting those in need. This week, we consider the reality that “those in need” are such by our design and explore how economic and voting rights policies created the construct of “underserved” communities.
NDEW2021: Putting ADCES7 into Practice
National Diabetes Education Week focuses on self-care behaviors for diabetes. Natalie Elleson from ADCES emphasizes the significance of comprehending these behaviors in the context of diabetes prevention and treatment.
A Relentless Mindset at Work
Global Entrepreneurship Week supports and empowers entrepreneurs, including those facing scaling and business-building challenges. Lisa Leath, HR expert and entrepreneur, highlights the importance of recruiting and retaining talent for successful entrepreneurship.
Understanding the Assignment: Why “Cause Work Is Hard” Isn’t An Excuse
Implementation of ONC and CMS CURES Act Final Rules raises questions and operational headaches, including the potential for increased administrative burden on providers as change is implemented. But that doesn’t mean that these aren’t important and needed changes. This week Atrómitos Principal Tina Simpson evaluates a recent JAMA study evaluating patients’ immediate access to test results on portals and its association with increased messaging with providers.
Mapping Our Path to Digital Equity: Lessons from The Phantom Tollbooth
The COVID-19 public health emergency brought the journey to close the Digital Divide to the forefront for many (though some of us have been on this adventure for a while). Looking at both North Carolina and the federal government as examples, we map out what steps need to be taken to succeed in this “impossible” task and achieve Digital Equity. (Note: We don’t think this is impossible.)
The Intersection of Quality & Value-Based Care
Healthcare Quality Week highlights the importance of quality in the healthcare delivery system. Guest Author Lavondia Alexander with Evolve Health Strategists breaks down the basics of why quality is important, how it impacts payment models, and how you can begin improving your quality game.
The Monop-sony-and–oly of Healthcare: A Call to Government Action
According to an annual report by the AMA, competition within the health insurance market is decreasing. This week we explore what that means, how it impacts care delivery, and what actions are necessary to correct it.
CyberSecurity Awareness Month: A Call to Focus on its Impact on Patient Care
This week, Tina Simpson is joined by freshman, an information security professional with 25 years’ leadership in cybersecurity, with a particular focus on medtech. In this article, Tina and freshman evaluate a critical cybersecurity capacity and infrastructure gap across health providers in the United States and call for stakeholders to re-evaluate their assessment of the costs of continuing to defer action.
How Your Small Business Can Interact with the Community Navigator Program: Lessons from Healthcare
The new federally-funded Community Navigator Program (CNP) is a two-year pilot designed to support “underserved small businesses” addressing challenges and hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We apply lessons learned from deploying “Hub and Spoke” operations and Community Health Workers in the healthcare field to help you get a leg up on the CNP model.