Modern Practice Podcast
Modern Practice is your curbside consult with top clinicians from around the country. This exciting podcast series features medical experts sharing their ideas and approaches for the latest strategic trends and clinical challenges. Hosted by Dr. Tomas Villanueva and brought to you by the Vizient Medical Leadership team.
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Episodes
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs) aren’t a new concept, but as more and more organizations shift to value-based care, there has been renewed issue in the subject. This is based on the recognition that without solid foundational knowledge of HCCs, health systems risk lower rates of reimbursement, or sometimes not getting paid at all.
On this program, we will explore the use of HCCs and their importance to medical practice.
Guest speaker:
Angela Hunt, RN, MBA, CCDS
Principal
Operations and Quality
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[01:36] Background and definition for HCCs
[02:24] Using HCCs
[02:54] Physicians and clinicians who use HCCs
[04:08] Importance
[05:34] Documentation approaches
[08:47] Deriving value through the HCC designation
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Angela Hunt’s contact email: angela.hunt@vizientinc.com
Hierarchical Condition Categories Coding (AAFP) Click here
HCC Fact Sheet (Vizient) Click here
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Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
On this episode, we conclude our series on mortality by examining palliative care, home care and hospice care. These are underused yet better and more beneficial for end-of-life situations than traditional inpatient approaches.
Guest speaker:
Steve Meurer, PhD, MBA, MHS
Executive Principal
Data Science and Member Insights
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[00:28] Risk adjusted mortality: examining the most relevant hospice care approaches
[01:35] Effective palliative care
[01:58] Bullish on palliative care: broadening beyond the dying population
[03:24] Leveraging home care and hospice approaches
[05:02] Challenge in caring for a dying patient
[06:06] Facing mortality: getting the patient in the right place at the right time
[08:14] Mortality review: not finding fault but improving performance
[09:35] Example from mortality review: care for multiple myeloma patients
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Steve Meurer’s contact email: steve.meurer@vizientinc.com
To contact Tom regarding mortality reduction: tomas.villanueva@vizientinc.com
Mortality Measures Hospital-Specific Reports (CMS) Click here
Selected Best Practices and Suggestions for Improvement – Mortality (AHRQ) Click here
Variation in US Hospital Mortality Rates for Patients Admitted With COVID-19 During the First 6 Months of the Pandemic (JAMA Internal Medicine) Click here
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Thursday Sep 23, 2021
Thursday Sep 23, 2021
Reducing hospital mortality is crucial to improve care and meet stringent reporting and reimbursement requirements. Improvements involve a complex effort involving multiple areas in the organization. On this episode, we continue our series on mortality by focusing on transfer centers and admissions as factors in reducing mortality.
Guest speaker:
Steve Meurer, PhD, MBA, MHS
Executive Principal
Data Science and Member Insights
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[00:35] Risk adjusted mortality: focusing on one factor can make a difference
[02:13] Transferring patients
[02:40] Example: using telehealth instead of transfers for stroke patients
[03:16] Example: developing a co-management program
[04:08] Example: mini-ICU in the ER
[04:39] Example: in-hospital mortality for sepsis patients
[05:33] Supportive care for the dying patient
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Steve Meurer’s contact email: steve.meurer@vizientinc.com
To contact Tom regarding mortality reduction: tomas.villanueva@vizientinc.com
Mortality Measures Hospital-Specific Reports (CMS) Click here
Selected Best Practices and Suggestions for Improvement – Mortality (AHRQ) Click here
Variation in US Hospital Mortality Rates for Patients Admitted With COVID-19 During the First 6 Months of the Pandemic (JAMA Internal Medicine) Click here
Subscribe Today!
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Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
“The longer you stay in the hospital, the higher chance that you have of dying in that hospital.” So says our guest in this crucial series on reducing hospital mortality. Mortality, always a leading quality indicator, is under increasing public scrutiny, with mounting pressure on health care organizations to reduce it. In this three-part series, we will discuss the multiple factors that affect hospital mortality and come into play when trying to lower mortality rates.
Guest speaker:
Steve Meurer, PhD, MBA, MHS
Executive Principal
Data Science and Member Insights
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[01:43] Tracking a quality indicator
[03:04] Improvement is multifactorial
[03:49] The longer the stay, the higher the chance of mortality
[04:38] Effective mortality review
[05:58] Effective clinical documentation
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Steve Meurer’s contact email: steve.meurer@vizientinc.com
To contact Tom regarding mortality reduction: tomas.villanueva@vizientinc.com
Mortality Measures Hospital-Specific Reports (CMS) Click here
Selected Best Practices and Suggestions for Improvement – Mortality (AHRQ) Click here
Variation in US Hospital Mortality Rates for Patients Admitted With COVID-19 During the First 6 Months of the Pandemic (JAMA Internal Medicine) Click here
Subscribe Today!
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Thursday Sep 09, 2021
Thursday Sep 09, 2021
In this final episode of our series on the blood supply, our discussion goes beyond managing red blood cells to the management of every blood component. We examine hospital practices for conserving blood and using alternatives to transfusion.
Guest speaker:
Akiva Faerber
Senior Principal
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[00:22] Extending management beyond red blood cells
[00:52] Platelets
[03:23] Other products and technologies for blood management
[04:21] More on platelets, other products/technologies and the need for platelet donors
[07:26] Vizient recommendations concerning platelets
[09:41] Avoiding transfusions
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Akiva Faerber’s contact email: akiva.faerber@vizientinc.com
Conservation of Blood Products (The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center) Click here
Severe Blood Shortage (American Red Cross web page) Click here
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Thursday Sep 02, 2021
Thursday Sep 02, 2021
Because of the critical shortage of the blood supply across the nation, health care organizations are having to work with less. On this episode, part two of a three-part series, we discuss reducing the number of transfusions and other strategies that will help you manage a more limited blood supply.
Guest speaker:
Akiva Faerber
Senior Principal
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[00:32] Not focusing on eight as the magical number
[01:37] Managing red blood cells (RBCs)
[03:53] “Why two? Why not one? Why one? Why not none?”
[05:11] Autologous transfusion
[07:26] RBC-stimulating drugs
[09:05] Financial issues
[09:34] Old blood vs new blood
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Akiva Faerber’s contact email: akiva.faerber@vizientinc.com
Conservation of Blood Products (The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center) Click here
Severe Blood Shortage (American Red Cross web page) Click here
Subscribe Today!
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Thursday Aug 26, 2021
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
In normal times in this country, only three percent of the population donates blood. Yet, the pandemic has worsened the situation even more, causing donor fatigue and lack of supply. In addition, more stringent guidelines have reduced the number of donors as well. On this episode, beginning a three-part series, we discuss the causes and effects of a shrinking blood supply and how to face this challenge.
Guest speaker:
Akiva Faerber
Senior Principal
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[00:52] A grim situation
[02:26] Effect from an increased number of tests and guidelines
[03:41] Recruiting donors
[06:10] Changing clinical practice on use of blood
[07:50] Restrictive vs liberal blood use policies
[08:46] Vizient data to guide blood management
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Akiva Faerber’s contact email: akiva.faerber@vizientinc.com
Conservation of Blood Products (The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center) Click here
Severe Blood Shortage (American Red Cross web page) Click here
Subscribe Today!
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Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
In this final episode of our series on HACs, we examine the challenge of Clostridium difficile infection (C. diff, or CDI) for clinicians and patients. Highly infectious and unsusceptible to alcohol, CDI is cause for concern, with infection rates rising after COVID-19, as they are for all HACs. Yet, a systematic approach according to new guidelines can curb and eliminate this condition.
Guest speaker:
Richard Beaver, B.S. Chem, MBB, CPHQ
Senior Consulting Director
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[00:31] New CDI guidelines
[01:21] Insight on major causes – and an example
[03:31] Benefit of early detection at hospital
[05:57] Issues with testing protocols, isolation practices and use of antibiotics
[09:21] A multi-faceted approach
Links | Resources:
Rick Beaver’s contact email: richard.beaver@vizientinc.com
New CDI guidelines (IDSA and SHEA) Click here
CMS Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) fact sheet Click here
CMS Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) reduction program Click here
Information on Vizient’s Clinical Data Base (CDB) Click here
AHRQ tools to reduce HACs Click here
Subscribe Today!
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Thursday Aug 12, 2021
Thursday Aug 12, 2021
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are persistent and challenging, no more so than following the COVID-19 outbreak. Now that elective surgeries are ramping up again, it is more important than ever to prevent SSIs, and that is the focus for this episode in our series addressing HACs.
Guest speaker:
Richard Beaver, B.S. Chem, MBB, CPHQ
Senior Consulting Director
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[00:36] The upsurge in sepsis
[02:25] Limited SSI improvement in some cases
[03:39] A combination of causes
[04:50] Lack of compliance
[05:59] Prophylactic antibiotics
[08:35] Chlorhexidine
[10:33] Accurate metrics and analysis for key drivers of improvement
[11:35] 360-degree approach
Links | Resources:
Rick Beaver’s contact email: richard.beaver@vizientinc.com
CMS Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) fact sheet Click here
CMS Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) reduction program Click here
Information on Vizient’s Clinical Data Base (CDB) Click here
AHRQ tools to reduce HACs Click here
Subscribe Today!
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Thursday Aug 05, 2021
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
The outbreak of COVID-19 exacerbated the occurrence of Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HACs) in health care organizations, and bringing infection rates back down is a struggle. This series examines the steps we can take to reduce HACs, and on this episode, we focus on catheter-associated urinary tract infections, or CAUTIs.
Guest speaker:
Richard Beaver, B.S. Chem, MBB, CPHQ
Senior Consulting Director
Vizient
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Principal
Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
Show Notes:
[00:33] Occurrences of CAUTI
[01:11] Foley removal practice
[05:51] Other causes and managing the perineum
[08:25] Addressing the bundle components
Links | Resources:
Rick Beaver’s contact email: richard.beaver@vizientinc.com
CMS Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) fact sheet Click here
CMS Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) reduction program Click here
Information on Vizient’s Clinical Data Base (CDB) Click here
AHRQ tools to reduce HACs Click here
Subscribe Today!
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Android
Google Podcasts
Stitcher
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