ASAHP NEWSWIRE ARCHIVES

The Condition Of Education

The Condition of Education is a congressionally mandated annual report summarizing important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The 2018 report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) presents 47 indicators on topics ranging from prekindergarten through postsecondary education, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. Also included in the report are three Spotlight indicators that provide more in-depth analyses on selected topics.

The report can be obtained at https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018144.pdf.

Health Sector Employment

According to a Labor Brief from the Altarum Institute, the health care sector added 24,400 new jobs in April 2018, consistent with the 12-month average of 25,500 new jobs per month, but enough to propel the health share of total U.S. jobs to 10.76%, a new all-time high. Hospitals added 8,000 jobs in April, and ambulatory settings such as physician offices and home health added 16,900 new jobs. While health job growth appears to have stabilized at around 2%, compared to 1.5% for non-health jobs, the share of health sector jobs continues its relentless upward trend, mirroring the growth in the health spending share of GDP.

The Labor Brief can be obtained at https://altarum.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-related-files/SHSS-Labor-Brief_May_2018.pdf.

Making Health Care More Affordable

During the annual membership meeting of the American Hospital Association (AHA), hospital and health systems leaders shared affordability strategies at a panel discussion. Ways of doing so include using data and reexamining pricing and managing risk to make health care more efficient and affordable.

A video of the panel discussion can be can be viewed at https://www.aha.org/news/insights-and-analysis/2018-05-29-hospital-and-health-system-leaders-share-affordability.

Students Eligible For Financial Aid Fail To Receive It

Last year alone, more than 900,000 low-income students who applied for and were found eligible for state financial aid for college never received it because states ran out of money, according to a new analysis of data by The Hechinger Report. The number is likely much higher and it’s not just a few states that have a severe shortage. In ten states. More than half of eligible students didn’t receive a grant.

More information can be obtained at http://hechingerreport.org/eligible-for-financial-aid-almost-one-third-of-students-never-get-it/.

 

Findings From Hospital CIO Cloud Perspectives Survey

Despite growing interest in cloud storage and applications, many healthcare organizations are holding back due to concerns about compliance, security, and privacy, according to a new Datica survey of hospital CIOs. In all, 17.7% of respondents said their organizations have more than half of their existing software infrastructure remotely hosted or in the cloud and 15% said a quarter to half of their infrastructure is cloud-based. Nearly a third (32%) called cloud hosting for existing applications a top five priority while 60% ranked it as a top 10 priority.

A report about the survey can be obtained at http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/15509052.pdf.

The Federal Budget: Overview And Issues For FY 2019 And Beyond

After a decline in budget deficits over the past several years, the deficit is projected to increase significantly in FY2019, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service. Each fiscal year, Congress and the President engage in a number of activities that influence short- and long run revenue and expenditure trends. This report offers context for the current budget debate and tracks legislative events related to the federal budget.

The report can be obtained at https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45202.pdf.

Department of Education Insights on Accreditation

In drafting a regulatory agenda for the oversight bodies for higher education institutions, the U.S. Department of Education is paying special attention to previously published recommendations that suggest reorienting accreditation toward its original focus of academic quality, a key adviser to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Tuesday.

Diane Auer Jones, a special adviser to the secretary, offered the remarks in a briefing before the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, which oversees the country’s higher ed accreditors, on how the department is looking to reduce the regulatory burden on those organizations. 

The article may be accessed here. 

Income-Based Third-Party Payment Programs

A new Issue Brief from the Commonwealth Fund examines the potential of third-party payment programs to help low-income consumers obtain marketplace coverage. Funded by local hospital systems and run by independent nonprofits, these programs pay premium costs not covered by tax credits.

The Issue Brief can be obtained at http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/files/publications/issue-brief/2018/may/dorn_third_party_payment_progs_ib.pdf.

Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Health Care Workforce Shortages

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions held a Full Committee hearing today, “The Health Care Workforce: Addressing Shortages and Improving Care”, which examined how to address health workforce shortages, giving particular attention to workforce shortages in rural areas. Testimony was provided by Dr. Kristen Goodell, of the Boston University School of Medicine, Dr. Julie Sanford of James Madison University, and Dr. Elizabeth Phelan of Elizabeth Phelan of the University of Washington. 

A memo on the hearing may be accessed here. 

Federal Regulations on the State Authorization of Distance Education Delayed

The U.S. Department of Education has delayed the effective date of the state authorization of distance education and correspondence education regulations by two years. The federal regulation, which was published on December 19, 2016, was to be effective July 1, 2018. The Department has proposed another round of negotiated rulemaking. 

The latest rule on the delay may be accessed here and the rule on the negotiated rulemaking may be accessed here. 

 

 

Addressing Current Health Crises

A new issue brief from The Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust highlights actions that the health care system – including hospitals and health systems – can take to help address issues like drug overdoses, alcohol-related deaths and suicides.

The issue brief can be obtained at http://healthyamericans.org/assets/files/PainNationHealthCareBrief-05.pdf.

2018 Scorecard On State Health System Performance

A new Commonwealth Fund scorecard that measures health system performance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia shows that the combined death rate from suicide, alcohol, opioids, and other drugs increased by 50 percent nationwide between 2005 and 2016. Mortality rates for treatable medical conditions also rose, reversing a decade-long downward national trend. Gaps in mental health care are pervasive as well. On the plus side, the ability to obtain affordable health care improved, with states that expanded eligibility for Medicaid experiencing the biggest gains from 2013 to 2016.

An interactive state scorecard digital report can be obtained at http://www.commonwealthfund.org/interactives/2018/may/state-scorecard/files/Radley_State_Scorecard_2018.pdf.

IPEC Webinar on Promoting Health and Wellness through Collaboration

The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) will host their fourth event in their 2018 IPEC Webinar Series aimed at highlighting trends and activities in interprofessional education (IPE) and practice. The Webinar "Promoting Health & Wellness Through Collaboration"will take place Thursday, May 24 at 2:00 pm ET and feature  panelists Drs. Lisa Desai (Screening for Mental Health, Riverside Community Care) and Aviad Haramati (Center for Innovation and Leadership in Education, Georgetown University Medical Center). Drs. Desai and Haramati will share remarks on strategies and approaches that can enhance the capacity for resilience among teams of health students and practitioners. This free, dynamic webinar is open to deans, faculty, staff, and students from IPEC member schools, as well as non-members, communities of interest, and practice representatives.

You may access more details, including a registration link, here: https://www.ipecollaborative.org/webinars.html

 

Five Rules Of The College And Career Game

The postsecondary landscape has become increasingly complex, and as a result, has diminished transparency around student outcomes.  A new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce untangles today's college and career maze and shows that workers with a bachelor’s degree have median earnings nearly double that of workers with no more than a high school diploma. It also finds that the difference in annual median earnings between the highest and lowest paying majors is $39,000.

The report can be obtained at https://cew-7632.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/Fiverules.pdf.

CMS Unveils Enhanced “Drug Dashboards” to Increase Transparency on Drug Prices

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a redesigned version of the Drug Spending Dashboards, which include year-over-year information on drug pricing and highlight which manufactures have been increasing their prices. The dashboards are interactive online tools that allow patients, clinicians, researchers, and the public to understand trends in drug spending with data reported for both Medicare and Medicaid. 

Additional information can be obtained at https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Press-releases/2018-Press-releases-items/2018-05-15.html.

Alternate Federal System For Apprenticeships

A task force produced a report in the form of a "roadmap" for alternative federal system for apprenticeships. A 20-member task force of experts, including the secretaries of education, labor, and commerce participated in the development of recommendations.

The report can be obtained at https://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/docs/20180510-task-force-meeting-final-report.pdf.

Foreign Students Graduating And Working In STEM Fields

According to a report from the Pew Research Center, the number of foreign college students staying and working in the U.S. after graduation has surged. Federal training program experienced a four-fold increase in foreign students graduating and working in STEM fields from 2008 to 2016.

The report can be obtained at http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/10110621/Pew-Research-Center_Foreign-Student-Graduate-Workers-on-OPT_2018.05.10.pdf.

A Decade Of Developments In Health IT

In a new interview on the AHRQ Patient Safety Network website, Commonwealth Fund President David Blumenthal, M.D., talks about progress in health information technology in the decade since passage of the HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Act and reflects on his time serving as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

The interview can be obtained at https://psnet.ahrq.gov/perspectives/perspective/248