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The article discusses keys to a successful stroke care system. It states that stroke care should involve coordination in the entire care sequence starting from primary prevention through rehabilitation. The keys to the success of the system include building beneficial partnerships, establishing a good reimbursement scheme and avoiding to overinvest in technology. It is also mentioned that having certification is important as well as continuously improving care quality.

The article discusses the considerations and requirements for making surgery more patient-centered. It suggests that the patient should be involved in the healthcare decision-making, particularly, in determining whether surgery is the best treatment approach. It emphasizes that the patient's family should get involved in the care which begins with the initial office visit. It points out that for surgery to be more patient-centered, feedback from patients and their families should be obtained and the quality and speed of operation should be improved.

The article focuses on the fragmentation of healthcare in the U.S. Healthcare is highly fragmented and it gives rise to three big problems which are rising costs, poor quality, and limited access. Linking the care continuum to make different healthcare services function as one is a central challenge facing hospitals, physicians, and other providers. Defragmenting the healthcare system may happen at the service line or disease line level through better management of episodes of care and change should emanate from top hospital leaders. INSET: POSSIBLE MODELS.

The article focuses on the practice of comprehensive women's health. It discusses that the program, which makes use of biological differences in assessing diseases, was used by the Carolinas Medical Center in North Carolina to keep up with the competition. It presents different strategies to make the practice of women's health services quality-driven and profitable including investing in high-risk obstetrics, having multi-department services, making marketing interactive, and controlling supply and staffing budget.

The article discusses the potential approaches that may be taken by hospitals and physicians in the U.S. on imaging equipment acquisitions as healthcare economy improves in 2010 after recession prompted them to stop capital expenditures in 2008. It states the change in the growth prospects for the use of imaging equipment due to the impact of reductions in reimbursements for physicians. Also stressed is the need for hospitals and doctors to determine the proper timing for increasing their investments on imaging tools. INSET: GOING MOBILE.

The article highlights the ways to implement a successful sports medicine program. It relates that the presence of athletic trainers establishes brand awareness for medical facility despite the high costs of hiring them. The importance of forming a partnership between the local community and the hospital is explained. It is noted that sports medicine will be effective with a team consisting of primary care doctors, physiatrists, physical therapists, psychologists, and experts in sports nutrition. INSET: PAYING FOR THE PROS.

The article focuses on the new services hospitals may offer in the future. Cardiovascular and oncology programs are among the hospital programs that are being more specialize and interdisciplinary and according to Sg2, hospital services will continue to evolve around specific patient care rather than physician specialty designations. The author says that genomics or personalized medicine, wound care, sleep medicine and diagnostic services are the four emerging service line that health leaders should keep an eye on in the future. INSETS: WHAT BRAND ARE YOUR GENES?;TACKLING TURF BATTLES.

The article discusses ways by which physicians and hospitals can deliver digestive health services as a comprehensive, coordinated service line rather than relying on a colonoscopy reimbursement system. It suggests gastroenterologists to joint venture an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) with other physicians so as to open communication lines, build relationships and generate revenue. Also recommended are the spread of centralized digestive health centers, incorporation of bariatrics in the service line structure, and focus on recruiting physicians. INSET: SCAN VS. PROBE.

The article examines the negative effects of the recession on emergency departments (ED) of hospitals in the U.S. A survey done by the American College of Emergency Physicians found that there have been a significant increase in patients seeking care in the ED of hospitals resulting in overcrowding. To ease the congestion, patients are admitted to the inpatient unit which is not a cost-effective way. Four steps that will ease overcrowding and make the ED more financially sustainable are offered.

The article describes how stroke centers can become comprehensive in treating stroke patients. It enumerates the requirements needed to become primary stroke centers which include getting a certification, an integration of activities from the time the patient is admitted, rehabilitated and provided with a follow-up program and the adoption of virtual telestroke technology where centers can act as hub in coordinating with small hospitals in rural and suburban areas, or spokes, through video consultations and remote forms of treatment.

The article emphasizes the significance of disease-prevention and wellness maintenance efforts in order to effectively employ reforms in the health care sector. According to Kathryn Menard-Rothe, wellness manager for Froedtert & Community Health in Wisconsin, most of chronic diseases are attributable to lifestyle factors including eating habits. Overall wellness improvement, as suggested, can help save money and improve the healthcare system. Key points to the success of healthcare services include evaluation of how services are organized.

The article presents guidelines for implementing a multidisciplinary cancer care program in hospitals. Hospitals are advised to aim to become a comprehensive destination center or as a top program for a specific type of cancer. Technology should be matched with a hospital's cancer program mission. One approach of hospitals in building professional trust is by relying on physician-to-physician relationships.

The article examines the implications of the transition of hospitals from Generation Y physicians to Generation X physicians. Complaints against Generation Xers include lesser dedication to medicine, putting in fewer hours, and not as loyal to organizations. Among the advantages of Generation Xers over Generation Y physicians are their being technologically savvy and their skills that are necessary to drive healthcare system improvements. INSET: A Gender Gap?.

The article discusses how hospitals in the U.S. can speed up the surgical process for joint replacements without sacrificing safety. The demand for joint replacements is expected to increase while surgeons decrease in number. Joint replacements centers are advised to lessen variability to improve quality and increase the volume of replacements than can be done in a given day, as well as minimize the length of hospitalization of patients. INSET: HIPS AND KNEES, OVERSEAS.

The article focuses on technological developments which lessen the time and cost of surgical procedures. Surgical procedures, such as microsurgery and noninvasive procedures, are being developed to cut down the length of hospital stay and reduce the risk for the patient. It states that these developments moved from the inpatient to outpatient settings because complicated surgeries can be done with fewer hospital resources.

The article focuses on the impact of the recession on the cardiovascular service line offered in hospitals and health systems. The "HealthLeaders Media Industry Survey 2009" shows that the cardiovascular service has the greatest potential for revenue growth in the coming years. Hospitals are advised to make their services diverse, implement subspecialization, and prioritize physicians.

The article focuses on new opportunities for hospitals to expand its health services for women in response to changing female demographics. According to the author, hospitals have considered redesigning their facilities beyond simply providing obstetrics services. A discussion on hospital innovations are offered, with a particular focus on the Southern Hills Medical Center in Nashville which closed its obstetrics department in the fall of 2008 to open more medical-surgery beds and other services central to the health of women.

The article discusses strategies used by health care providers in handling their intensive care units (ICUs). According to Tom Rainey, president of the healthcare quality consultant firm CriticalMed Inc., in Bethesda, Maryland, medical care has historically been episodic and that the evolution of the intensivist has brought a new level of reliability, proven better outcomes, and reduced cost and waste. The article notes that ICU teams must avoid the common pitfalls that accompany hierarchical collaboration.

The article discusses the importance of balancing invasive procedures and the shift to outpatient care toward a successful spine care service. It emphasizes the need to close the gap between orthopedics and neurology as well as the importance of providing physicians with information on outcome and clinical measures. It recommends navigating patients through the multidisciplinary team and triaging surgical and nonsurgical cases, ignoring geographical limitations to growth by doing marketing and branding campaigns, and having centralize services.

The article focuses on the reluctance of hospitals in the U.S. to expand senior health programs due to the uncertainty about Medicare reimbursement, according to Doctor David Reuben, former president of the American Geriatrics Society. It considers senior health as the future of healthcare and is said to be central to providers' community mission. Reuben notes that geriatricians are among the lowest in compensation.