For the Jewish doctors and nurses at Allegheny General Hospital, the fact that their patient was accused of mass murder at a nearby Pittsburgh synagogue did not alter their treatment. That he continued to spew anti-Semitic vitriol did not change the care they rendered. Neither did the fact that among his victims were their family, friends, or neighbors.

It’s no secret that health care, particularly hospital care, is ripe for disruption. Why else would giants like Amazon, Google, and CVS be diving into clinical practices with both feet?

Entering into the new model contract, Maryland’s hospitals and health systems are doubling down on the effort to improve health outcomes. Recent reports show where some of the key opportunities lie: maternal health; health care-associated infections; and opioid mortality.​

This week I have two very different good news items: one related to improving the support for survivors of sexual assault and the other on the Health Services Cost Review Commission’s (HSCRC) Medicare Performance Adjustment (MPA) policy.

Last week, during MHA’s very productive annual Executive Committee retreat, committee members deliberated upon a new strategic plan for your association. The conversation was high energy and yielded excellent insights. Staff will use the time until our November meeting to make the plan ready for formal ratification and dissemination

A week ago today, state health officials announced that Maryland would receive $66 million in federal funding to help combat the scourge of opioid addiction.​ And on Tuesday, U.S. lawmakers unveiled a bipartisan bill aimed at fighting the nation’s opioid epidemic. The bill contains some promising provisions, including a boost to treatment access for patients in rural areas and the removal of a 1960s rule that prohibits federal Medicaid reimbursement for certain inpatient treatment centers with mental illness patients.