Iowa news
Several Iowa hospitals make list of 350 top hospitals for nurse communication
Becker’s has compiled a list of the best hospitals for nurse communication in each state using Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems data from CMS. CMS shares 10 HCAHPS star ratings based on publicly reported HCAHPS measures. The nurse communication star rating combines data from three HCAHPS survey questions and summarizes how well patients feel that their nurses explained things clearly, listened carefully to the patient, and treated the patient with courtesy and respect. The star rating is based on survey data collected from hospital patients in the calendar year 2022. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Mission Cancer + Blood standalone clinic opens in Ankeny
A new cancer treatment center, part of a planned medical park, has opened in Ankeny’s Prairie Trail as the neighborhood continues to fill in. Mission Cancer + Blood opened its first standalone clinic earlier this month. The 11,000 square-foot facility, which has seven physicians alongside nurses and other staff, offers services like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, an in-house lab, genetic counseling, access to clinical trials and supportive services. (Des Moines Register)
Iowa in the top 10 for active physicians per 100,000 people
Iowa ranks eighth with the most active physicians per 100,000 people. Idaho has the lowest number of active physicians per 100,000 people, while Massachusetts has the highest, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges’ interactive online dashboard. The U.S. Physician Workforce Data Dashboard combines data published in two publications: the Physician Specialty Data Report and the State Physician Workforce Data Report. It includes data about the physician workforce across specialties and geographies. (Association of American Medical Colleges)
National news
Is health care ready to embrace more young nurses?
In conversations about the nursing shortage, health care leaders often underscore the importance of building a pipeline by stirring interest among younger generations, and getting in front of high schoolers and middle schoolers. But is the industry fully ready to embrace more young nurses? Over the summer, a 16-year-old Arizona State University graduate made headlines when she earned her BSN. Generally, anyone under 18 couldn’t secure full-time employment as a hospital nurse, but in the coming years, health care organizations could see a rise in the number of nurse applicants who’ve earned their degrees in their late teens or early 20s, particularly as they ramp up efforts to market the profession to especially young populations. (Becker’s Clinical Leadership)
The silent stress of health system CEOs
Health care leaders have the highest turnover rates of all major industries, with 75% of executives considering leaving their profession due to burnout. But most books, webinars and initiatives to solve the issue are geared toward clinicians. Burnout accounts for 70% of leadership turnover — compared to 40% of staff turnover — but few executives speak out on the exhaustion they experience. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Where health systems stand on AI adoption
Artificial intelligence is the area where health system C-suite leaders have seen the greatest improvement in recent years, though more alignment across departments and locations is needed for it to reach its full promise, according to a new study from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and KLAS Research. More than 80% of health care organizations surveyed employ advanced analytics in some form. But they often use solutions from multiple vendors that aren’t integrated. But executives are particularly excited about generative AI’s potential beyond just operational efficiency. (KLAS Research)