CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=17","20130614191919","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1371237559"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title> So What’s Next | THA.com </title><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="/web/20130614191919cs_/http://www.tha.com/css/main.css"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20130614191919js_/http://www.tha.com/js/jquery.min.js"></script> </head> <body> <form name="aspnetForm" method="post" action="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=17" id="aspnetForm"> <input type="hidden" name="__VIEWSTATE" id="__VIEWSTATE" value="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"/> <div id="site-container"> <div id="header"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/"><img src="/web/20130614191919im_/http://www.tha.com/images/tha-logo.gif" alt="THA logo"/></a> <div id="tp-menu"> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/">THA Home</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=1">About THA</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=25">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/members/">Members Only</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/board/">Board Only</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="nav"> <span id="ctl00_spnNav"><ul><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=4">Advocacy</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=5">Quality/Safety</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=6">Communications</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=9">Information Services</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=7">Education</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=20">Rural Health</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=12">Solutions Group</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=3">Other Services</a></li></ul></span> </div> <div id="content-top"></div> <div id="content-container"> <div id="content-left"> <div id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder2_fillNav"><h3>Recent Blog Posts</h3><ul><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=26">The Image of Hospitals</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=25">To Expand or Not to Expand, That is the Question</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=24">Physician Changes Critical to Hospitals’ Future</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=23">Exciting Times Are Ahead for Health Care</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=22">Hospitals in Bull’s Eye of Congressional Cost-Cutters</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=21">Accuracy Important for Reporting, Patient Safety</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=20">Mulling Over the Supreme Court Decision</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=19">Fast and Furious</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=17">So What’s Next</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=18">Health Care Already Moving in a New Direction</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=16">Christmas Comes Early</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=15">Less for Less</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=14">Working Together Is the Right Thing To Do</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=13">World Upside Down</a></li><li><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/Default.aspx?pid=12">Déjà vu’ on Balancing Federal Budget on Hospitals</a></li></ul></div> </div> <div id="content-right"> <h1 id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_header">So What’s Next</h1> <div id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_body" class="blogpost"><p class="postmeta"><em>Posted on May 8, 2012 by Craig Becker</em></p><br/><p> As I watch in stunned bewilderment at the machinations of our elected leaders in Washington and how they trying to balance the federal budget on the backs of hospitals, I can’t help but wonder how every hospital is going to make it? Hospitals literally are the piggy bank that congress is robbing to fund various items, including the deficit reduction.</p> <p> Part of the problem is a percentage of hospitals financially are doing well. The vast majority are not. But it is those few hospitals that congress focuses on when it makes its deficit-cutting decisions. </p> <p> When you look at the numbers that already are in place with the various cuts on the books, you quickly realize there is no way hospitals can provide the levels of care in the manner they have in the past. I do believe most changes the field will undergo will make health care more efficient and, hopefully, more patient-centric.</p> <p> By 2019, the cuts which many are feeling now, dramatically will increase. However, Medicare revenues literally fall off the table. </p> <div style="text-align:center;"> <img alt="Total Hospital Medicare Margins by Year" src="/web/20130614191919im_/http://www.tha.com/images/2012/projection-medicare-margins.jpg"/></div> <p> For many hospitals, it isn’t about changing how they provide care, but can they survive to provide any care at all. </p> <p> This will be the next challenge for THA and its members. This is the new normal. Hospitals must stop harming patients, get their costs under control and align their incentives with physicians. Once hospitals do this, they will be prepared for all eventualities. </p><br/><p><a class="headlink" href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/blog/">«« Back to the THA Blog</a></p></div> <br/> <br/> </div> </div> <div id="footer-2"> <p>© 2010 - Tennessee Hospital Association • 5201 Virginia Way • Brentwood, TN 37027 • Phone: 615-256-8240 • Fax: 615-242-4803 • <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130614191919/mailto:webmaster@tha.com">webmaster@tha.com</a></p> <p><a href="/web/20130614191919/http://www.tha.com/Default.aspx?pid=50">Directions to THA</a></p>  <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://web.archive.org/web/20130614191919/https://ssl." : "https://web.archive.org/web/20130614191919/http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-1732062-4"); pageTracker._initData(); pageTracker._trackPageview(); </script> </div> </div> </form> </body> </html>