Accountable care organizations are expected to be the most pervasive value-based model forhealth plans.

Forbes ranks the top 12 healthcare professions.

These corporate heroes are also health leaders.

We might think they have to be large companies with lots of resources, offering premium health benefit plans to their employees while generously supporting local charitable organizations. But there’s no reason why a small business can’t also be a health leader, and do it in a cost-effective manner.

Being a health leader starts with offering health benefits to employees. Today health insurers offer a range of plans that accommodate the needs of small employers with fewer than 50 employees. Many offer plans that enable small businesses to pick several plan options while keeping costs under control.

Beyond the basics of offering health insurance, being a health leader entails a number of other commitments by the business, none of which has to be cost-prohibitive:

• Get Employees Out – encourage employees to participate in walks, runs, cycling and other events that support nonprofit organizations helping to improve the community’s health. These organizations may be researching or educating the public on diseases, providing health services, or bringing wellness and nutritional programs to underserved communities.
• Get Involved – include the company in communitywide efforts to improve health, such as blood or flu-shot drives.

• Get Competitive – support healthy competitions among the staff.  For example, encourage employees to walk more by giving them inexpensive pedometers and hold weekly or monthly step contests for individuals and/or teams.

• Get Informed – encourage employees to use the resources of their health insurance, including preventive care, online health tools, wellness programs and discounts on health-related products and services.

Becoming a health leader can help small businesses thrive in three ways:

1. It makes it easier to attract and retain good employees. Employees with health insurance and those who believe the business is dedicated to the community are happier and more likely to stay.
2. It makes employees more productive. Virtually everything that a small company does to become a health leader will help improve employees’ overall health. Healthier employees miss less work and are more productive.
3. It establishes a top-notch reputation for the small business in the business community and with the general public. Most small businesses sell their products and services locally and some globally. Whether selling to other businesses or to consumers, having a good reputation can influence customers to buy and remain loyal.

Being a health leader enables a small company to project a bigger appearance and gain equal footing in the community with its larger competitors, and provides a competitive edge over rivals its own size.

— Scott Flannery is CEO of UnitedHealthcare of North Texas 

CareerCast studied U.S. professions and ranked them based on five criteria: work environment, stress level, physical demands, median salary, and projected job outlook. Of the top 10 “Best Jobs of 2013” named by CareerCast, five were healthcare careers.

Dental hygienists have the No. 1 healthcare job, according to CareerCast, partly because talented hygienists have higher-paying jobs and flexible schedules with relatively low stress.

Other healthcare jobs were cited for their high pay and their anticipated market growth. Audiologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and optometrists weren’t far behind as best professions on CareerCast’s Top 10.

Forbes dug a little deeper with CareerCast’s list and added seven of their own picks for a total of 12 great healthcare jobs. Forbes’ top 12 along with median incomes is as follows:

1. Dental Hygienist – $68,000
2. Audiologist – $67,000
3. Occupational Therapist – $72,000
4. Physical Therapist – $76,000
5. Optometrist – $95,000
6. Pharmacist – $112,000
7. Physician’s Assistant – $86,000
8. Chiropractor – $67,000
9. General Practice Physician – $205,000
10. Registered Nurse – $65,000
11. Speech Pathologist – $67,000
12. Psychiatrist – $164,000

The report surveyed respondents on their strategy for adopting value-based models such as ACOs, patient-centered medical homes, payment for coordination, pay-for-performance for physicians and hospitals and bundled payments. Nearly 9 out of 10 health-plan executives said they either had implemented or were planning to implement an ACO in the next 12 to 18 months.

The website, which ranks and compares health plans, asked how much money patients would need to save annually to change physicians. More than half said they would be willing to do so for a savings of $500-$1000 a year. By comparison, less than 1 out of 11 said they were change physicians only if they saved more than $3,000 a year.

Narrower provider networks allow health plans to offer lower rates to a more select pool of physicians in exchange for more patients.

About 6 out of 10 arthritis sufferers in Texas do not walk at all in a given week, according to a CDC survey.

The state’s rates are below the national average.

Walking is the most preferred exercise among arthritis patients and has been shown to improve arthritis symptoms, physical function, walking pace, and quality of life.

Walking contributes to total physical activity and is an appropriate activity to increase overall physical activity levels among adults with arthritis.

The Arthritis Foundation is expecting about 2,000 participants in its annual 3.5-mile Arthritis Walk at 10 a.m. Saturday at 12700 Park Central in Dallas. Participants walk in honor of a friend or family member with arthritis. People with arthritis wear blue hats. May is Arthritis Awareness Month.

Pam McGill, Dallas-based regional vice president of mission programs for the Arthritis Foundation, said, “We need to get the 3.9 million Texans living with arthritis involved in physical activities. Texas exceeds the national median by substantial margin for those living with arthritis and reporting no leisure-time physical activity.”

The 90-minute threshold was based on the minimum amount of weekly walking shown in a randomized controlled trial to lower pain (27 percent decrease) and improve function (39 percent increase) among adults with arthritis. It is also the typical amount of walking achieved in the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease program, which is three days a week for about 30 minutes.

Walking is a low-impact, acceptable, convenient and inexpensive activity for adults with arthritis and is an appropriate activity to increase overall physical activity.

In every state, more than half of adults with arthritis do no or little walking per week. Prevalence of walking less than 90 minutes a week ranged from 58 percent in California to more than 76 percent in Tennessee.

Studies by the Thurston Arthritis Research Center and the Institute on Aging at the University of North Carolina show that Walk With Ease is proven to:

• Reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis.
• Increase balance, strength and walking pace.
• Build confidence in your ability to be physically active.
• Improve overall health.

The only local Walk With Ease program is at Town North YMCA at 4332 Northaven in Dallas. The six-week program was begun there earlier this year.

About 50 million Americans – or about 1 out of 5 U.S. adults – have been diagnosed with arthritis. That number is expected to rise to 1 out of 3 adults by 2030 as the entire baby boomer generation becomes elderly. About half of those over age 65 have arthritis.

Arthritis is also the nation’s most common cause of disability. Nearly 21 million Americans say they have activity limitations because of the condition.

Two-thirds of diagnosed arthritis patients are under 65. Of those, about 4 out of 10 have work limitations because of it.

Arthritis is composed of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions. Osteoarthritis, the most common form, mostly affects the cartilage. Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over each other and absorbs the shock of movement. In osteoarthritis, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away as people age. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can develop at any age. Common symptoms for both include pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in and near the joints.

In 2003, the total cost of arthritis was $128 billion, including $81 billion in medical costs and $47 billion in lost earnings. The condition results in nearly one million hospitalizations annually. Nearly half of the hospital discharges are for knee replacement procedures.

Exercise is an effect way to combat arthritis. However, those with the condition find physical activity a challenge. More than half of U.S. adults with diabetes or heart disease also have arthritis. This impedes chronic-disease management. Fewer than 1 out of 7 men and 1 out of 12 women met the federal physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. Exercise can reduce pain, lessen joint stiffness, increase strength and increase mobility. This is contrary to a common myth that people with arthritis need to rest their joints.

Weight loss is also an important component of arthritis management. A loss of 15 pounds can cut knee pain in half and reduce disability.  About 2 out of 3 arthritis patients are overweight or obese, which puts excess stress on joints.

Steve Jacob is editor of D Healthcare Daily and author of the book Health Care in 2020: Where Uncertain Reform, Bad Habits, Too Few Doctors and Skyrocketing Costs Are Taking Us. He can be reached at steve.jacob@dmagazine.com.

A North Carolina mobile application company ranked four Dallas-Fort Worth hospitals among its top 12 in its Texas Patient Engagement Index.

The CMS named its first permanent administrator since 2006 on Wednesday.

Tavenner served as an acting administrator since late 2011 and received a 91-7 vote, according to Modern Healthcare. The former Virginia secretary of health and human services employee’s election follows a February nomination by President Barack Obama.

The Axial Exchange listed Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, Texas Health Harris Methodist, Baylor University Medical Center and Medical City Dallas among its top dozen hospitals in the state for patient engagement.

The company said the index ranks hospitals based on publically available data in three categories: personal health management, patient satisfaction and social media engagement. It said it evaluates provider organizations’ personal health management strategies, awarding maximum points to those organizations that not only offer electronic access to patient health records, but also provide resources for disease management support, including mobile, tablet and desktop tools.

Axial Exchange also ranks hospitals according to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey, a standardized instrument for measuring patients’ perspectives on hospital care.

UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Neal Alto, Ph.D., has received a 2013 Merck Irving S. Sigal Memorial Award for his investigation of cross-species communication between pathogens and the host’s cell signaling systems. The award, named for a scientist involved in the early identification of therapies to treat HIV/AIDS, honors early career scientists for their outstanding basic research in medical microbiology and infectious diseases.

Dr. Hoyt Frenzel, emergency medicine physician and medical director of Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital’s emergency department, has received the Physician of the Year award from the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council. He has been recognized for his integral role in Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital’s numerous achievements to advance and promote quality health care and patient satisfaction. Frenzel joined the medical staff at Texas Health Arlington Memorial in 2001, and in 2007, he became the hospital’s ED medical director. Under his direction, the hospital earned Acute Heart Failure Center designation by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care in 2009.

Laura Sullivan, R.N., of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen has earned the Special Recognition Award at the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Employee of the Year luncheon. Sullivan has dedicated more than 20 years to the field of nursing and has spent the last seven years caring for patients admitted to the medical/surgical unit at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen.

COMPANIES

Texas Health Resources has been recognized with the MAP Award for High Performance in Revenue Cycle from the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Texas Health is one of only four health care organizations in the country to be recognized by the award at the system level for 2013. The award recognizes health care organizations that demonstrate innovative and effective practices that deliver sustained financial performance, including patient satisfaction scores.

Centennial Medical Center in Frisco has been recognized with Advanced Certification for Primary Stoke Centers. The certification recognizes an organization’s dedication to improving patient outcomes. The Joint Commission reviewed Centennial’s compliance with the requirements for The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification program as well as primary stroke center requirements and made no recommendations for improvement to the hospital.

The Methodist Dallas Medical Center cancer program has earned the highest Three-Year Accreditation with commendation at the gold level from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet or exceed 34 CoC quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.  Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation is only awarded to a facility that exceeds standard requirements at the time of its triennial survey.  The gold level requires the center to achieve commendation in seven or eight standards. The Methodist Dallas multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer received commendation in eight standards.

Baylor Medical Center McKinney received the Dallas Business Journal “2013 Best Medical Real Estate Deal.” The award honors the most important, complex and biggest deals in North Texas during 2012. Baylor McKinney was one of only two finalists in the category of “Best Medical Deal.” The DBJ selected the Baylor McKinney deal because of the “combination of a winning site, a growing population, a supportive city, strong demographics and available doctors.”

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman has received Quality Respiratory Care Recognition by the American Association of Respiratory Care. Texas Health Kaufman qualified for this recognition by meeting a series of quality standards and guidelines for delivering high-level care. The hospital was recognized for its commitment to providing safe, quality care to our patients on a daily basis.

The Wound Care Center at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen has earned a Center of Distinction Award. The hospital was recognized for having a center that achieved high quality outcomes for 12 consecutive months. More than 400 patients were treated at the Texas Health Allen Wound Care Center in 2012 and maintained a patient satisfaction score of more than 96 percent. In 97 percent of cases, patients at the center saw their wounds heal within 30 days. The center treats a wide range of wounds such as diabetic ulcers, surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, arterial ulcers, venous insufficiency, traumatic wounds and burns.

Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford has earned a Level III Trauma Facility designation by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The designation demonstrates the hospital’s ability to meet a high level of 24-hour trauma emergency, operative and critical care services. Texas Health HEB has recently received other quality recognitions, including recognition as a Cycle IV Chest Pain Center and full Heart Failure accreditation by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care and designation as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. Level III Trauma Facility designation means emergency responders do not have to deliver Mid-Cities trauma victims to hospitals in Dallas or Fort Worth for high-quality care.

Children’s Medical Center of Dallas has partnered with the North Texas Accountable Healthcare Partnership’s Health Information Exchange. The hospital is the first pediatric hospital to partner with the NTAHP Health Information Exchange. The partnership allows Children’s healthcare providers to quickly and easily retrieve comprehensive patient history from all providers involved in a patient’s care.

Methodist Health System has been named one of 100 Great Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review. Methodist Health has earned the recognition for three years in a row. Methodist was recognized for its excellent employee benefit packages and tuition reimbursement, the way its “faith-based mission resonates with staff,” and for the 30 Minute Club, in which Methodist employees can choose to donate a portion of each paycheck to capital improvement projects, the Basic Employee Needs Fund, the Life Shines Bright Pregnancy Program, or the Methodist General Fund.