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News, Announcements, and other thoughts from our team

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Research Study Abstract: Higher Volume Surgeons are Associated with Better Outcomes
March 13th, 2023
Nationwide Study Reveals 20% of Shoulder Surgeons Performed Over 70% of Total Shoulder Arthroplasties, With a 30% Lower Revision Rate

ERAS Compliance at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
February 2nd, 2023
Take the time to learn more about ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) and see how a nation’s leading organization is succeeding while using Avant-garde's powerful data insights.

Why Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing may be the "Gold Standard" for Measuring Costs of Surgical Pathways?
January 25th, 2023
Learn more about TDABC and how it can be applied to healthcare and surgical pathways.

AGH/CSS Value Based Healthcare Research Group
January 12th, 2023
Sharing the success of Avant-garde Health and the Codman Shoulder Society Value Based Healthcare Research Group!

Total Shoulder Arthroplasty & COVID-19
November 22nd, 2022
Summary abstract of the study “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Racial Disparities in Patients Undergoing Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (TSA) in the United States”

Avant-garde Health Sponsoring NERVES Event
September 23rd, 2022
Avant-garde Health is here to join NERVES with "Building the Best" of the future of spine care and the development of centers of excellence!

Healthcare Cost Control: Practical Recommendations
July 14th, 2022
Recommendations for successful healthcare cost control (webinar transcript)

Understanding Volumes, Supply Costs, and Outcomes in Improving Spine Surgeries
June 22nd, 2022
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Healthcare Coding Errors and Implications
April 28th, 2022
In this blog we talk about what healthcare coding is and the cost of coding errors. Then we provide some solutions for coding errors that can help a hospital or health system reconcile missed revenue.

Supply Chain Issues and Solutions
March 17th, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has created global supply chain issues, including shortages in critical supplies needed to provide healthcare safely and efficiently. While this initially began with personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages for medical workers working with COVID-19 patients, it has expanded to shortages in supplies including basics such as crutches. A report from Kaufman Hall in October 2021 found that 99% of hospitals and health systems are experiencing supply procurement challenges.

Physician Benchmarking Drives Performance and Improvements
February 24th, 2022
Read how Avant-garde Health's analytic tools can help organizations implement physician benchmarking, allowing higher quality care to be provided at a lower cost.

CDC Guidance on Addressing Staff Shortages
February 10th, 2022
This short post goes over a few things to keep in mind from the CDC when it comes to working with the ongoing healthcare staff shortages.

Considerations When Combatting Staffing Shortages
January 26th, 2022
There are many consequences of hospital staffing shortages but there are some solutions that will allow hospitals to optimize their staff and plan ahead.

COVID-19's Impact on Hospitalization Outcomes
January 12th, 2022
Avant-garde Health’s Xiaoran (Luka) Zhang and Derek Haas partnered with researchers Dr. Zirui Song, Dr. Lindsey Patterson, and Dr. C. Lowry Barnes to explore the data in a new JAMA Network article titled “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Hospitalization Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

The Future of Telehealth
December 15th, 2021
In a recent survey from HIMSS Analytics and Amwell, more than 100 executives at health systems and hospitals were asked about their intended future investment in telehealth. We note here some of the biggest takeaways.
![Discussion on the Shift of Inpatient to Outpatient [WEBINAR]](https://images.ctfassets.net/4gnchvvdpwy1/5qv75i9vBO95bek62Mv4Ou/f71237a4f41d85d72b4e76dd660dffd7/doctor-g0f495dc0b_1920.jpg?w=750&h=375&fl=progressive&q=50&fm=jpg)
Discussion on the Shift of Inpatient to Outpatient [WEBINAR]
November 18th, 2021
An overview of a recent webinar Avant-garde Health hosted featuring a discussion around the shift of inpatient to outpatient care.

Patient protections under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
October 28th, 2021
We review new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates that will impact payers and providers alike.

COVID-19 and the Rise of Telehealth in Orthopaedic Care
September 20th, 2021
We provide a current assessment of the literature on the provision of care during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on the incorporation of telehealth into orthopedic care.

Best Practices for Same-Day Total Joint Arthroplasties
February 17th, 2021
Avant-garde Health recently hosted a roundtable among our cohort members to discuss best practices on performing successful same-day TJAs.

Cost Savings at Ambulatory Surgical Centers
October 14th, 2020
Surgical procedures performed at ASCs save money in two ways: time and materials. We discuss these findings and others to underscore the benefit of providing care in this setting.

Orthopedic Surgery Post COVID-19
July 14th, 2020
We have developed a list of opportunities for innovation and transformation for future surgical practices based on current learnings during the pandemic.

Orthopaedic Surgery During COVID-19
June 23rd, 2020
This article distills the key insights of how to successfully resume orthopaedic surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Codman Shoulder Society: 6th annual meeting in review
June 25th, 2019
A group of forward-thinking shoulder surgeons, thought leaders, and industry suppliers gathered for the 6th annual Codman Shoulder Society meeting in San Diego, dedicated to advancing shoulder care through better care measurement, learning, and innovation.
![Insights-driven improvements [eBook]](https://images.ctfassets.net/4gnchvvdpwy1/2yDOoc3teyraeeQLF2h63f/19e44c33974cd0345377ed9bf7fb8b62/ebook-3106983_1920.jpg?w=750&h=375&fl=progressive&q=50&fm=jpg)
Insights-driven improvements [eBook]
May 21st, 2019
Insights-driven improvements: A step-by-step guide to taking action with data offers seven practical, easy-to-follow steps to help providers achieve improved operational efficiency and quality care results faster.
![Succeeding in BPCI Advanced [WEBINAR]](https://images.ctfassets.net/4gnchvvdpwy1/HgcLcxtkPFtsq32bJEbiz/f193d9ab07900c306abcb9e07c1abc06/money-2724241_1920.jpg?w=750&h=375&fl=progressive&q=50&fm=jpg)
Succeeding in BPCI Advanced [WEBINAR]
May 13th, 2019
Request access to the on-demand recording of our May 8 webinar with CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.

BPCI Advanced Preliminary Target Prices and Participation Review
April 29th, 2019
How prospective acute care hospital (ACH) participants should think about taking advantage of CMS’ BPCI Advanced program.

Avant-garde Health and Titanium Healthcare partner to drive success in Bundled Payments
March 27th, 2019
Solution enables providers to achieve maximum benefits from CMS' BPCI Advanced initiative.

Changing of the 'garde
March 11th, 2019
Avant-garde Health has a new look.
You might have noticed our modernized logo, more vibrant color palette, and updated website. Here are a few fun facts you might not know about the rebrand rollout.

AI Mentors podcast: Charlie Berg
February 22nd, 2019
Alldus International’s AI Mentors podcast features artificial intelligence leaders and data scientists from around the world, sharing their stories, successes and advice. Host Mark Kelley was joined on Episode 11 of AI Mentors by our very own Charlie Berg.

FierceHealthcare names Avant-garde Health as one of its 2019 “Fierce 15” Companies
January 8th, 2019
We are proud to announce that Avant-garde Health has been named by FierceHealthcare as one of the 2019 Fierce 15 companies, designating it as one of the most promising health care companies in the industry.

2018 in Review: Publications Roundup
January 2nd, 2019
2018 was an exciting year for the Avant-garde Health family. Our team contributed to a number of journal publications, and our customers were featured in national media, making headlines for our joint efforts to champion value-based care. Join us in looking back at some highlights from 2018, through the following news and thought leadership publications.
![Partnering to Improve Care [WEBINAR]](/static/e79ad68815e2c37c7ef6215a9fd8e071/80fc2/blog-placeholder.png)
Partnering to Improve Care [WEBINAR]
November 8th, 2018
Request access to the on-demand recording of our November 7 webinar with Gundersen Health System.
![Avant-garde Health and Gundersen Health System to Discuss Ongoing Care Improvement Efforts [WEBINAR]](/static/e79ad68815e2c37c7ef6215a9fd8e071/80fc2/blog-placeholder.png)
Avant-garde Health and Gundersen Health System to Discuss Ongoing Care Improvement Efforts [WEBINAR]
October 22nd, 2018
We invite you to join us at 2pm EST on Tuesday, November 7th for a webinar event with special guest Lisa Wied, MBA, administrative vice president, Gundersen Health System.

Key Takeaways from the 2018 Value Improvement Summit
October 9th, 2018
On October 4, 2018, we welcomed an outstanding group of innovators and thought leaders to Boston’s Battery Wharf Hotel for Avant-garde Health’s fourth annual Value Improvement Summit. The two-day event consisted of presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions focused on driving change and value in health care. Here are just a handful of our key takeaways from these informative, interactive and insightful discussions.

Innovation in Health Care IT
June 7th, 2018
The transformation of health care to a value-based model of care has allowed for the rise of smaller, more agile health care IT platforms that can respond to niche needs introduced by alternative payment and care delivery models as noted in a new Healthcare Informatics article.

The Bottom Line
May 31st, 2018
A newly published article in Renal and Urology explores the evidence-based tactics used to increase revenue and shares insights from Avant-garde Health Founder and CEO Derek Haas and references an additional article he co-authored in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Thoughts on Bundled Payments
May 24th, 2018
Amol Navathe, a professor of medicine and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and contributor to the development of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) hip and knee bundled payments, recently discussed the successes of this model on the Knowledge@Wharton podcast.

NYT: Medical Mystery
May 18th, 2018
An article this week in the New York Times entitled “Medical Mystery: Something Happened to U.S. Health Spending After 1980” shines a light on rising health care costs and the suggested reasons why America is dealing with escalating challenge.

TDABC: Accurately Measuring Supply Costs
May 10th, 2018
This is the second part in a series detailing the elements of time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) developed out of Harvard Business School. Learn how Avant-garde Health applies this costing methodology to measure supply costs related to the delivery of patient care across the inpatient portion of the full continuum.

New Feature By Popular Demand
May 9th, 2018
Our product team has been developing new features, many based on client request. Designed to improve the user experience, these features are available to all users across the Avant-garde Health network including our latest update just released this week.

Webinar: Preview our new BPCI-Advanced Diagnostic Tool
May 2nd, 2018
Join us on our next webinar to preview our new BPCI-Advanced Diagnostics Tool designed especially for the 32 episodes being offered as part of the new bundled payment model. Learn how simple it can be to analyze your potential for each bundle and make the best decisions for moving forward with this value-based care program from CMS.

TDABC: Accurately Measuring Personnel Costs
April 27th, 2018
This is the first part in a series detailing the elements of time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) developed out of Harvard Business School. Learn how Avant-garde Health applies this costing methodology to measure personnel costs related to the delivery of patient care across the inpatient portion of the full continuum.

What's the True Cost of Care?
April 20th, 2018
One of the drivers of Avant-garde Health's approach to accurate analytics is the utilization of Time-Drive Activity-Based Costing (TDABC), developed and researched out of Harvard Business School and now being applied to health care delivery. But what is it?

Does Your Health System Have An Innovation Office?
March 30th, 2018
In a Harvard Business Review piece this week, Avant-garde Health CEO Derek Haas along with advisors Dr. Michael Jellinek from Harvard Medical School and Professor Robert Kaplan from Harvard Business School offered their thoughts on the benefit of a centralized innovation budget.

Unlock the Data
March 22nd, 2018
In our next webinar, Lisa Wied, VP of Operations, will share the Gundersen Health System story. She will explain how access to Avant-garde Health analytics and the ability to share them with physicians helped drive improvement plans based on trusted, accurate, and actionable data.

Are You Applying for BPCI Advanced?
February 28th, 2018
For many health systems, the BPCI Advanced application process is well underway to meet the approaching March 12 deadline. Over the past month, we’ve worked with both administrators and providers to evaluate their potential financial opportunities should they decide to participate.

BPCI Advanced Webinar: Target Price Methodology
February 14th, 2018
It’s been over a month since CMS announced BPCI Advanced and less than a month left to meet the application deadline. At Avant-garde Health, our analysts continue to help health systems evaluate the financial opportunities available to them within the 32 episodes of care being covered by this new voluntary bundle payment model.

You're Invited to Our Next BPCI Advanced Webinar
February 5th, 2018
The second in a series, our upcoming webinar on BPCI Advanced will be held on Friday, February 9th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. "5 Steps for Optimizing BPCI Advanced" will feature a more robust question and answer session.

Should You Participate in BPCI Advanced?
January 25th, 2018
This month, CMS launched Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced), a new iteration of voluntary bundled payments for 32 clinical episodes designed to reduce costs and improve patient care. Demonstrating the government’s continued support for exploring new payment methodologies, this model represents an opportunity for health care providers to improve quality and profitability across the continuum of care for a range of medical conditions.

Insights with Richard Santore, MD: Tech vs. Talk
January 4th, 2018
Dr. Rich Santore is one of Avant-garde Health’s advisors helping to drive the clinical strategies for our orthopedic service line analytics. A leading voice on orthopedics for over three decades, he has experienced the evolution of patient care and the introduction of technologies to improve the patient experience. He also understands that while medicine is about science, patient care is also about people. Dr. Santore shared his perspective on caring for patients in an era where technologies like electronic medical records, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence are impacting health care.

How much hospital capacity can reducing length of stay generate?
December 12th, 2017
On our December 8th webinar, special guest Dr. Chip Davis, Chief of Hip and Knee Arthroplasty at Hershey Medical Center, explained how his team was able to achieve a $6,000 per patient cost reduction in hip and knee replacements. He detailed the action steps that were implemented to impact change.

Think the AGH Value Improvement Summit is the only opportunity to connect cohort members? Think again... and thinkCP
December 1st, 2017
This January, leaders in the Avant-garde Health network are invited to join their peers for a new care pathways working group for best practices and thought leadership specific to each service line.

How did Hershey Medical Center Reduce Costs by $6,000 Per Case?
November 30th, 2017
Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center achieved impressive improvement among a launch group that on average reduced total costs per case by 5% in just their first year of partnership.

Insights from Dr. Michael Jellinek: Fee-for-Service vs. Population Health
November 29th, 2017
A health-care leader for over 35 years, Dr. Michael Jellinek shares his perspective on moving from fee-for-service to population health management and leadership's role in the transition.