National Daily Hospital Executive Briefing — Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Hospital Margin / Revenue / Reimbursement — News, Recommendations, and Case Studies
1) News — Kaufman Hall trend: Median YTD operating margin softened to about 1.7% by September 2025 as expenses caught up to revenue growth (still above 2024’s 1.4% average). https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/ceo/hospital-margins-softening-expenses-catch
2) News — Advisory Board summary: Hospital finances improved early in 2025 but pressures persist, underscoring volatility in margins and costs. https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2025/06/16/hospital-finances
3) Recommendation — Revisit labor and purchased services mix quarterly; benchmark to Kaufman Hall Flash Report peers and re-base productivity targets when margins dip below ~2%. Source overview slides (Kaufman Hall/HAP).
4) News — Hospital M&A momentum: 15 transactions announced in Q3 2025 amid distressed assets and divestitures; expect continued realignment into 2026. https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/hospital-ma-continues-rebound-policy-uncertainty-clears
5) Recommendation — Strengthen price-transparency compliance; CMS lists enforcement actions and recent penalties—ensure machine‑readable files and shoppable services are current. https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/hospital-price-transparency/enforcement-actions
Emergency Department Throughput — News, Recommendations, and Case Studies
1) Recommendation — AHRQ: ED boarding stems from hospital‑level constraints; focus on inpatient flow, discharge planning, and bed management beyond the ED. https://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsletters/e-newsletter/951.html
2) New Case Study — Modeling suggests shared rooms/inpatient hallway beds (when safely implemented) could cut boarding hours by ~30%; use as a short‑term surge lever with strict safety criteria. https://www.stern.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/Glucksman_Yang_The%20Multifaceted%20Challenge%20of%20Emergency%20Department%20Boarding.pdf
3) Recommendation — Redefine the ED within the ambulatory portfolio (virtual triage, extended urgent care hours, remote monitoring) to reduce low‑acuity volume and boarding. https://www.vizientinc.com/insights/reports/data-on-the-edge/emergency-department-readiness-navigating-rising-acuity-and-coverage-shifts
4) Recommendation — Establish an Expected Date of Discharge (EDD) within 24 hours of admission and reinforce daily; studies show fewer non‑medical delays and improved flow. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12308768/
5) Case Study as Shared Previously — Discharge‑before‑noon efforts can be effective when paired with daily bed huddles and standardized criteria. https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-024-10960-x
Quality Metrics to Share with Your Team (≤7)
1) Margin: Median YTD operating margin ~1.7% (Sept 2025, Kaufman Hall via HealthLeaders). https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/ceo/hospital-margins-softening-expenses-catch
2) Finance context: Early‑2025 improvement but ongoing pressure (Advisory Board). https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2025/06/16/hospital-finances
3) M&A volume: 15 hospital transactions announced in Q3 2025 (Kaufman Hall via FierceHealthcare). https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/hospital-ma-continues-rebound-policy-uncertainty-clears
4) ED boarding: Potential ~30% boarding‑hour reduction using shared rooms/inpatient hallway beds in surge (modeling study). https://www.stern.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/Glucksman_Yang_The%20Multifaceted%20Challenge%20of%20Emergency%20Department%20Boarding.pdf
5) ED systems: Ambulatory portfolio optimization associated with reduced low‑acuity ED volume and boarding (industry analysis). https://www.vizientinc.com/insights/reports/data-on-the-edge/emergency-department-readiness-navigating-rising-acuity-and-coverage-shifts
6) Flow: Setting EDD within 24 hours linked to fewer non‑medical delays and better throughput. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12308768/
7) Compliance: CMS continues publishing price‑transparency enforcement actions—confirm your hospital’s files are current. https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/hospital-price-transparency/enforcement-actions
Leadership Call to Action (≤5)
1) Stand up a weekly margin review huddle: reset productivity targets and labor mix when operating margin drops below 2%; track against Kaufman Hall benchmarks. https://www.haponline.org/Portals/1/docs/Events-and-Education/2025-Leadership-Summit/8SamarisKaufmanHallSlides.pdf
2) Launch a 60‑day price‑transparency remediation sprint: validate machine‑readable files, shoppable services, locator files, and footer links; audit monthly. https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/hospital-price-transparency/enforcement-actions
3) Implement hospital‑wide EDD within 24 hours of admission, reinforced in daily bed huddles. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12308768/
4) Prepare a surge policy for shared rooms/hallway boarding with strict safety criteria to cut boarding during peak periods. https://www.stern.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/Glucksman_Yang_The%20Multifaceted%20Challenge%20of%20Emergency%20Department%20Boarding.pdf
5) Build an ambulatory redirection plan (virtual triage, extended urgent care hours, remote monitoring) to lower low‑acuity ED demand. https://www.vizientinc.com/insights/reports/data-on-the-edge/emergency-department-readiness-navigating-rising-acuity-and-coverage-shifts
📍 Published at National Daily Hospital News
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