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The Intricacies of Women’s Health Coding for Maternal Care and Childbirth

Pregnant woman and nurse

Poor coding quality is costly, leading to denied claims, care delays, and inaccurate or slow reimbursement. Recent research finds that more than 15% of claims submitted to private payers are denied, although more than half are eventually overturned. This means providers spend excessive time appealing claims that should have been paid in the first place. […]

Celebrating Nurses Week

Nurses Week Hand Heart

Nurses Week 2024 is being celebrated from May 6-12. With the fitting theme of Nurses Make the Difference, this week serves as a formal reminder of the vital impact that nurses make every day, around the globe. For more than 50 years Shearwater’s mission has been to improve healthcare outcomes globally, and we are fortunate to […]

Celebrating Patient Experience Week and the Clinicians Who Make a Difference

Nurse and Patient

We’re often quick to celebrate the hard work of our front-line heroes but rarely reflect on the positive outcomes they bring to those they care for. This week we celebrate Patient Experience Week and put into the spotlight the significant impact healthcare workers have on patient care. This dedicated week underscores the importance of every […]

How to Develop a Successful Utilization Management Program

Nurse at computer

Utilization management (UM) helps lower costs and improve outcomes by ensuring members receive the most appropriate care in a timely, cost-effective manner. Initially, UM was primarily focused on reducing excessive use that leads to waste without any measurable gains in quality or outcomes. The focus has now expanded to encompass improving quality and regulatory compliance […]

International Nurse Recruiting: A Formula to Measure Success

International recruiting at hospitals

“Workforce challenges” is the number one hurdle faced by healthcare organizations today, and those challenges revolve around nursing. Respondents to a recent survey stated overwhelmingly that managing repercussions from staff shortages, recruiting nurses from outside the organization, and retaining them are their most pressing concerns. Nurses are leaving the field in catastrophic numbers. Over 610,000, […]

Shortcomings in the U.S. Nursing Education System

Nursing students in classroom

Nursing education is designed to professionally prepare nurses for clinical practice. To ensure a smooth transition into patient care, nursing schools are increasingly collaborating with clinical partners to provide students with a hands-on educational experience. However, the U.S. nursing education system limits the enrollment of qualified nurse applicants due to faculty vacancies, limited infrastructure, and […]

Navigating Visa Retrogression Today

Young nurse at computer navigating visa retrogression

Visa retrogression occurs when the demand for visas exceeds the limits set by the U.S. government. It has a profound effect on the nursing profession which falls into the large EB-3 subcategory alongside workers in many other fields, as well as applicant’s family members. EB-3 includes all occupations that require at least an associate’s degree […]

Addressing the Workers’ Comp Talent Shortage Challenge

Talent shortages remain a persistent problem across healthcare, and Workers’ Comp is no exception. The industry skews older, and the number of retiring baby boomers is growing. Additionally, the median age of nurses is 52 with 20% indicating they intend to retire within the next 5 years. As nurses age, retire or find employment outside […]

Navigating the Future of the Nursing Shortage

Monitoring past and current nursing shortage statistics can help organizations navigate the future and adapt to the changing demands of quality care, healthcare delivery, and the high necessity to attract skilled nursing professionals.