The Gist Healthcare Podcast

The United Kingdom approves Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine. 2020 Healthcare spending dropped by about 2 percent from last year. And Medicare is out with final rules that expand telehealth, adjust physician pay, and allow more procedures to be done in outpatient settings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A CDC vaccine panel recommends healthcare workers and residents in long term care facilities get the first COVID-19 vaccines. States are taking a more nuanced approach to halting elective care amid the COVID surge. And despite COVID headwinds UnitedHealth Goup still expects growth next year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moderna becomes the second company to ask the FDA for emergency approval of a COVID-19 vaccine. And the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services expands its 'Hospital Without Walls' program to pay for hospital-level care in the home. As Travis Messina, CEO of hospital-at-home company Contessa, says staff will still be the limiting factor for how much hospitals can increase bed capacity.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Privia Health's Senior Vice President of Business Development, Mike Flammini, discusses how the company is now working with health systems to create a new model for physician alignment. And Drew Rector, Chief Strategy Officer of Rockledge, Florida-based Health First, one of the health systems Privia is working with,  discusses how the partnership is helping the system grow its physician network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The CDC is recommending American's stay home for Thanksgiving to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  President-elect Biden says delaying the transition during a pandemic is going to cost lives. And the WHO recommends against using an FDA approved COVID treatment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pfizer reports its vaccine is 95 percent effective and plans to apply for emergency FDA approval within days. With high rates of infection across several states, more than a fifth of hospitals are reporting staffing shortages. And in today's COVID Audio Postcard, a contact tracer tells us she’s finding more cases of entire families being infected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a highly-anticipated move, Amazon launches it’s pharmacy business. The American Medical Association recognizes racism as a public health threat. And Oregon’s governor calls on Congress to compromise on a coronavirus relief package now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One South Dakota nurse says some dying coronavirus patients are in such denial, that they are still refuting that COVID-19 exists. Some private practices and doctors so stressed by the pandemic are closing or retiring early. And Moderna reports it's vaccine candidate is more than 94 percent effective.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean Lane, CEO of healthcare software company Olive, discusses how the company uses artificial intelligence to automate repetitive processes for hospital systems. The technology has been deployed in more than 600 hospitals across the country.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some hospitals are voluntarily halting elective care to prepare for a surge of COVID patients. President-elect Biden picks former Ebola Czar Ron Klain to be his chief of staff. And though millions lost job-based coverage during the pandemic, there wasn't a corresponding increase in the uninsured rate.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.