Business Commons^™

The 340b Program, Contract Pharmacies And Hospitals: An Examination Of The First 25 Years Of Their Increasingly Complex Relationship, David P. Paul Iii, Morgan Cathlene Ludado, Morgan Ruley, Hannah Sayre, Alberto Coustasse

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, created by Congress in 1992 through the Veterans Health Care Act, has provided discounted drug prices to hospitals and other health care organizations serving a wide population of low-income patients. Some 340B programs use contract pharmacies, an arrangement whereby the hospital or health care organization signs a contract directly with a pharmacy to provide covered pharmacy services at discounted prices.

The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program has provided access to reduced price prescription drugs to over 35,000 individual healthcare facilities and sites certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and clinics …

The Continuing Epidemic Of Hepatitis C In The United States: The Case Of West Virginia, David P. Paul Iii, Neha Botre, Maggie Phillips, Jumana Abboud, Alberto Coustasse

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most significant public health problems currently facing the U.S. If it is left untreated, the likelihood of sustaining a treatment response decreases. While early identification has been identified as a critical focus in trying to obtain better health outcomes, new drug treatments appear quite promising.

Macra And Rural Hospitals, Erica Kelley, Rhea Lipscomb, Jennifer Valdez, Alberto Coustasse

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

The purpose of this research was to study MACRA (Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act) and to determine how its implementation would financially impact rural hospitals. Although the long-term effects of MACRA have not been able to be studied, MACRA has the prospective to negatively impact rural hospitals financially. MACRA has potential risks and benefits for physicians associated with its two reimbursement payment methods. The estimated negative reimbursements and set reductions to hospital reimbursement have supported the idea that physicians and all healthcare organizations need to be aware and prepared for MACRA.

Hospital Nurse Burnout: A Continuing Problem, David P. Paul Iii, Lama Bakhamis, Harlan M. Smith Ii, Alberto Coustasse

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

RNs are a critically important component of the U.S. healthcare system. RN burnout – the feeling of exhaustion from working long hours without rest – is a real concern, having been reported in many hospitals. We examine the background, causes and consequences of burnout among RNs in U.S. hospitals, in order to identify solutions to this problem. Findings indicate that Burnout Syndrome in RNs can be analyzed in terms of four clusters of characteristics: individual, management, organizational, and work. The consequences of burnout include increased RN turnover rates, poor job performance, and threats to patient safety. RN burnout in hospitals …