Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1535972
44 CMO / CARE DELIVERY Why systems should ditch 'metric madness' By Mariah Taylor S ystems have a habit of piling metric upon metric on physicians to help drive performance at their hospitals, but this "metric madness" can be detrimental to physicians, according to a March 4 article on the American Medical Association website. In many cases, physicians are held responsible for metrics they cannot or should not be expected to manage, John Sawyer, PhD, medical director of professional staff experience at New Orleans-based Ochsner Health, told the AMA. "Metrics are important. It's like with school — we need grades or we're probably not going to study," Dr. Sawyer said. "[Physicians are] going to want to do well on it, and if they don't, it's going to be distressing." Some physicians are rated on parking or food in the hospital despite having no control over those aspects. "Something that we need to think about is to what extent is the physician influencing that metric versus someone else, and should they even be accountable to it because they're not able to influence it," he said. It is up to health systems to determine which metrics are important for physicians. For example, some metrics measure if a physician responded within 24 hours, the quality of care and patient experience can be better measured on a team scale rather than just on the physician. "e intention around having shared goals is that people are aligned," Dr. Sawyer said, and "sometimes with shared goals, if we have no control over it, then it can also create resentment." For that reason, "we need to look at both sides of metric responsibility," he said. "So, what do we need to really be aligned on? And then what can we do to make sure we're not feeling as if we're blamed for stuff that we don't have any control over?" n Memorial Hermann launches joint venture for home care By Paige Twenter H ouston-based Memorial Hermann Health System is rolling out a joint venture to offer multispecialty home care for members of its insurance plan. Memorial Hermann on March 4 said it is partnering with Monogram Health, a value-based provider of home healthcare and benefit management services, to launch the joint venture. The venture is designed for commercial and Medicare Advantage members of the system's health plan with multiple chronic conditions. The partnership combines Memorial Hermann's network of more than 270 care delivery sites in Houston with Monogram's experience with home care, which it offers across 36 states, according to a news release. n US births decline to lowest level in 40+ years By Paige Twenter I n 2023, there were 3.6 million births in the U.S. — the lowest the birth rate has been since 1979 when 3.5 million were recorded — according to data published March 18. The birth rate fell 2% compared to 2022, following a decadeslong decline in U.S. births. The data, compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics, also showed a 3% decrease in the general fertility rate, from 56 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 in 2022 to 54.5 births per 1,000 in 2023. A record high in 2023 was the mean age of mothers at first birth, at 27.5 years old. Among females ages 15 to 19, the birth rate hit a record low and fell 4% between 2022 and 2023. The rate increased less than 1% among 20- to 24-year-olds, fell 1% to 3% for those 25 to 44, and remained unchanged for those 10 to 14 and 45 to 49 years of age. Soaring healthcare costs in the U.S. are prompting Americans to delay having children, and political instability is causing birth rates across the world to decline, according to a March 18 report from Bloomberg. n