A critical opportunity for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)  The Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) is a critical opportunity for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) aiming to improve care coordination while reducing healthcare costs. For organizations looking to join or renew their participation in MSSP for a Jan. 1, 2026, start date, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released key application deadlines that ACOs must follow.  Key application dates  Application period opens: May 29  Final submission deadline: June 12, at noon (ET)  All applications must be submitted through the ACO Management System . To ensure a smooth application process, ACOs should review the Medicare Shared Savings Program Overview and plan accordingly.  How DataGen supports ACOs  Successfully participating in MSSP requires robust data analysis  and financial benchmarking. DataGen provides tailored solutions to help ACOs navigate the complex...

This October 100% of Q1 2023 data is due to the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System of New York State. Whether you receive a Statement of Deficiency or not, you may be wondering if there are better ways to manage SPARCS data changes. It’s not uncommon for hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to experience challenges with SPARCS submissions, specifically with data updates and staying compliant. Even the most experienced, full-time SPARCS coordinator can have difficulties keeping up.                                                            In this blog, we’ll outline how SPARCS requirements can change, submission error consequences and solutions to overcome these challenges. Bef...

The implications of Medicare payment policy changes can be both significant and complex. For healthcare providers, hospital administrators and policy analysts, understanding these potential adjustments is essential for financial planning and advocacy.   DataGen’s recently released 2025 Potential Medicare Changes Analysis report offers an in-depth evaluation of how proposed changes could impact Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) payments across various care settings, including inpatient hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies and more.  Here’s a breakdown of the key findings and insights from our report, providing annual impact estimate breakouts for all proposals from 2026 to 2035.*  What DataGen’s potential Medicare changes analysis covers  The potential Medicare changes analysis reviews Medicare payment scenarios policymakers are considering to achieve long-term deficit reduction and improve payment policies. It evaluates the financial impact o...

*Updated in 2025 Public health is trapped in an inverse relationship. It supports many needs with few resources. The Commonwealth Fund's report,  U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective, 2022: Accelerating Spending, Worsening Outcomes , found that the U.S. spends twice as much on healthcare than the average, high-income country. In particular, we spend more on healthcare treatment and less on prevention, a primary focus of public health.  In CNN's response to The Commonwealth Fund's 2022 report , Jacqueline Howard interviewed Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, who stated, “[W]e don’t do as much primary care prevention as the other nations, and we still have a public health system, which is fractured . . . [We also] under-invest compared to other industrialized nations in societal things. They spend their money on providing upfront support for their citizens. We spend our money on sick care.” If you work in a he...

  Fourth quarter 2024 Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System data submission (SOD) due dates are coming up — and so are the final warning and statement of deficiency issue dates for Q3 2024. Here are the key dates hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers need to know to remain SPARCS compliant.  [Download our quarterly calendar here]  Key compliance dates for SPARCS data: Q3 and Q4 2024  Q3 2024 SPARCS compliance deadlines: Discharge months July - September  March 15  Final/third warning for Q3 2024 data   Facilities that have not resolved their Q3 2024 data errors after receiving three warnings will be issued an SOD.   April 15  SOD issued for Q3 2024 data   Facilities will be issued an SOD on this date.  Q4 2024 SPARCS compliance deadlines: Discharge months October - December   March 31  Submission deadline for Q4 2024 data   Ensure your data are accurate and submitted on time to...

A stronger patient safety culture is achievable   Having accurate, reliable data is the foundation of a strong patient safety culture. Without it, healthcare facilities struggle to make informed decisions based on their  Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ (SOPS®)  results. Ensuring SOPS® data accuracy is critical, as even small discrepancies can impact the effectiveness of patient safety initiatives.  Watch the last video from our six-part patient safety culture series Access the full video on our YouTube:  6️⃣ SOPS® Beyond Scores: Ensuring Data Accuracy The importance of data accuracy in SOPS® surveys  When healthcare organizations conduct SOPS® surveys, they rely on staff participation to provide genuine insights into their safety culture. However, collecting data is only the first step. If the data are inaccurate or incomplete, leadership may draw incorrect conclusions about their hospital's patient safety culture, potentially leading to ineffective...

Understanding your patient safety culture survey data  Conducting an Surveys on Patient Safety Culture™ (SOPS®) assessment is a critical step in improving patient safety, but the real value lies in what healthcare facilities do with their results. Many organizations focus on identifying weaknesses, but it's just as important to recognize strengths. So, once you've collected the data, what's next? Watch the fifth video from our six-part patient safety culture series Access the full video on our YouTube:  5️⃣ SOPS® Beyond Scores: We Collected the Data, Now What? Step 1: Compile the data into a usable format  After gathering responses, the priority should be organizing the data into a format that facilitates analysis. This means:  creating tables, graphs and charts that provide clear insights;  benchmarking results against the AHRQ national benchmarks ; and  comparing unit-level performance within a hospital or across facilities.  Step 2: Analyze benchma...