Doc, hospital groups press CMS on meaningful use March 16, 2010 To facilitate meaningful use of electronic health records, the CMS should abandon its all-or-nothing approach to awarding financial incentives, eliminate goals and measures that don't directly apply to EHR adoption, and widen the eligibility for certain hospital-based physicians, according to a...
Killingsworth quits CEO post at Mass. Blues March 16, 2010 Cleve Killingsworth has resigned his post as president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts. William Van Faasen, who was CEO of the company from 1992 to 2005, will serve as interim CEO while the company searches for Killingsworth's replacement, company officials said in a news...
Jury rejects claims against Memorial Hermann March 11, 2010 A jury in Harris County, Texas, rejected antitrust claims leveled against Memorial Hermann Healthcare System by a group of physicians whose competing hospital in Houston failed in 2007.
Baxter facing challenges on heparin March 15, 2010 Heparin drug manufacturer Baxter International faces some challenges in getting its product past a more rigorous drug-potency test established by U.S. Pharmacopeia, or USP.
What should docs sacrifice to elevate patient safety? March 16, 2010 In response to Andis Robeznieks' "Patient safety must start in classroom: report":With physicians, especially academic faculty, pressed at every corner for time because of increasing demands and declining reimbursement, patient-safety advocates must figure out ways to provide the time and financial...
Reconciliation move clears early hurdle March 15, 2010 In a move more about procedure rather than policy, the House Budget Committee voted 21-16 to initiate the first step in a legislative process that could lead to a health overhaul vote this week.
Docs pressing CMS on meaningful use March 15, 2010 To facilitate meaningful use of electronic health records, the CMS should abandon its all-or-nothing approach to awarding financial incentives, eliminate goals and measures that don't directly apply to EHR adoption, and widen the eligibility for certain hospital-based physicians, according to a...
Blowing the whistle March 15, 2010 As Bruce Moilan took his life on an irreversible new course, he didn't tell his wife of more than 30 years or their three grown children. Nor did he, or could he, tell his colleagues at South Texas Health System, the target of his whistle-blower lawsuit that triggered a secret, multiyear federal...
Ga. Supreme Court upholds tort reform provision March 16, 2010 The Georgia Supreme Court upheld a provision of the state's 2005 tort reform law that requires that plaintiffs prove “gross negligence” to win a malpractice lawsuit over emergency care.
San Antonio system plans new hospital March 13, 2010 The San Antonio system owned by Vanguard Health Systems, Nashville, announced that it plans to build a hospital in New Braunfels, Texas.
Building momentum March 15, 2010 After a brutal year that saw numerous projects put on the shelf, experts believe the healthcare construction industry is now on something of a rebound, but add that it probably won't be back in full swing until late this year at the very earliest.
RAC for all March 15, 2010 An edict from the White House to expand fraud and abuse audits on a governmentwide basis puts the heat on hospitals to keep their shops in order and free of error, some industry experts claim.
Textbook revision March 15, 2010 Healthcare delivery continues to be unsafe and will probably remain that way for some time unless medical schools make substantial improvements in how they teach patient safety, according to Unmet Needs: Teaching Physicians to Provide Safe Patient Care, a report issued by the National Patient...
The root of the problem March 15, 2010 In Spartanburg County, S.C., one in 10 adults doesn't have any teeth. It's a shocking statistic that local providers learned just last year when they began assessing barriers to care among low-income uninsured.
Hoyer floats no-vote maneuver March 16, 2010 Democrats will not be breaking any rules if they decide to approve the Senate healthcare reform bill through a no-vote process, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said during a weekly briefing.
Group develops guidelines for CPOE standards March 14, 2010 The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has developed a set of guidelines aimed at helping providers create drug-prescribing standards for their computerized physician order entry systems.
A hero's perspective March 15, 2010 As serious as the topic of patient safety is, I can't help but roll my eyes every time I hear a guest speaker at a healthcare conference or banquet say “it's like a jumbo jet crashing every day for a year” when they're putting into perspective how many people die annually from medical...
Insurers put squeeze on ASCs March 15, 2010 We are concerned about the future of the CMS, but I project the insurance companies will be the ones putting us out of business first. What a shame since ASCs have proven themselves over and over to provide patients with high-quality, convenient and less-expensive options for surgery.
Rural path March 15, 2010 It was Sept. 9, 1975. I was a diploma nurse just one year out of college, and my supervisor tapped me on the shoulder and said, “I need you to cover for an upcoming maternity leave in a different department.” This temporary coverage in the chronic dialysis unit lasted more than 11 years...
Regionals: System to cut 500 jobs and more news ... March 15, 2010 SAN ANTONIO—The Veterans Affairs Department has awarded two contracts totaling $41.5 million to create a polytrauma center for the care of severely injured veterans and to improve existing wards at the Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center in San Antonio. One award for $37.2 million will be used...
Weighing a sale March 15, 2010 Industry analysts last week evaluated the potential sale of publicly owned Psychiatric Solutions, calling the company a strong buyout candidate and saying a deal could trigger additional acquisition activity in the behavioral health segment.
Regionals: Rhode Island hospitals boost economy and more news ... March 15, 2010 HARTFORD, Conn.—The University of Connecticut Health Center would expand and renovate its John Dempsey Hospital under a proposed network between the academic medical center and other Connecticut hospitals and health systems. The $352 million proposal—of which just $25 million has been...
Med schools must emphasize communication March 16, 2010 On day one, students are hazed and ridiculed about what they don't know, which leads to low self-confidence and esteem. They become isolated and learn to function independently and later on become very dominant, authoritative and almost bullying as they take charge of patient care.
Ascension's $1.3 billion deal March 15, 2010 Investors and analysts last week looked favorably on the first half of a $1.3 billion bond offering for Ascension Health, bolstered in part by the not-for-profit healthcare giant's plans to close and consolidate operations in Southeast Michigan while strengthening operations in growth markets.
Catholic hospitals under scrutiny March 15, 2010 After recent controversies in Oregon and Texas where Catholic hospitals were caught performing surgical birth-control procedures that violate bishops' ethical principles, observers say they believe other Catholic hospitals are probably doing the same thing.
Sign of the times? March 15, 2010 The U.S. Justice Department may have signaled it's delivering what providers have long asked for: the stomach to scuttle health plan mergers. Or not.
Late News: CMS gets 1,000 comments on EHR stimulus rules March 15, 2010 The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology, a not-for-profit electronic health-record testing group, was part of a wave of organizations and individuals filing official public comments on two federal rules governing the meaningful use and certification of EHRs. Both rules...
Outliers: The doctor recommends … March 15, 2010 “Drink two and call me in the morning,” is what Jason Ludlow, director of hospitality and retail sales at the Cooper Mountain Winery in Beaverton, Ore., says as he poured a sample of the 2007 pinot noir Doctors Reserve for Outliers and other visitors exploring the state's Willamette...
Regionals: Rush agrees to $1.5 million settlement March 15, 2010 Rush University Medical Center agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that the 681-bed teaching hospital entered into prohibited lease arrangements for office space provided to two physicians and three practices, the U.S. Justice Department announced.
How we did it March 15, 2010 A total of 186 respondents participated in the 31st annual Construction & Design Survey. This year's total includes 97 architecture firms, 30 construction management companies, 27 general contractors, 21 development firms and 11 design-build firms.
Other Voices March 15, 2010 “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ... must persuade her rank and file to swallow the Senate version of the healthcare bill and take it on faith that any objections will be mollified in a subsequent ‘reconciliation” bill. ... Instead of worrying about how a healthcare vote might play in...
Almost renewal time March 15, 2010 Early rumblings of the 2008 credit crisis pushed healthcare borrowers into a torrent of debt refinancing that year. Now, hospitals and health systems are bracing for another crush of deals, as a raft of bank guarantees on bonds sold during the crisis expire next year.
Late News: Senate approves $138 billion bill to stave off Medicare cuts March 15, 2010 The Senate voted 62-36 to approve a $138 billion bill that would temporarily prevent Medicare payment cuts to doctors as well as extend federal Medicaid assistance and COBRA premium subsidies. Senate policymakers were pressing the House to go to conference on the bill. The House had passed an...
Outliers: Quotable March 15, 2010 “We doctors are extremely good at rationalizing. Somehow we manage to figure out how the very best care just happens to be the care that brings us the most money.”
Senate OKs doc-pay, COBRA-subsidies measure March 10, 2010 The Senate voted 62-36 to approve a $138 billion bill that would temporarily prevent Medicare payment cuts to doctors as well as extend federal Medicaid assistance and COBRA premium subsidies.
Outliers: Mariah, the nurses are not amused March 15, 2010 The Truth About Nursing has no issue with Mariah Carey's talent, but the Baltimore nurse advocacy group is scathing in its review of the pop singer's recent video for “Up Out My Face,” in which Carey appears dressed in a high-heeled, low-cut nurse costume.
Outliers: Ever been YoJo'ed? Only Wachter knows March 15, 2010 While Outliers is generally opposed to using jargon, we're compelled to share a few medical expressions patient-safety advocate Robert Wachter posted on his “Wachter's World” blog. (Wachter is widely credited with coining the term “hospitalist,” so much so that a...
Late News: FDA, Health Canada approve isotope imports from Poland March 15, 2010 The Food and Drug Administration and the Canadian regulatory agency Health Canada have each approved the importation of molybdenum-99 from the Warsaw, Poland-based Maria Research Reactor for use in producing the imaging isotope technetium-99m, according to a news release. The uranium byproduct will...
Late News: HCA issues $1.4 billion in senior secured notes March 15, 2010 HCA, Nashville, said in a securities filing that it issued $1.4 billion in 10½-year, senior secured notes, or 40% more than the $1 billion in notes it initially proposed to sell when it announced the issue earlier this month (March 8, p. 12). The bonds carry interest of 7.25%, payable in cash...
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