Alabama news and information

Studies have shown that patients are 30% less likely to be readmitted or visit the emergency department if they understand their discharge instructions. And in October, the CMS began penalizing hospitals when Medicare patients are readmitted for what the agency deems to be avoidable reasons.
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SSI Group, a Mobile, Ala.-based provider of revenue-cycle management technologies and tools, announced two additions to its leadership team. Brian Campbell was named senior VP of sales and Tom Myers was named chief strategy officer.
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The University of Arizona Health Network has named Dr. Michael Waldrum CEO, effective Jan. 27. Waldrum joins Arizona from the University of Alabama Hospital, where he serves as CEO, and the UAB Health System, where he serves as VP.
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Health officials say flu season is off to its earliest start in nearly 10 years — and it could be a bad one.
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Alabama's top health officer says state Medicaid is facing a major funding shortfall.
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Despite President Barack Obama's win and its implicit endorsement of healthcare reform, three states expressed displeasure with the reform law by passing referendums that oppose healthcare mandates. A fourth state rejected such a referendum.
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Voters in the states of Alabama, Montana and Wyoming passed by strong margins state referendums that oppose healthcare mandates in different forms, while Florida voters rejected one.
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Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has formed a commission to find ways to improve the Alabama Medicaid Agency's financial stability and to improve patient care provided by the agency.
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SourceMedical has promoted Ralph Riccardi to succeed Larry McTavish as president and CEO.
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A venture that includes an Alabama chain of surgical centers wants to move its north suburban location from Libertyville, Ill., to a new $10 million facility about a mile west in Vernon Hills, where it could cut into the number of operations done at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital and Highland...
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