Urgent-care chain Solantic expands, rebrands May 15, 2012 Solantic, the chain of urgent-care centers that Florida Gov. Rick Scott founded in 2001, is expanding and changing its name to CareSpot Express Healthcare.
Defense Department outlines joint EHR plans May 14, 2012 The Defense Department has released an outline of how the proposed joint electronic health-record system for use by the Military Health System and the Veterans Affairs Department's healthcare organization is to be developed.
Texas docs to HHS: Scrap ICD-10 completely May 15, 2012 Concerned that the eventual adoption of the ICD-10 set of diagnostic codes "will introduce great cost ... without a corresponding benefit," the Texas Medical Association has called on HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to not only scrap the proposed ICD-10 adoption date, but consider scrapping ICD-10...
Time for a turnaround May 12, 2012 It sure looks as if the nation is headed in the wrong direction. While that's not intended as a blanket political statement, opinion polls would show strong arguments for and against such a position.
Medicare, Medicaid overhaul deal unlikely, lawmakers say May 15, 2012 Congress is unlikely to reach a “grand bargain” to overhaul Medicare and Medicaid during the post-election lame duck session, according to two congressional budget leaders.
Court strikes down new union-election rules May 15, 2012 Ruling on a lawsuit brought by employer groups including the American Hospital Association, a federal district court has struck down on procedural grounds a set of rules intended to speed up union elections.
TriZetto company buys doc-pay software specialist May 15, 2012 TriZetto Group, a Denver-based healthcare information technology services provider, has acquired physician reimbursement software company NHXS.
Wolters Kluwer finds pharma analytics buyer May 15, 2012 Symphony Technology Group has acquired Source Healthcare Analytics, a Phoenix-based provider of information and analytics for the drug, biotech and financial sectors, from Wolters Kluwer for an undisclosed sum.
100 Ky. hospitals sign on for safety program May 14, 2012 The Kentucky Hospital Association said it has reached nearly an 80% participation rate in a nationwide program to reduce adverse events and readmissions.
Cardinal reaches settlement with DEA May 15, 2012 Cardinal Health said it agreed to settle with the Drug Enforcement Administration over allegations that the wholesale drug distributor allowed high-volume deliveries of controlled substances such as oxycodone.
Thomas to succeed Quinlan as Ochsner CEO May 14, 2012 Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, named Warner Thomas, currently the system's president and COO, to the position of CEO effective Sept. 1. He replaces Dr. Patrick Quinlan, who was selected to lead the new Ochsner Center for Community Wellness and Health Policy.
Caught in the middle May 12, 2012 The threat of ceaseless auditing and penalties is causing many hospitals to reclassify Medicare patients as less-costly “observation” cases, and the people receiving the care say the confusing change leaves them on the hook for medical bills that the government ought to cover.
Consumers see hospital, doc-office prices rise May 15, 2012 Consumer prices for hospital services climbed 0.6% in April after the prior month's increase of 0.2%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index. The figures are seasonally adjusted. For April 2011, consumer hospital prices also increased 0.6%.
Cardinal Health to acquire Illinois drug wholesaler May 14, 2012 Cardinal Health said it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Dik Drug Co., a privately held regional drug wholesaler based in Burr Ridge, Ill.
AMA repeats call to halt ICD-10 adoption May 11, 2012 The American Medical Association has renewed its call to hit the pause button on the national adoption of the ICD-10 diagnostic and procedural codes.
Bracing for a crash May 12, 2012 Many billions of dollars have been spent in the past decade on new or upgraded healthcare information technology systems, but the money has bought improved functionality, not infallibility, according to health IT experts.
Trauma in EMS May 12, 2012 EMTs, first responders and paramedics have long worked under a reimbursement system that effectively keeps their pay low and gives them an incentive to not always provide efficient, quality care.
Prices jump for digital mammography systems May 14, 2012 The average price of a digital mammography system jumped 12.3% in March and is up 20.8% for the 12-month period ended in March, according to the latest edition of the Modern Healthcare/ECRI Institute Technology Price Index.
National plan on Alzheimer's expected May 14, 2012 HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is expected to release a national plan to address Alzheimer's disease during a morning speech at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Summit 2012: Path to Treatment and Prevention.
Accretive launching collection-standards panel May 15, 2012 Accretive Health, the billing and collection firm that is under scrutiny after a critical report by Minnesota's attorney general, said it would launch and fund a panel to set collection standards.
Webcast: Making Medicaid Work April 19, 2012 What strategies can hospitals use to reduce their costs of treating Medicaid patients, and how can they work with their state Medicaid programs to maximize reimbursement?
Outliers: A basketball star is born ... and Cogent CEO was there May 12, 2012 Who's most responsible for the success in recent years of the Chicago Bulls basketball team? Superstar guard Derrick Rose? Coach Tom Thibodeau? Or, as some in his family may believe, is it John Donahue, CEO of the Brentwood, Tenn.-based Cogent HMG hospitalist staffing company?
Primary-care docs to see increase in Medicaid rates May 09, 2012 States will receive an $11 billion boost for primary-care physicians in their Medicaid programs over the next two years, under a new proposed rule.
Towers Watson seeks to widen offerings May 14, 2012 Employee-benefits company Towers Watson aims to broaden its business segments with the acquisition of a private Medicare exchange company in a deal worth $435 million.
Tweaking the system May 12, 2012 Massachusetts hospitals support the state's new efforts to transform the way that healthcare is paid for, but are concerned officials may attempt to slow spending too fast and that more regulation that could dampen the innovation already under way.
AHIMA to HHS: Don't delay ICD-10 upgrade May 10, 2012 In an eight-page letter to HHS (PDF), the American Health Information Management Association called on HHS to stay the course and keep to the original schedule for the federally mandated upgrade to the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision of diagnostic and procedural codes ICD-10...
GAO solicits nominations to HIT policy board May 13, 2012 The Government Accountability Office is seeking nominations for candidates to serve as one of three patient or consumer advocates on the federally chartered Health IT Policy Committee.
In letter to Franken, Accretive denies violating EMTALA May 12, 2012 In comments to U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Accretive Health rejected a recent report that suggested the healthcare billing and collection company violated emergency-room access, patient privacy and debt collection laws.
Video News Short: MGMA-ACMPE's Dr. Susan Turney talks ACOs, reform and reimbursement (3:13) May 12, 2012 Dr. Susan Turney, president and CEO of the MGMA-ACMPE, sat down with Jessica Zigmond, Modern Healthcare's Washington bureau chief, to discuss the role physicians are playing in accountable care organizations, the future legal status of the healthcare reform law and possible reform of Medicare's...
Mo. association releases report on lessons of Joplin tornado May 15, 2012 The Missouri Hospital Association released a report in response to the Joplin, Mo., tornado and other events that highlights areas the states' hospitals could do better to be ready for a disaster.
Simmons promoted to executive VP at Md. hospital May 15, 2012 Leslie Simmons has been promoted to executive VP and COO from her current position of COO and senior vice president at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster, Md.
Celebs, execs to the rescue May 12, 2012 You never know who you might see jumping out of an ambulance to provide emergency care. It could be a rock star, a former teen heartthrob or even a hospital executive.
Omnicare agrees to pay $50 million settlement May 11, 2012 The U.S. Justice Department said Omnicare, an institutional pharmacy provider, will pay $50 million to resolve allegations that some of its pharmacies improperly dispensed controlled substances.
Outliers: Calling Dr. Seinfeld … May 12, 2012 The most eye-catching reference in a recent Health Affairs report on patient fears when dealing with “authoritarian” doctors did not get an endnote citation. That's because, instead of coming from a medical journal, it came from a classic episode of the “Seinfeld” TV show.
PACE saves Medicaid dollars, and other letters May 12, 2012 Regarding the May 7 article “Dual costs," thank you for highlighting the role the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly is playing in helping states integrate care for their high-cost, high-need dual-eligible population. We appreciate your attention on the important work PACE...
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