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Disruptive behavior commonplace, survey finds November 04, 2009 Behavior problems between doctors and nurses were reported by more than 97% of the nurses and doctors who participated in an American College of Physician Executives' survey, who said the most common complaints were degrading comments, yelling, cursing, inappropriate joking and refusing to work...
Investment funds to buy IMS Health for $4 billion November 05, 2009 Investment funds TPG Capital and CPP Investment Board are buying healthcare data company IMS Health for $4 billion, IMS announced.
Expect tougher privacy enforcement: IT experts November 06, 2009 You can blame the spotty record of the healthcare industry in protecting the privacy and security of medical records on lax enforcement of federal law, and you'd be right, according to healthcare information technology experts.
Report shows U.S. lagging in IT use, access November 05, 2009 The United States' health system lags behind other wealthy nations in key measures related to access, efficiency and outcomes, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report, but these gaps can be decreased by changing to financial incentives that reward value over volume, supporting primary-care...
House Democrats still quibbling over abortion language November 06, 2009 Pro-choice House Democrats say they will tolerate language prohibiting federal funding of abortions in the House health reform bill—provided the language isn't tightened further.
Pelosi says health reform bill will pass House November 05, 2009 The votes will be there to approve comprehensive healthcare reform, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a news conference.
Hoyer: Tactics could delay vote on House health bill November 06, 2009 House debate on the Affordable Health Care for America Act could potentially spill over into next week, although the immediate goal is to vote on the bill by Saturday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said during a teleconference sponsored by Families USA.
AMA endorses House health reform package November 05, 2009 The nation’s largest physicians’ lobbying group said it supports a comprehensive health overhaul package in the House even while committing to try to change major components of it.
Abortion provisions put fate of House bill in doubt November 06, 2009 As the clock ticks down on consideration of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, some Democrats are admitting the votes may not be there to approve the legislation.
Changing course November 02, 2009 This is the second part of a two-part series on the effects of patient-safety advocates. Part one of the series, which ran Sept. 7 (p. 6), described how three women went from parent to patient-safety advocate as a result of medical errors.
Brazosport Regional names Jeffress CFO November 06, 2009 Brazosport Regional Health System, Lake Jackson, Texas, named Chuck Jeffress to succeed Daniel Smith as chief financial officer.
AMA president comments on public option November 06, 2009 Any public coverage option included in a final healthcare reform bill must be free of government subsidies in order for payer competition to thrive, said American Medical Association President James Rohack during the Harvard Business School Health Industry Alumni Association annual conference held...
Pelosi hints at House reform vote for Saturday November 06, 2009 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) strongly hinted that House would pass a sweeping health reform package Saturday night despite her second in command clearing the legislative calendar through Tuesday.
Hospital employment shows healthy growth November 06, 2009 Hospital employment figures surged in a positive direction in October, even as job losses in the overall economy continued to bubble toward the ignoble high-water mark for unemployment seen during the 1982-83 recession.
Triumph, RehabCare agree to merge November 03, 2009 Long-term care providers Triumph HealthCare, Houston, and St. Louis-based RehabCare Group announced a definitive agreement to merge, according to a joint news release from both companies.
Access to H1N1 vaccine still limited: poll November 06, 2009 As the H1N1 vaccine supply still struggles to meet demand, the majority of people who have tried to get vaccinated and couldn't said they will try again this year, according to a new poll from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Northrop Grumman awarded $16 million NIH contract November 06, 2009 The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a new contract to create information technology resources for supporting pathogenic virus research.
Martin named executive director of PHC4 November 05, 2009 The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council named Joseph Martin as executive director, effective immediately.
The influence game: Liberals targeting moderates November 04, 2009 Get on the health overhaul bandwagon, or don't count on our help in your re-election. That's the hardball message liberal groups are hurling at moderate Democratic senators in a battle that is dividing their party.
A fresh approach November 02, 2009 Darrel Lorch is a good-natured grouser, and that's how he starts when he recounts how it has been to help out with a new cooperative set up to allow small local farms to sell food to Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wis.—and eventually other hospitals, nursing homes and schools.
Times of high stress can boost teamwork November 05, 2009 I think much of the stress on nurses may come from a less-than-supportive administrative environment. The physicians are a convenient stand-in but can control little of it. They are also under considerable stress, feeling the loss of control and of their profession.
MGMA supports House's reform legislation November 06, 2009 The Medical Group Management Association expressed its support for legislation introduced in the U.S.
HMA reaches deal to acquire Ark. health system November 05, 2009 Health Management Associates, Naples, Fla., said it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Sparks Health System, Fort Smith, Ark., which primarily consists of 303-bed Sparks Regional Medical Center. Neither HMA nor Sparks revealed the terms of the deal.
For House, two tough healthcare issues remain November 03, 2009 Just a few unsolved problems—and one final sales job—stand between House Democratic leaders and a landmark vote on President Barack Obama's promised remake of the nation's healthcare system.
An insider's guide to the healthcare debate November 04, 2009 Richard Pollack and Tom Scully both know Washington and the current healthcare debate inside out. Listening to them both speak to the Tennessee Hospital Association's annual meeting last week in Nashville, only one of them sounded like a man who makes his living lobbying Congress.
A strong pulse in doc recruiting October 12, 2009 According to a story circulated at the Society of Hospital Medicine's sold-out annual conference this past May in Chicago, one healthcare executive attending was said to have voiced concern about all the recruiters and staffing agents working the booths.
EHRA wants set standards for stimulus law November 05, 2009 The Electronic Health Records Association of the Healthcare Information and Management System Society said its member developers of electronic health records systems want as a top priority for federal IT policymakers to give the industry a clear set of targets to aim for to qualify for IT subsidies...
Armada leaving Henry Ford for Advocate Lutheran October 28, 2009 Anthony Armada, president and CEO of Henry Ford Hospital and Health Network, Detroit, is resigning next month to become president of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Ill., according to an internal memo from Henry Ford Health System.
GAO upholds Humana protest of Tricare contract October 30, 2009 The Government Accountability Office has upheld a protest by Humana over a multibillion-dollar military health insurance contract awarded to competitor UnitedHealth Group in July. The Defense Department will now review the GAO recommendations and decide how to proceed.
Making them pay October 12, 2009 The Justice Department trumpeted a recent $2.3 billion criminal plea and civil settlement with Pfizer as its largest healthcare case ever.
SGR fix would hike gov't spending $210 billion: CBO November 05, 2009 If enacted, a bill to restructure the sustainable growth-rate formula that determines Medicare payment rates for physician services would increase government spending by about $210 billion for the period between 2010 and 2019, according to a cost estimate released by the Congressional Budget Office.
DaVita hires Rivera as general counsel November 05, 2009 DaVita said that it has hired Kim Rivera to be its new general counsel. Rivera, 40, also will hold the titles of vice president and secretary for the dialysis provider, which is in the process of moving its headquarters from El Segundo, Calif., to Denver.
Corrections & Clarifications November 06, 2009 An Oct. 28 HITS story incorrectly identified a speaker during a HIT Policy Committee meeting. It was Paul Egerman, CEO and chairman of eScription, Needham, Mass., who said, “We need to define what the architecture should look like.”
What about cost-shifting by big business? November 06, 2009 It seems the chambers of commerce and CEO groups do not really represent small business issues on this subject. All discounts are cost shifts, and big business gets bigger discounts than the small businesses in their communities.
House Democrats unveil healthcare-reform legislation October 29, 2009 House Democrats have unveiled comprehensive healthcare legislation that aims to cover 96% of all Americans and “keeps costs under $900 billion,” according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Laying out our rules November 02, 2009 We strive to make Modern Healthcare and all its publications the most credible sources of healthcare business news and information available. The cornerstone of that effort is our Editorial Code of Ethics, which is published here for the seventh consecutive year.