AHA names new human resources VP. Amid its ongoing internal restructuring efforts, the American Hospital Association has appointed a new vice president for human resources. Rhonda Rhodes, a staff attorney in the AHA's Chicago office for the past 13 years, was appointed to the position. As part of the restructuring, the AHA is downsizing its internal legal staff in Chicago. Rhodes is replacing Carol Calzaretta, who had been in the post for two years.
Community Rehab buys five companies. Burlington, Mass.-based Community Rehab Centers last week acquired five outpatient rehabilitation companies. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. Community Rehab said the acquisitions more than doubled its size to 32 sites in four states. The acquired companies are Paramus, N.J.-based Atra Sports Medicine; Ellicott City, Md.-based Horizon Health and Rehabilitation; Bel Air, Md.-based Prothero and Smid Physical Therapy; the therapy services of the former owners of Thorndale (Pa.) Physical Therapy; and Woodcliff Lake, N.J.-based Marc Physical Therapy.
Home-care, visiting nurse groups form venture. The National Association for Home Care and the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, both of Washington, last week formed a joint venture called the Voluntary Home Care Association of America. The new association will be an unincorporated affiliate of NAHC with a seven-member advisory board-three from each association and a chair elected from among the voluntary agencies. The associations said the advisory board will develop legislative and regulatory policy recommendations that will be sent to the government affairs committees and boards of both groups.
Strict rules for health data disclosure urged. HHS Secretary Donna Shalala said last week that a Clinton administration task force on medical records privacy soon will recommend the enactment of federal regulations to create strict penalties for inappropriate health information disclosure but still allow researchers, insurers and law enforcement officials to access such data. The task force was mandated by last year's Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Oxford to pay N.Y. docs under settlement. Oxford Health Plans will pay New York doctors and hospitals at least $1 million in interest costs under a first-of-its-kind settlement agreement announced last week by state Attorney General Dennis C. Vacco. The pact resolves a state probe of "excessive delays" in provider payments by the Norwalk, Conn.-based HMO, leading to an estimated $238 million in outstanding late payments. Oxford, which denied any wrongdoing, attributed the backup to a new computer system. The 1.2 million-enrollee plan logs 650,000 claims a month.
U.S. Diagnostic settles shareholder suits. U.S. Diagnostic said last week it has reached a $5.9 million settlement in principle of shareholder class-action lawsuits lodged against it in January. Subject to court approval and other conditions, the settlement could take four to five months to become official. Shareholders sued U.S. Diagnostic in January alleging its failure to disclose the criminal record of a key consultant had hurt the company's stock price. The West Palm Beach, Fla.-based company is the country's largest provider of outpatient diagnostic imaging services.
CareMatrix CEO Doyle resigns. Needham, Mass.-based CareMatrix Corp., an assisted-living company, said last week that Michael Doyle has resigned his position as its chief executive officer. Doyle said he is leaving "to pursue other challenges." Doyle was formerly chairman of Standish Care Co., the first publicly traded assisted-living company, which merged into CareMatrix in October 1996. Andrew Gosman, the company's vice chairman, and Robert Kaufman, it president, will be sharing the role of CEO until a replacement for Doyle is named. The company had no comment on who might fill the position or when. For the second quarter ended June 30, CareMatrix reported net income of $1.2 million on revenues of $14.9 million. Year-ago figures are not available because the company did not go public until October 1996.
