News from other sources

Information technology

Cybersecurity team will 'lie, cheat and steal' to protect Blue Cross patients' data | Dallas News

Employees of the Health Care Services Corp. keep Blue Cross Blue Shield members' data safe.

Safety, quality and clinical practice

As hospitals cut maternity services, burden is on expectant mothers | Boston Globe

In the rural U.S., hospitals cut obsetric services in 179 countries between 2004 and 2014.

Doctors underestimate how often they prescribe opioids | Health Data Management

About two-thirds of emergency department physicians underestimate how frequently they prescribe opioids, according to a new trial. When physicians learned how often they were prescribing the drugs, they cut their prescribing frequency.

Payers

Oscar Health raises $165M as health insurance startup's valuation surpasses $3B | Medcity News

In 2018, the insurer has enrolled almost a quarter million members in six states so far. The company's valuation is estimated to be $3.2 billion, up from $2.7 billion two years ago.

In other news

Newly-discovered human organ may help explain how cancer spreads | New Scientist

Scientists have found what may be a newly discovered organ: a network of fluid-filled channels throughout the body. These channels may serve as "shock absorbers," and they may also help the spread of cancer.