Modern Healthcare articles from February 2007

Modern Healthcare archives from February 2007

The DSH on the other Bush plan; Shifting safety-net hospital funds to the uninsured is a house of cards.(disproportionate-share hospital program)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Todd Sloane Although President Bush's effort to push more Americans into the individual insurance market was seen by many as dead on arrival, his proposal to slash hospital funding to pay for state experiments on access isn't quite...

Ongoing Roger Williams fallout; Investigation continues, more indictments possible.(The Week in Healthcare)(Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Mark Taylor Last week's criminal sentencing of two former Rhode Island hospital executives by a federal judge may have closed an embarrassing saga for their former employer, Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, R.I. But the...

Seeking CEO IT nominees; Submission deadline set for March 26.(The Week in Healthcare)(chief executive officer)
February 5, 2007... Modern Healthcare is seeking nominations for its fifth annual CEO IT Achievement Award competition. The award, co-sponsored by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, honors one or more healthcare industry chief executive...

State Farm sues Adventist; Insurer says Fla. system overcharged for auto accidents.(The Week in Healthcare)(State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., Adventist Health System Sunbelt Health Care Corp.)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Laura B. Benko Piggybacking on the ongoing debate over hospital billing of the uninsured, one of the nation's largest auto insurance carriers is suing Adventist Health System Sunbelt Health Care Corp. for allegedly charging grossly...

Other voices.(Opinions Editorials)(public health spending)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... "The Bush proposal does have one huge virtue: It exposes healthcare costs to the broad public. By not taxing employer-paid insurance, the government now provides a huge invisible subsidy to workers. Bush wouldn't end the subsidy, but by...

A look at 'best of the rest'.(Special Report)(rankings of health systems)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Melanie Evans For the first time, Verispan's annual ranking includes an alternative to the top 100 most integrated networks, dubbed the "Best of the Rest.'' The new roster ranks high-scoring systems in four geographic regions...

FDA reform: Is it enough? After a critical IOM report, agency moves to work harder on drug safety, but Congress presses ahead with its own changes.(Food and Drug Administration, Institute of Medicine )
February 5, 2007... Byline: Andis Robeznieks The Food and Drug Administration's proposed revamp may finally lead to changes at the agency that would give healthcare providers more timely information on drug and device safety. In last week's FDA's report,...

On the move...(Newsmakers)(Swedish Medical Center appoints Rodney Hochman)(Kaiser Permanente appoints Janet Liang )(Robert Chapel resigns VHA Inc. )
February 5, 2007... Hospitals, systems Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, named Rodney Hochman as its new president and CEO, effective April 2. He will succeed Richard Peterson, 62, who announced his retirement in June 2006 after 12 often-tumultuous years at...

SEIU's power player; After series of successes, Rivera takes lead of new union.(The Week in Healthcare)(Service Employees International Union, Dennis Rivera )
February 5, 2007... Byline: Melanie Evans Hospital executives need only look to New York for an idea of how Dennis Rivera will steer a new healthcare union unveiled last week by the Service Employees International Union. Rivera-who was tapped last week to...

By the Numbers.(The Week in Healthcare)(survey into health care industry)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Respondents to a Modern Healthcare poll cited the uninsured and financial challenges as the top two concerns facing the industry in 2007. The findings echo an American College of Healthcare Executives survey, which listed financial concerns and...

HealthSouth ponders IPO for surgery centers; After Select Medical deal, chain's focus will be on inpatient rehabilitation.(The Week in Healthcare)(Select Medical Corp., HealthSouth Corp., initial public offerings)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Jessica Zigmond With a deal to sell its outpatient rehabilitation division to Select Medical Corp. for $245 million last week, HealthSouth Corp. will focus on inpatient rehabilitation and continue to consider the best way to unload...

Seeking proper recognition; Bad-debt problem lies with 'revenue recognition,' not uninsured, analyst says.(Special Report)(Healthcare Financial Management Association )
February 5, 2007... Byline: Cinda Becker When the Healthcare Financial Management Association updated its guidance last year on reporting uncompensated care, attention was focused on the hot-button issue of Medicare shortfalls: the role the shortfalls play in...

$70 billion threat; 2008 budget aims to squeeze more from Medicare.(The Week in Healthcare)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Matthew DoBias Hospital lobbyists are gearing up for a potential $70 billion cut to Medicare and Medicaid spending over the next five years. That's what some industry experts expect to see in President Bush's fiscal 2008 budget,...

Showing good coordination; Verispan's annual ranking of the top health networks shows across-the-board advances in integration efforts.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Melanie Evans Landing a spot among the nation's most-integrated health networks got a little harder for this year's ranking. The healthcare industry's strong finances, a growing move toward disease management and investment in...

Investigation of DaVita closed.(The Week in Healthcare)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Jessica Zigmond Renal-care-provider DaVita said the civil division of the U.S. attorney's office in Philadelphia has closed a nearly 6-year-old investigation of the company without taking action. DaVita, based in El Segundo,...

Privacy warning; GAO finds fault with HHS' IT efforts.(The Week in Healthcare)(Government Accountability Office, Department of Health and Human Services)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Matthew DoBias A new Government Accountability Office report critical of HHS privacy policies gave additional ammunition to patient privacy advocates and to members of Congress who argue that the government is eroding privacy with...

N.Y. medical school to open in fall; Touro's Harlem campus will be state's first new medical institution in 30 years.(Physician Affairs)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Cinda Becker New York is slated to have its first new medical school in nearly 30 years when Touro College opens in Harlem this fall. Touro boasts that its new school would be the first osteopathic college of medicine with an...

Late news.(University of Kansas Medical Center signs dela with St. Luke's Hospital)(Kindred Healthcare sells its nursing centers)(Memorial Medical Center, Anna Pou, Cheri Landry, Lori Budo investigated on death of patients)
February 5, 2007... Pandemics get rating system Federal health officials developed a new rating system for influenza pandemics as a way to help communities better prepare for the spread of disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week...

Asides & insides.(brain imaging, human behavior)
February 5, 2007... Something on your mind? They'll be the judge of that Many U.S. scientists seem to be on the same wavelength these days. In a storm of recent studies, they have used brain-imaging technology to answer questions about human behavior once left...

Tufts Health to cut 175 jobs.(The Week in Healthcare)(Tufts Associated Health Plans Inc.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Tufts Health Plan, Waltham, Mass., said it will cut its workforce by 10%-or 175 positions-in an effort to keep administrative costs in line with competitors' costs. Of those positions, 75 are currently vacant, a spokeswoman said. The latest...

A healthcare legend among legends; Mentor, friend, consummate salesman Charles S. Lauer leaves a large legacy.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Fawn Lopez How do you measure the value and substance of a person's life? I've been reflecting on that question for the past two weeks, as I've readied myself for Charles S. Lauer's departure from Modern Healthcare's headquarters....

Healthcare quality, aviation style; Many hospitals are looking to the safety practices of other industries.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Charles S. Lauer Two recent stories about quality of care have caught my attention, and they should catch yours, too. They show how creativity and a willingness to try new systems can lead to better outcomes for patients. The...

Pressure for Triad buyout; Recent moves make analysts think a deal is coming.(The Week in Healthcare)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Vince Galloro The focus of healthcare investors and analysts sharpened on Triad Hospitals last week as a hedge fund critical of Triad's management stepped up the pressure. TPG-Axon Capital Management said in a securities filing...

UnitedHealth alters bylaws.(The Week in Healthcare)(UnitedHealth Group Inc.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... UnitedHealth Group, Minnetonka, Minn., said its board approved a number of bylaw amendments to strengthen corporate governance. Under the proposed changes, which must be approved by shareholders at the insurer's 2007 annual meeting, directors...

Largest healthcare law firms; Ranked by total membership in the American Health Lawyers Association.(By the Numbers)
February 5, 2007... 1 - Epstein Becker & Green, King & Spalding 3 - Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis 4 - Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman 5 - Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz 6 - McGuireWoods 7 - Foley & Lardner 8 - Reed...

Putting off the tough choices; As a long-term fiscal crisis worsens, Washington dithers.(United States healthcare budgets)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Todd Sloane It is misleading to say the president's proposed fiscal 2008 budget vaporized on impact on Capitol Hill. For sure, his healthcare cuts will not be carried out as envisioned; Democrats certainly won't go along with...

The missing link? Using EHRs to extract data on adverse drug events.(electronic health records)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Andis Robeznieks During the opening reception at the National Patient Safety Foundation's annual conference in San Francisco last May, patient-safety pioneer Lucian Leape was holding court and talking about how electronic health...

Flu game plan; Providers welcome CDC pandemic recommendations.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Jessica Zigmond Hospitals and the communities they serve should get some needed direction from influenza pandemic guidelines released earlier this month. On Feb. 1, HHS and its Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

Keeping it afloat; Tate works tirelessly after Katrina hits home, hospital.(William Tate III)(Biography)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Linda Wilson Dad always said, `If you want to belong to something and you want to see it grow and improve, you have to participate,' '' recalls William Tate III. Tate has certainly acted on his commitment to the community. He...

Asides & Insides.(businessman T. Denny Sanford's donations)
February 12, 2007... A kitchen table talk: $400 mil. Name on a system? Priceless How do you ask someone for $400 million? If you're asking South Dakota businessman T. Denny Sanford, you'll probably make the pitch at his kitchen table. And you'd better have...

DeParle's double play; Triad board member also works for CCMP.(Nancy-Ann DeParle, Triad Hospital, CCMP Capital Advisors)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Cinda Becker Triad Hospital's proposed $6.4 billion leveraged buyout had an unusual twist: Nancy-Ann DeParle, a former HCFA administrator who sits on Triad's board of directors, also is a managing director for CCMP Capital...

Becoming transparent; Schubart brings spirit of openness on board at system.(William Schubart, chairman of Fletcher Allen Health Care)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Linda Wilson Turning to the insight he gained as the chairman of not-for-profit boards of trustees, William Schubart III steered 434-bed Fletcher Allen Health Care to an open and accountable decisionmaking process-the antithesis of...

Accountabiity.(Trustees of the Year 2007, healthcare industry)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Jordan Hadelman Accountability in the boardroom has never been more demanding. Governing boards are now under a microscope that examines how they perform their duties, how they're structured and how their organizations are...

Late news.(drug pricing program)
February 12, 2007... GAO: Ensure drug prices Congress should investigate what steps federal drug programs are taking to ensure price accuracy and transparency and limit the potential for abuse, an official from the Government Accountability Office testified...

How we did it.(selection of winners for Trustees of the Year 2007)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Nearly 100 letters of nomination were received for this year's Trustee of the Year competition. Nominations were accepted from early October until the end of November 2006. Again this year, two winners were chosen in each category-healthcare...

Not enough information; Critics say SEIU/Wal-Mart plan lacks specifics.(Service Employees International Union)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Jennifer Lubell A new partnership of business, labor and public policy organizations seeking universal healthcare coverage by 2012 is attracting some criticism for wanting to scrap the current system of care without proposing a...

Budget backlash; Disparate forces in healthcare unite to decry Bush's healthcare budget for 2008; 'a remarkable leap backward to the stone age'.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Matthew DoBias Healthcare lobbyists for more than a dozen interest groups, some of which have battled on opposite sides in the past, found common ground last week in their near-unanimous opposition to the White House's proposed...

Ascension emits tension; In-works Boston system deal has mayor concerned.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Melanie Evans Ascension Health's possible arrival in Massachusetts may have won the blessing of Boston's archbishop, but it raised questions elsewhere about the giant hospital operator's potential ownership of a major healthcare...

`The right thing to do'; Moffitt helps lead fight over integrity of disclosures.(William Moffitt)(Kadlec Health System, Richland, WA)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Linda Wilson Administrators at Kadlec Health System in Richland, Wash., rely on William Moffitt's integrity. Moffitt, 65, joined the boards of both the Kadlec system and Kadlec Medical Center in 1999, becoming chairman of both...

Behavior modification; Ochs revamps board bylaws in wake of power struggle.(Dennis Ochs)(Logan Medical Center, Guthrie, OK)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Linda Wilson Dennis Ochs led the turnaround of a dysfunctional board of trustees at Logan Medical Center in Guthrie, Okla., into a smooth, professional operation. And he did it in just one year. Ochs, 49, "knows how to pull...

Three get Hall of Fame nod.(Health Care Hall of Fame)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Michael Romano Three industry luminaries will be inducted into the Health Care Hall of Fame next month. The newest members of the hall are longtime hospital executive Gail Warden; Nancy Brinker, the founder of one of America's...

Buyouts? That may be all, folks; Proposed Triad deal likely last LBO-for time being.(leveraged buyout)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Vince Galloro Triad Hospitals, like HCA, its former parent company, is headed toward private ownership after a $6.4 billion leveraged buyout was announced last week, and it may be the last such deal for a while. The deal...

IRS affirms board accountability; Not-for-profits are warned not to take rules lightly.(Internal Revenue Service)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Cinda Becker The Internal Revenue Service cast its attention on the governing boards of tax-exempt organizations, distributing guidelines earlier this month that contained no real surprises but nevertheless confirmed the notion...

Reform beyond access; A plan to extend Medicare model that would also limit costs, improve quality.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Jacob Hacker Health reform is back on the agenda, and not a moment too soon. U.S. health financing is a costly mess that is putting more and more Americans and their employers at risk. Yet nothing guarantees that the burgeoning...

Not another one; New commission meets criticism.(National Commission on Entitlement Solvency)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Matthew DoBias From the so-called Greenspan Commission in the '80s to the Kerry-Danforth and Thomas-Breaux commissions in the '90s, official Washington has shown an affinity to push off onto large-scale groups the difficult task to...

Never give up! Don't let others deter you from pursuing your goals.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Charles S. Lauer How many of us keep pursuing our dreams in life? So much of what we do is constrained by events, circumstances, etc. Far too many people lose sight of their original goals, the things they used to hope for. Life...

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS.(Corrections)
February 12, 2007... In a Feb. 5, 2007, story (p. 12), revenue figures for HealthSouth's surgery center and diagnostic divisions were incorrect. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2006, revenue for HealthSouth's surgery center segment was $555.2 million, compared...

By the numbers.(survey on doctors obligations)(Survey)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Does a physician have an obligation to present all possible treatment options, including those that the physician may object to on moral grounds? An overwhelming number of more than 1,100 doctors who were asked that question in a recent survey...

Other voices.(healthcare system reforms)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... "This profusion of proposals (on the uninsured) means that healthcare is getting more attention, and this makes reform more likely. But these proposals are like Band-Aids and fall far short of what our sick healthcare system needs. They build...

For more on the uninsured:.(information on health benefits)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... The "Hacker plan" and other national and state proposals to expand access to health benefits can be found at Modern Healthcare Online. All registered users can go to the Legislating Access section of the home page of modernhealthcare.com, where...

Success stories.(use of information technology in medical safety)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... While using IT to uncover adverse events involving drugs or medical devices is a relatively young field, experts believe it holds rich potential for medical safety. Some recent findings: * Linked drug-eluting stents to thrombosis and death....

Norwood sought patients' rights; Republican Congressman from Ga. dies at age 65.(Rep. Charles Norwood)(Obituary)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Laura B. Benko The late Rep. Charles Norwood was remembered by healthcare leaders last week as a controversial yet tireless crusader for national patient-care standards whose efforts, though never fully realized, helped drive...

Midwest.(Hillcrest Hospital planning expansion)(Fairview Health Services planning childrens hospital)(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... CLEVELAND-Hillcrest Hospital announced a five-year, $163 million expansion that will double the size of its emergency department and add 72 private rooms in a new patient tower. The project also includes new operating rooms, a neonatal...

Asides & Insides.(health care industry regulations)
February 19, 2007... The cure for what ales you: Beers with Bush As Washington insiders will tell you, access to upper-echelon political figures costs money. But what about access to Mr. Bush, himself? That price is expected to be set Feb. 21, when bidding...

SYSTEMATIC ATTRACTION; Single hospitals faced with competitive pressures, demand for capital often look to join systems, but money may sour marriage.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Melanie Evans Solo hospitals, like singles everywhere, regularly face pressure to pair off and settle into the security of a long-term relationship. Systems often pay less for loans than single hospitals, carry more weight with...

Weak prospects; Federal Medicaid P4P proposal has skeptics.(The Week in Healthcare)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Jennifer Lubell Healthcare experts are questioning the feasibility of the Bush administration's legislative proposal to incorporate performance measures into Medicaid's payment system. Medicaid pay-for-performance was one of...

I see on your resume you ran CMS, gulp; CMS administrators' ethical track record questionable; it's time to buck the trend.(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
February 19, 2007... Byline: David Burda If a former CMS administrator applies for a job at your company or organization, run the other way. It seems that many of the former executives who ran the day-to-day operations of the Medicare and Medicaid programs...

On the move...(appointment of Deborah Yancer to Enloe Medical Center, hospital appointments)
February 19, 2007... HOSPITALS, SYSTEMS Enloe Medical Center, Chico, Calif., named Deborah Yancer its new CEO, effective April 2. She replaces Dan Neumeister, who resigned in July 2006 after less than six months on the job following a no-confidence resolution...

Medicare Advantage on hot seat; Congress presses officials on budgetary status quo.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Matthew DoBias Federal lawmakers last week signaled that Medicare Advantage plans would come under tougher congressional scrutiny even as government officials and proponents of the private plans defended the program. During a...

South.(HCA Virginia's new medical campus, University of Kentucky hospital plan, MedCath Corp.)
February 19, 2007... RICHMOND, Va.-HCA Virginia announced plans to develop a new medical campus on 49 acres of land it purchased for $19 million on Route 50 in southern Loudoun County. It would be the seventh location in HCA's Northern Virginia market. HCA plans to...

Rolling the real-estate dice; N.Y. hospital selling choice location post-bankruptcy.(St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Cinda Becker St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers in New York announced audacious plans last week to emerge from bankruptcy in late spring and then immediately begin work on a new state-of-the-art replacement hospital. The...

Blues gets its banking done; Consumer-driven institution opening March 1.(Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Cinda Becker The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association last week passed a significant milestone in its excursion into consumer-driven healthcare with federal approval of the Blue Healthcare Bank based in Sandy, Utah. The bank,...

Horizon Health deal hits snag; FTC launches antitrust investigation of psych pact.(Federal Trade Commission)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Jessica Zigmond Behavioral healthcare provider Psychiatric Solutions must wait a bit longer in its effort to close a deal to acquire Horizon Health Corp. while both companies respond to the Federal Trade Commission's request for...

Let the bidding begin; Another buyer interested in Sunrise Senior.(Health Care Property Investors, Sunrise Senior Living REIT)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Jessica Zigmond The post-acute sector got a boost last week when a competing company proposed to outbid an offer from healthcare real estate investment trust Ventas to buy Sunrise Senior Living REIT. In a letter to Sunrise...

Late news.(healthcare coverage for children)
February 19, 2007... House pushes kids coverage A bipartisan coalition in the House of Representatives introduced legislation to expand healthcare coverage of children under federal entitlement programs. Under the bill, states that implement certain policies...

Doc business school survey.
February 19, 2007... Modern Healthcare invites you to participate in the fifth annual survey of the top business graduate schools that offer programs targeting physician-executives. To qualify, the school must offer long-distance learning programs that award MBAs...

Northeast.(Bertrand Chaffee Hospital bankruptcy)(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... SPRINGVILLE, N.Y.-Bertrand Chaffee Hospital filed for Chapter 11 protection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Buffalo. Hospital officials said in a news release that the 114-bed hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Chaffee Nursing Home just...

Efficiency counts; IHA adds measures to pay-for-performance formula.(Integrated Healthcare Association)(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Michael Romano The Integrated Healthcare Association, the nation's largest pay-for-performance program, will take a big step forward in the burgeoning pay-for performance movement when it adds efficiency measures to its formula for...

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
February 19, 2007... In a Jan. 22 chart (p. 25) of 2006 hospital mergers and acquisitions, an incorrect seller was given for the for-profit Central Montana Surgical Hospital, Great Falls. Developer Harold Poulsen sold the property. CAPTION(S): Temple...

Breaking up's hard to do; Trial to begin in Health Alliance case.(Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Mark Taylor Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake in a legal dispute set to begin this week in which three of the seven hospitals in the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati are trying to exit the health system. The...

Other voices.(informing patients about treatments)(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... "It was bad enough when pharmacists who call themselves pro-life refused to fill prescriptions for morning-after pills and an emergency medical technician refused to help drive a woman to an abortion clinic. Now a new survey has revealed that a...

By the numbers; Online poll results.(health insurance, uninsured number)(Survey)(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... How do you believe the number of uninsured would change if President Bush's proposals to alter the tax deductions for health insurance were implemented: Decrease considerably - 5% Decrease slightly - 25% No change - 46% ...

Think you know European healthcare? Sure there's universal coverage, but more personal responsibility than you realize.(Opinions Commentary)(George Halvorson)
February 19, 2007... Byline: George Halvorson We all know that all European countries have achieved universal coverage for their citizens by nationalizing healthcare, with the government serving as the only health insurer. We also know that the Canadian model...

HEALTHCARE BEHIND BARS; FIRST OF A SERIES.(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... The already tenuous taxpayer-supported prison healthcare system is buckling under growing financial strains and delivery challenges. This story launches a three-part examination of the nation's prison healthcare system, offering a broad...

Prisoners of the system; Court rulings have led to major changes over the years in the delivery of care to the nation's inmates, a uniquely challenging patient population.(Special Report)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Mark Taylor The multibillion-dollar business of caring for the nation's 2.2 million prisoners and inmates continues to snare headlines, sap government resources and pose enormous financial and delivery challenges for the federal,...

U.S. PRISONS/JAILS, BY THE NUMBERS.(Special Report)(disease statistics)(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... * An average of 2.2 million prisoners and inmates were in federal and state prisons and city and county jails daily in 2004, up from about 325,500 in 1970. That number could reach 2.5 million by the end of 2007. * Some 500,000 people are...

That personal touch; Taking care of your customers is the most important job of all.(Lauer's Letter)(health industry )(Column)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Charles S. Lauer Anyone who reads my columns knows how much I respect customer service. Acts of customer service are the basis for success, but too often success brings arrogance and apathy. The real kicker here is leadership, and...

Quiet giant; Blues consolidator Health Care Service Corp. may not get the same attention as for-profit WellPoint, but the company is busy making big moves.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Laura B. Benko Over the past several years, WellPoint has grabbed headlines as it swept through the managed-care industry, converting Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans to for-profit status and rolling them up into what is arguably...

Largest children's hospitals; Ranked by number of staffed beds, 2005.(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... Rank/Hospital 1 - Texas Children's Hospital, Houston 2 - Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta 3 - Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati 4 - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia 5 -...

Eyes on the EHR; Clinical systems, cost issues also among priorities.(Special Feature)(electronic health record)
February 26, 2007... Byline: Joseph Conn Moving toward an electronic health record remained the top healthcare information technology systems priority, although other applications gained ground, according to respondents to this year's Modern Healthcare IT...

Other voices.(Opinions Editorials)(Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board)(Brief article)
February 26, 2007... "In 2004, a corruption scandal almost killed the powerful (Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board). But Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the Legislature streamlined the board and granted it a reprieve. Now it is due to expire on April 1-- unless...

Late news.(Medicaid and healthcare)(William Winkenwerder to join private sector)(Baptist Health System hires Wellspring Partners)
February 26, 2007... Medicaid's future brighter? Medicaid's future isn't as dire as previous estimates have suggested, according to a new report from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured published online by Health Affairs. Expected growth in...

Chains weigh in on access; The FAH joins the throng offering proposals to solve the uninsured crisis, but some say their plan lacks a key element.(Federation of American Hospitals)
February 26, 2007... Byline: Laura B. Benko With new leadership on Capitol Hill and a national election on the horizon, presidential hopefuls, healthcare coalitions and special-interest groups have been virtually tripping over one another to have their say on...

CMS: Spending growth slows; However, experts say GDP projections alarming.(The Week in Healthcare)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
February 26, 2007... Byline: Matthew DoBias and Jennifer Lubell Despite the moderating growth of healthcare spending found in CMS projections released last week, industry executives and officials say an overhaul is still clearly needed. In its annual...