Modern Healthcare articles from September 2006

Modern Healthcare archives from September 2006

Trade Wars; While our annual group purchasing survey shows continued growth, organizations face ongoing battles involving government inquiries, vendor disputes.(Special Report)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Joseph Mantone Group purchasing organizations are now engaged in a war on two fronts: an ongoing head-to-head battle with a Senate subcommittee and a more indirect battle with vendors that are pushing hospitals to sign pricing...

GPO surveys differ on costs.(group purchasing organizations)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Joseph Mantone Hospital executives may believe that group purchasing organizations are worth using, but one expert contends GPOs are driving up healthcare costs. Two recent studies come to opposing conclusions on the $96...

Secure messaging trumpeted; E-mail systems can save thousands of dollars: study.(Physician Affairs)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Andis Robeznieks Secure messaging can improve care for patients with chronic conditions while saving physicians and their staff money, according to speakers addressing the American Health Information Community's Chronic Care...

46.6 million and counting; But some question new census numbers.(Access)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Jessica Zigmond Census data showing a slight increase in America's uninsured population bolstered the argument of industry leaders who say this is a neglected national problem that can no longer be ignored. Meanwhile, some...

Running interference; Justice Department looks into S.C.'s CON specifics.(The Week in Healthcare)(South Carolina's certificate-of-need law)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Vince Galloro Normally, when a hospital provider loses out on a certificate of need and claims that the process was unfair, it sounds like sour grapes. But when the U.S. Justice Department later suggests that the provider may have...

Sources say so far, so good ... ... but JCAHO's leadership chapter still needs a revise.(The Week in Healthcare)(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Andis Robeznieks The initial response to proposed changes to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' Hospital Accreditation Manual regarding hospital medical staff bylaws got a positive response from...

More money for the cause; For-profit hospital lobby is solidly in the black.(The Week in Healthcare)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Vince Galloro The Federation of American Hospitals saw its membership dues decline 3.4% in 2005 compared with 2004, but the lobby representing for-profit hospitals tightened spending and posted increased revenue from its annual...

California runs for coverage; Even though Schwarzenegger is likely to veto single-payer bill, other states could start clamoring for similar access plans.(Arnold Schwarzenegger )
September 4, 2006... Byline: Laura B. Benko California's flirtation with a universal healthcare system may not lead to marriage, but the state's action may encourage others to consider walking down the aisle. Last week, the California Legislature approved...

Reprocessing hearings set.(The Week in Healthcare; medical devices)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Joseph Mantone Additional congressional scrutiny of the medical device reprocessing industry is on the horizon. The U.S. House Government Reform Committee is planning to hold a hearing to discuss the safety and regulation of the...

New leader for doc union; Weinmann stepping down, Bussey taking helm.(Robert Weinmann left as Stuart Bussey joined Union of American Physicians and Dentists)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Michael Romano Robert Weinmann, a neurologist and public-policy activist who has served for the past 17 years as president of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, will be succeeded in the top job by Stuart Bussey, a...

No simple answers; Without political will for comprehensive change, access problem will worsen.(Opinion)(health insurance)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Todd Sloane Assistant Managing Editor Op/Ed News that the number of uninsured Americans ticked up by almost 3% in 2005 is disheartening, but by itself is less than overwhelming. I had thought the rate might go up more given the...

Mass. approves premiums.(Late News)(Massachusetts agency)
September 4, 2006... The Massachusetts agency overseeing implementation of the state's new healthcare law approved premiums for state-subsidized health plans for the uninsured earning 100% to 300% of the federal poverty level. An advocacy group criticized the...

Doc discipline said to be lax.(The Week in Healthcare)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Michael Romano Doctors disciplined by state and federal agencies for criminal conduct often receive only minor sanctions and continue to practice medicine, some landing jobs with the federal government, according to a study by...

Other voices.(Opinion)(California Health Insurance Reliability Act)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... "(One bill that) we hope somehow can be defeated or vetoed by the governor: SB 840 would impose a `single-payer,' socialized health scheme on all Californians. It would, in the bill's words, `negotiate for or set fees for healthcare services...

In the Spotlight.(News Makers)(Tyler Wilson)(Mike Gallagher )(Jack Cox)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The American Association for Homecare, Alexandria, Va., named Tyler Wilson its president and CEO. Wilson, 46, has been executive director of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association since 2000. In February, the homecare association said...

Pressure on for gain-sharing demos; Nov. 1 deadline fast approaching, CMS already one step behind.(The Week in Healthcare)(United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Joseph Mantone The CMS is shuffling its feet on setting the parameters for a federally mandated gain-sharing demonstration program. Without quick action by the CMS, the six projects in the program may not get off the ground by...

The day after; You can turn being fired into an opportunity to remake your career.(Lauer's Letter)(Charles S. Lauer)(Editorial)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Charles S. Lauer Vice President Publishing/Editorial Director A friend of mine got fired recently. This was no ordinary employee. A salesman, he gets results by never giving up on selling an account. He also has a great sense of...

Ill. system goes regional with CEOs.(News Makers)(Illinois)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Mark Taylor Provena Health, a six-hospital system based in Mokena, Ill., has shuffled its management structure, announcing that two of its hospital CEOs will become regional CEOs overseeing two hospitals apiece and the system will...

Asides & Insides.(Outliers)(volunteers, information technology, cases )
September 4, 2006... Advocacy group's game takes HMO whacking to new level And you thought "Grand Theft Auto'' was violent. Putting a healthcare spin on the vastly popular "shooter'' video game, a California-based consumer advocacy group has launched an...

Out of the running; Healthcare is a back-burner issue this election year.(The Week in Healthcare)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Matthew DoBias Note to the healthcare industry: You're not a factor in this year's elections. What's more, if you don't take action soon, you'll be shut out in 2008 as well. That's the message Drew Altman, president and chief...

On the Move; HOSPITALS, SYSTEMS.(News Makers)(Adventist Health System named David Crane)(American Society of Association Executives elects Thomas Dolan)(First Consulting Group promoted Scot McConkey )
September 4, 2006... Adventist Health System, Winter Park, Fla., named David Crane to succeed Ernie Sadau as president and CEO of four-hospital Adventist Midwest Health, Hinsdale, Ill. Crane, 43, who has been president and CEO of Littleton (Colo.) Adventist...

Meeting their obligations; New York merger ends in divorce, but there's still the matter of the family debt.(Strictly Finance)(NYU Hospital Center)(health care industry)
September 4, 2006... Byline: Cinda Becker Marriage may best describe a hospital merger and divorce might be the ready metaphor when two hospital systems break up, but the ongoing dissolution of the ill-fated Mount Sinai NYU Health union in New York seems more...

CHANGING FACE OF MEDICARE; As the popular administrator prepares to make his exit, providers shouldn't expect much change in direction by his replacement.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Matthew DoBias As the agency that oversees $740 billion in federal spending on Medicare and Medicaid is about to lose its chief, providers and patients are trying to figure out what's in store for them under the next CMS...

Chart: Top five revenue-producing specialties at ambulatory surgery centers.(orthopedics)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... By far, orthopedics is the specialty that produces the most net revenue per case among ambulatory surgery centers, according to survey data from Infomed Healthcare Media, a research and consulting firm.

Weighty concerns; Bariatric surgery programs on the rebound after initial complications.(Northwest Medical Center)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Laura B. Benko In February 2004, Northwest Medical Center in Springdale, Ark., launched a bariatric-surgery program with high hopes of boosting its bottom line while meeting booming demand for the increasingly popular weight-loss...

Rocky Mountain low; Demise of a provider-owned, Medicaid managed-care plan is national harbinger.(Opinion)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Don Hall Since the recent announcement of Colorado Access' departure from Medicaid managed care and my subsequent resignation from that provider-owned health plan, I have often been asked whether my state is a bellwether of the...

Pensions in peril? Law will spur switch to 401(k)-type plans: unions.(The Week in Healthcare)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Cinda Becker Hospital workers' pension plans were not a specific target of the sweeping overhaul of pension rules signed into law last month, but there is concern, especially among healthcare unions, that the industry will use the...

Asides & Insides.(fast-food junkie in hospitals)
September 11, 2006... Med students open Big Mac attack on fast food at hospitals Would you like a cheeseburger and fries with your angioplasty? Despite a nationwide obesity epidemic, America's hospitals remain clogged with enough McDonald's, Burger King,...

Midwest.(health care)
September 11, 2006... CARROLL, Iowa-St. Anthony Regional Hospital broke ground in early August on a $25 million surgery center adjacent to its 142-bed hospital, the facility's president said. The project, scheduled to be completed in January 2009, includes a...

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
September 11, 2006... A story that detailed the directorships held by Wayne Smith, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Community Health Systems, Brentwood, Tenn., ("While Smith on several,'' Aug. 28, p. 21) contained some outdated information. Smith...

Northeast.(health care sector)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... NORRISTOWN, Pa.-Pennsylvania will contribute $1.5 million toward an $8.2 million emergency-room expansion at 141-bed Mercy Suburban Hospital. The expansion, which also will create 100 new jobs, according to Pennsylvania officials, is the focal...

West.(243-bed hospital to be constructed, United Medical Center cjanged name to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center )
September 11, 2006... BURLINGAME, Calif.-Voters in San Mateo County, Calif., overwhelmingly approved plans that will allow construction of a $488 million, 243-bed hospital by Mills-Peninsula Health Services, Burlingame, Calif., an affiliate of 22-hospital Sutter...

Dealing direct; Private placements-still just a fraction of the debt market-have grown more popular by offering providers speed, flexibility.(Special Report)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Cinda Becker Even at a time when not-for-profit hospitals are enjoying one of the most borrower-friendly public bond markets in recent memory, one New York hospital had little choice but to privately raise $22 million in part to...

Five years later ... ... 9/11 anniversary reveals industry's shortcomings.(The Week in Healthcare)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Cinda Becker In the five years since four airplanes commandeered by terrorists targeted American soil, hospitals across the country have struggled to marshal the resources necessary to prepare for disasters of overwhelming...

Minn. talks universal care.(The Week in Healthcare)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Melanie Evans Minnesota's largest insurer urged state policymakers last week to join states such as Massachusetts and Vermont that have revamped health policy to dramatically expand insurance coverage. In a white paper released...

Ventas diversifies with deal.(Late News)
September 11, 2006... Ventas said it agreed to pay $649 million to buy 67 healthcare and senior-living facilities to diversify the operators and payers involved with the real estate investment trust's assets. The Louisville, Ky.-based company said the deal, which it...

Residents still overworked? Studies' findings show polar-opposite conclusions.(Physician Affairs)(Survey)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Michael Ransome Three years ago, the national group that oversees more than 8,000 medical-residency programs instituted tough new duty-hour limits for doctors-in-training. Under pressure from lawmakers and patient-safety advocates,...

GAO blasts HHS on IT, privacy; But exec argues before there can be 'detailed plans,' ONCHIT needs a leader.(The Week in Healthcare)(Government Accountability Office)(Department of Health and Human Services)(Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Andis Robeznieks HHS' efforts to promote the use of information technology, improve patient safety and protect patient privacy took it on the chin last week. Two reports from the U.S. Government Accountability Office-the...

Gain-sharing demo unveiled.(The Week in Healthcare)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Michael Romano The CMS gave the go-ahead last week to a nationwide demonstration project on gain-sharing, approving a sweeping experiment aimed at rewarding physicians for lowering costs while improving quality and efficiency,...

A Labrador of love; Pets give owners lessons in selflessness and appreciation of everyday things.(Lauer's Letter)(Column)
September 11, 2006... For many years I have frequented a restaurant called the Original Green Bay Cafe in my hometown of Winnetka, Ill. I first started going there because the eatery where I used to go had changed ownership and was never the same thereafter. I was...

Healthcare insecurity; With voters worried about access, it shouldn't be political business as usual.(Opinion)
September 11, 2006... Byline: Todd Sloane Assistant Managing Editor Op/Ed Politicians can be forgiven for paying lip service to healthcare issues during campaigns and then forgetting about them in between. Data from past elections find a similar pattern: Early...

Other voices.(Opinion)(Brief article)
September 11, 2006... Byline: San Francisco Chronicle "When Democrats put a universal healthcare plan on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk, they knew with drop-dead certainty it faced a veto. Cynical? Yes. An end to the issue? No. Health coverage, especially...

South.(Regional News)(Lincoln General Hospital)(Howard County General Hospital )
September 11, 2006... RUSTON, La.-Community Health Systems, Brentwood, Tenn., signed a nonbinding letter of intent to buy 124-bed Lincoln General Hospital for undisclosed terms, according to the hospital. Community and Lincoln General are now in exclusive...

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
September 18, 2006... * A story on the indictment of two people in connection with alleged identity theft and fraud at the Cleveland Clinic in Florida (Sept. 11, p. 4) incorrectly reported that one of the defendants worked for Health Management Associates and that...

Mike Trachta.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Lisa Scott Diminished expectations won't fly with Mike Trachta. Waverly (Iowa) Health Center is a self-described progressive rural hospital, ranked among the nation's top critical-access hospitals and with patient-satisfaction...

Asides & Insides.
September 18, 2006... Wis. hospital nixes paintings portraying Jesus as Jewish Clara Maria Goldstein can't fathom how her portraits of Jesus-10 to date-could offend, but officials at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center asked her to remove the oil paintings within...

LifePoint to sell 2 HCA hospitals.(Late News)(LifePoint Hospitals Inc acquisitions)(new facilities of Universal Health Services Inc)
September 18, 2006... LifePoint Hospitals, Brentwood, Tenn., said it has deals in place to sell two West Virginia hospitals that it acquired in July from HCA, Nashville. LifePoint said at the time that it did not plan to keep the hospitals. Privately held Signature...

2006 Up & Comers; Twelve young leaders use their energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.(Special Feature)
September 18, 2006... Imagine your first day on the job. As a newly minted graduate, you embrace the world with fresh ideas and unshakable enthusiasm. You plan to hit the ground running, learning from the best and dreaming of making a difference in healthcare-all in...

HCA clears second hurdle.
September 18, 2006... Byline: Vince Galloro With another deadline safely passed last week, the $33 billion leveraged buyout that would make HCA a private company for the third time appears well on its way to completion by year-end. Investors who might have...

CHARITY WITH AN ARM TWIST; Senate hearing starts the ball rolling on tougher community benefits standard, greater federal oversight of not-for-profits.
September 18, 2006... Byline: Cinda Becker Kevin Lofton must diplomatically walk a fine line in defining the community benefits provided by Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives, where he is president and chief executive officer. As chairman-elect of the...

Bob Dent.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Tracey Fuller In order to improve patient satisfaction, Bob Dent believes in improving and expanding the nursing program for Colorado. In just over a year as chief nursing officer and associate administrator of 36-bed Sterling...

The bash brothers; Grassley, Stark wasting capital with continuous attacks on providers.
September 18, 2006... Byline: David Burda Editor We're certainly not apologists for greedy healthcare executives or healthcare organizations that put profit above all else, but isn't it time for someone to tell Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), to just shut up....

Sue Lunsford.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Tracey Fuller Sue Lunsford has come a long way since joining King's Daughters Medical Center seven years ago. "She was a team player when she started, and showed leadership skills immediately,'' says Fred Jackson, chief...

John Singerling.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Linda Wilson At 34, John Singerling already is the top executive of a 633-bed teaching hospital. He was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia, S.C., in January. He is...

Executive privilege; Club dues called business expense.(Survey)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Mark Taylor Only four of the 10 not-for-profit healthcare systems queried by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) paid country club dues for their senior executives during the period questioned by Grassley. But those that continued to pay...

Corinne Francis.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Linda Wilson As a young woman living in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Corinne Francis, 38, knew a degree in business would help her escape poverty. But after two profoundly spiritual experiences, Francis decided to combine training in...

Here's how we selected the 20th Up & Comers class.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(Brief article)
September 18, 2006... Byline: David Burda Editor This year marks Modern Healthcare's 20th annual Up & Comers award program, which recognizes rising young management talent in the healthcare industry. We issued a call for nominations in our May 8 issue and ran...

LETTERS.(Letter to the editor)
September 18, 2006... The most self-interested The report on the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare was a good assessment of the state of the industry in today's environment (Cover story, Aug. 28, p. 6). Unfortunately, two people are missing from your list....

Loving the customer; Master salesman's tale is a lesson in the importance of relationships.(Lauer's Letter)(Letter to the editor)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Charles S. Lauer Vice President-Publishing/Editorial Director By now most readers know my first love is and always will be sales. It's the way my dad made his living, and it's the way I've made mine for more than 40 years. There...

AHA: Transparency our way OK; Association backs bill similar to its initial proposal.(The Week in Healthcare: Finance)(American Hospital Association)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Matthew DoBias In an unusual step last week, the American Hospital Association endorsed for the first time legislation aimed specifically at promoting price transparency for hospitals and insurers. The move is remarkable...

Spirit award deadline nears.(News)(Modern Healthcare Spirit of Excellence Awards)(Brief article)
September 18, 2006... The Oct. 13 deadline for submissions to the 2006 Modern Healthcare Spirit of Excellence Awards, co-sponsored by Sodexho Health Care Services, is quickly approaching. Our 14th annual awards program will honor healthcare organizations and...

Donna McGregor.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(biography)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Barbara Kirchheimer Powerful things come in small packages. That's what colleagues say about Donna McGregor, the chief financial officer and vice president of finance at Health Quest, a three-hospital system in New York's...

Aiisya Williamson.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(biography)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Nicole Voges With two aunts, a grandmother and her mother working in hospital settings, it's no surprise Aiisya Williamson, 29, ended up in healthcare. After getting a "more than you see on TV'' look at how nurses and physicians...

Erol Akdamar.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(biography)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Lisa Scott Workers crowd into the cafeteria at St. David's South Austin (Texas) Hospital. As Timbuk 3's '80s anthem "The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades'' ramps up, Chief Executive Officer Erol Akdamar enters in sunglasses...

Warner Thomas.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Angela Fornelli Warner Thomas made a bedroom out of his office at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit the area last year. But there wasn't much time for the health system president and chief...

Breeann Robinson.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(biography)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Angela Fornelli Breeann Robinson took her post as vice chair of planning services at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., at a time when the organization's leaders needed her most. With the task of clarifying and restructuring...

Lauren Yedvab.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(biography)(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Barbara Kirchheimer Lauren Yedvab traces her healthcare career to the summer she was a locker-room attendant at a beach club on Long Island. She happened to sweep out the locker of a hospital administrator all summer long, so when...

Docs lobby to stop 5.1% cut.(Physician Affairs)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Michael Romano With the congressional clock quickly winding down, the American Medical Association last week launched a full-court press in the nation's capital in an effort to persuade lawmakers to roll back a scheduled 5.1% cut...

Taking on P4P, gain-sharing.(The Week in Healthcare: Finance)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Andis Robeznieks Take a seat pay-for-performance. Move over gain-sharing. Here comes yet another effort to reform the way hospitals and doctors are paid. Its name is Prometheus-like the Greek god who stole fire from Zeus and gave...

Questioning technology; Calif. Blues' foundation grant spearheads research.(The Week in Healthcare: Technology)(Center for Medical Technology)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Laura B. Benko The charitable arm of health insurance giant Blue Shield of California has chipped in $410,000 to finance a new private research center devoted to studying-and potentially debunking-the usefulness of some of the...

Ray Shoemaker.(Special Feature: 2006 Up & Comers)(biography )(Biography)
September 18, 2006... Byline: Nicole Voges Ray Shoemaker, 34, got his first official healthcare administration job in 2001, but it was when he joined the military at age 17 that he began to develop the leadership skills that would guide him to his current...

2006 Design Awards Judges.(Special Feature)
September 25, 2006... Left to right: Marsha Berger, principal, Marsha Berger Architect, Oakmont, Pa.; Jeff Brickman, system senior vice president and regional president and CEO, southwest suburbs, Provena Health, Joliet/Kankakee, Ill.; Jim Brinkley, president, James...

By The Numbers.(The Week In Healthcare)(statistics for Americans lacking health insurance)(Brief article)
September 25, 2006... When the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the percentage of Americans lacking health insurance rose again in 2005 to 15.9%, or about 46.6 million people, up from 15.6% in 2004, the majority of respondents to a Modern Healthcare Web poll said...

Unlikely pair find a cure; How applying theories that aid factories can help turn around hospitals.(Lauer's Letter)(Letter to the editor)
September 25, 2006... Byline: Charles S. Lauer There are so many books about the healthcare industry that I often wonder who has the time to sort through them all. I must get a couple of dozen new ones a year. Most of these I set aside, thinking I might come...

On the Move...(News Makers)(briefs: new appointments in associations, health care industry and employment services)
September 25, 2006... CONSULTANTS, VENDORS Mark McKenna, 57, has become a partner at the Healthcare Supplier & Provider Institute, Mansfield, Texas, a for-profit company that holds seminars for hospital and healthcare supply executives. McKenna announced his...

Peter O. Kohler Pavilion, Portland, Ore. Honorable Mention/Built.(Special Feature)(contract between Oregon Health and Science University and constuction industry)(Brief article)
September 25, 2006... Type of facility: Combined acute-care hospital with ambulatory care and integrated parking structure Client: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland Project architects: Perkins & Will, Los Angeles; Petersen Kolberg & Associates,...

Dirigible dreams come true for a few New Jersey seniors.(Outliers: Asides & Insides)
September 25, 2006... Six lucky seniors found out last week that if you wish for something, you only have to ask a health insurer. Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey fulfilled the lifelong wishes of the group, floating them 1,000 feet above land on the...

The grade is: 66 out of 100; Commonwealth gives U.S. healthcare a sickly ranking, but some say it's time to offer solutions, not point out problems.
September 25, 2006... Byline: Melanie Evans An influential healthcare philanthropy took a first stab at scoring the value and safety of the U.S. healthcare system last week. And though the grim results were treated as unsurprising at best and unhelpful at...

La. elder-care providers indicted.(The Week in Healthcare: Technology)(Louisiana)
September 25, 2006... Byline: Jessica Zigmond The indictments last week of two former nursing home operators outside New Orleans highlight the need for nursing homes to have effective disaster plans. A decision to not evacuate nursing home residents before...

'Excellence' deadline nears.(News)
September 25, 2006... The Oct. 13 deadline is quickly approaching for the 2006 Modern Healthcare Spirit of Excellence Awards, co-sponsored by Sodexho Health Care Services. Our 14th annual awards program will honor healthcare organizations or employee teams in five...

Thomson to buy Solucient.(The Week in Healthcare: Technology )(Solucient L.L.P acquired with Thomson Corp)
September 25, 2006... Byline: Andis Robeznieks A deal for Thomson Corp. to buy Solucient could lead to expansion of the healthcare software and information company's services as it melds with an information giant. Solucient is now owned by VNU Group, a...

Other Voices.(Opinions)(Brief article)
September 25, 2006... "When a patient gets a prescription from her doctor, she shouldn't have to worry that the drug was selected because of a pharmaceutical company's marketing skills. That's why Stanford University Medical Center's announcement this week that it's...

The Emenhiser Center at Samaritan Lebanon (Ore.) Community Hospital; Honorable Mention/Built.(Special Feature)(Brief article)
September 25, 2006... Type of facility: Ambulatory-care/infusion therapy center Client: Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital Project architect: Clark/Kjos Architects, Portland, Ore. Construction manager: N/A Completed: February 2006 Size: 2,500...

University of California at Davis Medical Center neonatal intensive-care unit; Honorable Mention/Built.(Special Feature)(contract between health care industry and construction industry)(Brief article)
September 25, 2006... Type of facility: Neonatal intensive-care unit Client: UC Davis Health System Project architect: Chong Partners Architecture, Sacramento, Calif. Construction manager: Jacobs Engineering Corp., Pasadena, Calif. Completed: August...