Author's posts
Playing on fear and fun, hospitals follow pharma in direct-to-consumer advertising
Hospitals are using TV spots to attract lucrative patients into their hospitals as healthcare costs and industry competition escalate. Some institutions use them to build national and international brands on niche but high-priced health services.
Colorado plans changes in state mental health crisis system
State officials say an overhaul is needed to improve mobile-crisis response, incorporate local mental health services that already exist and, more broadly, put separate people in charge of financial and clinical decisions.
People without caregivers end up stranded in hospitals
Some at-risk adults end up languishing in hospitals because they have no family to take care of them or a facility willing to take them in due to a lack of space, finances, or appropriate scope of care.
New York pilot program expands Medicaid coverage to doulas
New York state’s health department is launching a pilot program expanding Medicaid coverage to doula services in an effort to reduce childbirth complications for women and babies.
Community Health Systems selling four S.C. hospitals
Community Health Systems has signed a definitive agreement to sell four South Carolina hospitals.
Atrium Health accused of cheating staffers on health, pension benefits
A group of former Atrium Health employees are suing the system, claiming it has cheated thousands of employees out of pension benefits and caused them to pay more for services it rendered through the network established by the health plan it co-owns.
Shots fired on Chicago hospital campus
A gunman opened fire Monday afternoon on the campus of Chicago’s Mercy Hospital. Four people, including the gunman, were reported dead.
Mayo Clinic projects heavy construction spending in coming years
Mayo Clinic says it expects to spend $908 million over the next three to five years on ongoing construction projects.
Study finds 45 minutes of patient education improves chronic disease management
The study assigned 47 patients who were diagnosed with a chronic disease to visit with a second-year medical student for 45 minutes after seeing their physician. That one-on-one session measurably improved patients’ attitudes and abilities in…
CMS will study quality measures at home health agencies
The CMS wants to make sure it’s using the right quality measures to track care given by home health agencies, which costs the agency around $18 billion every year.
