HealthLeaders Media Community and Rural Hospital Weekly

HealthLeaders Media Community and Rural Hospital Weekly - May 20, 2009


Can Telepharmacy Reduce Rural Critical Access Drug Mistakes? Yes. Cheryl Clark, Editor, Community Hospitals A shortage of pharmacists at critical access hospitals across the nation has spawned creative solutions using remote "telepharmacy" technology. But a deficit of regulations and guidance from state pharmacy boards means only a few facilities have taken the leap. And many of those that did were forced to because of the growing shortage of pharmacists and the fear of making mistakes. [Read More]
		May 20, 2009

Editor's Picks

Docs spend $31 Billion Haggling With Insurance Companies
Primary care physicians spend about 43 minutes out of their day fighting for authorization from insurance companies, more time than specialists do. [Read More]

Employees Pay More for Health
Workers this year will spend 15% more on payroll deductions for health plan premiums than they did last year, and pay 5.4% more in out-of-pocket co-pays. But there's good news too: The rate of increase is lower. [Read More]

Health Care Without the Doctor?
A growing number of medications, medical devices, and diagnostic kits available over-the-counter prompted one health analyst to wonder if the patient experience needs to always be centered on a face-to-face visit with the doctor. [Read More]

Allied Health Workers Wanted
Unemployment may be up, but a great opportunity awaits for people looking for work in roughly 200 allied health professions, specifically nurses, clinical lab scientists, pharmacists, respiratory therapists and imaging technologists. These are the employees who make a hospital's patient flow run smoothly. And without them, the emergency department backs up, patients can't be admitted or discharged and the 911 system sees the word "bypass." [Read More]

Editor's Note
From all of us at HealthLeaders Media, have a safe Memorial Day holiday. HealthLeaders Media Community and Rural Hospital Weekly will not publish next week, but will be back with a new issue June 3.

Leaders Forum

Is Stimulus Money Enough?
Assume for a moment, there will be enough stimulus money to cover the cost of your electronic medical record system. Also assume that you receive the funds prior to your investment, so cost is not an issue. Will your EMR project succeed? [Read More]

This Week's Headlines

Move over, MRSA, C-diff is the new tough bug
Sg2 (free registration required) ? May 14, 2009

Childbirth: Can the U.S. improve?
Los Angeles Times ? May 18, 2009

Study: Small gifts found to influence doctors
New York Times ? May 19, 2009

U.S. Lags Behind Other Countries in Providing Sick Days, Sick Leave
Janice Simmons, for HealthLeaders Media ? May 19, 2009

New taxes loom to pay for healthcare overhaul
Wall Street Journal ? May 19, 2009

Webcasts/Audio Conferences

ICU Overhaul 2009: Strategies to Reduce Costs and Improve Quality (Live)

HIPAA Changes: New Compliance Strategies for New Marketing Models (Live)

Service Lines Strategies Workshop: Cardiovascular Physician Alignment (On Demand)

From HealthLeaders Magazine

Cash for Computers

With an incentive to invest in IT and EMRs, healthcare executives need to determine if this offer is the kind of help that they are prepared to accept. [Read More]

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Service Line Management

Simpler Surgeries, Complex Market

Technological advances have impact beyond the OR, affecting market trends and hospital-physician alignment. [Read More]


	Community Call Discussion Board How can telemedicine improve quality at rural hospitals?



	Audio Feature Preparing for RAC Appeals: Ed Gaines, vice president and chief compliance officer with CBIZ Medical Management Professionals, describes how hospitals are handling the RAC appeals process. [Listen Now]


	Sponsor Community and Rural Hospital Contact Lisa Brown, Director of Integrated Sales, at lbrown@healthleadersmedia.com or call 781.639.1872.

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