HealthLeaders Media HR - March 1, 2010 | ED Shooting Shows Why Confronting Hospital Violence Must Be A Priority
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ED Shooting Shows Why Confronting Hospital Violence Must Be A Priority
John Commins, for HealthLeaders Media
The Feb. 15 early morning shooting inside the emergency department of Scotland Memorial Hospital in Laurinburg, NC, provides an unwelcomed, frightening, and extreme example of the violence that healthcare professionals too often confront. The story got little play nationally and not that much play around North Carolina—a couple of news cycles and then nothing. That left me wondering if hospital violence has become so commonplace that it no longer warrants extensive news coverage. [Read More] |
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March 1, 2010 |
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Editor's Picks
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Shark Attack Victim Photos Put Hospital Employees in Hot Water
A handful of medical professionals in South Florida are lucky to have jobs today after their remarkably unprofessional conduct. Martin Memorial Medical Center in Stuart, FL, has disciplined several employees for taking cell phone pictures of a shark attack victim who later died. The disciplinary actions ranged from written warnings, suspension, and demotion to loss of position, but nobody was fired, hospital officials said. "Ultimately, we have determined that these inappropriate actions were taken by good people who exercised poor judgment," the hospital statement read. Of course, the hospital was well within its rights to fire these offenders. Let's hope they learned a lesson. As I've said, if a hospital can't provide for patient privacy, how can they provide anything else? [Read More]
Healthcare Online Job Ads Dip in February
Be careful not to read too much into this, as a small, one month dip does not constitute a trend. Still, after months of solid growth in the healthcare sector, it's interesting to note this hiccup. The Conference Board report found that online job ads in many employment sectors across the nation dipped by nearly 67,000 listings in February and healthcare practitioners and technical occupations accounted for almost half of the decline. Later this week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its employment data for February. It will be interesting to see how the federal data mesh with this Conference Board report. [Read More]
CMS Delays Physician Pay Cut in Hopes that Congress Will Resolve Issue
Can the Senate hold itself in contempt? Because I sure do, and I'll bet I could get a few hundred thousand physicians or more to second that motion. In a breathtaking display of arrogance, indifference and/or cowardice, the upper chamber left town Friday without addressing the 21.2% Medicare pay cut for physicians that was to go into effect today. CMS had to step in and ordered contractors to hold claims for 10 days, which temporarily shelves the pay cut. CMS expects that provider cash flow will not be interrupted. It's not like this issue snuck up on anybody. It's an annual sideshow and several leading doctors' organizations have been pleading with Congress for years to fix the problem. The Senate has done a huge disservice to the nation's physicians, and to millions of Americans who rely on their care through Medicare and TRICARE. [Read More]
Mission Driven, Financially Strong
Why is it that in times of economic stress, some hospitals manage through with strength to spare while others fall? While it may be tempting to say that those hospitals that thrive have the best payer mix or the most profitable service lines, often the deciding factor is the leadership's commitment to core principles of sound financial management. In this free HealthLeaders Media Breakthroughs report, four leading hospital systems—Banner Health, Southwest General Health Center, The University of Kansas Hospital, and Parkland Health & Hospital System—share the lessons they have learned to help them identify cost-cutting measures that also add value to care efficiency, make strategic investments in areas under your control, and refocus on the fundamentals of financial discipline. [Read More] |
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Executives on the Move
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KINGSPORT, TN: Petty named CIO at Wellmont Health System
A military commander with technology experience has been named vice president and chief information officer for Wellmont Health System. Kent Petty, 45, has worked for Wellmont on a contract basis since August on computerized provider order entry and electronic medical records. Petty is a commander in the Navy Reserves and most recently worked for Marriott International. [Read More]
BEAUMONT, TX: Michalski named CEO/president at Beaumont Hospitals
Beaumont Hospitals President/CEO Kenneth J. Matzick has announced his retirement effective May 31 after 41 years, the last five as CEO. Beaumont's Board of Directors has appointed Gene Michalski, executive vice president/COO, as Beaumont's new president and CEO effective June 1. [Read More]
ENGLEWOOD, CO: Oncure Medical Corp. names new CEO
Oncure Medical Corp., a national network of cancer treatment centers, has appointed Duane Choate as president/CEO. Choate, previously Oncure's executive vice president/CFO, joined the company in 2007 and succeeds David Chernow. [Read More]
FARMINGTON, NM: Wallace named CEO/president at San Juan RMC
San Juan Regional Medical Center has named Rick Wallace as the hospital's new president/CEO. Wallace replaces Steve Altmiller, who resigned in July 2009 to take a similar position at a larger hospital in Mississippi. Wallace is the CEO of St. Mary's Medical Center in Enid, OK. Wallace begins his tenure on March 8. [Read More]
ORLANDO, FL: Orlando Health names new president/CEO
Orlando Health's Board of Directors has selected Sherrie Sitarik as the next president/CEO. Sitarik will succeed John Hillenmeyer, whose retirement becomes effective the end of the year. Sitarik has served as executive vice president/chief strategy officer for Orlando Health since 2008. [Read More]
TAMPA, FL: Shriners Name Gardner COO
Shriners Hospitals for Children has appointed Keith Gardner to the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer. Gardner had been serving in the role in an interim capacity since January 2009 when Jim Full, the previous executive vice president, left the organization after three years. Gardner has worked for the organization in the corporate Shriners International headquarters office in Tampa for 21 years. Previously, he was vice president of finance. [Read More]
MISSION VIEJO, CA: Nolan named COS at Mission Hospital
Plastic Surgeon Christopher Nolan, MD, has been elected chief of staff at Mission Hospital. Nominated by his peers and voted into office by the active medical staff, Nolan will serve his current term which runs through December. [Read More]
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| From HealthLeaders Magazine |
Beyond Meaningful Use
Technology can help the healthcare industry achieve better outcomes and cost savings, but only if providers incorporate decision-support tools and a coordinated approach to delivering care. [Read More]
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Audio Feature
The new HealthLeaders Media Industry Survey 2010 found that 38% of hospital CEOs and 46% of CFOs found layoffs and staff reductions to be an effective strategy when dealing with an economic crisis. While it's true that your hospital will probably enjoy short-term financial benefits with layoffs, what about the long-term? In an interview with HealthLeaders Media, Bernie Becker, vice president/CHRO at Stormont-Vail HealthCare in Topeka, KS, argues that layoffs cost more money in the long run, especially when it's time to start hiring again. [Listen Now] |
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