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By: Janice Simmons, for HealthLeaders Media, May 19, 2010
In the past several days, healthcare groups—ranging from the American Hospital Association to the American Health Care Association—have been urging Congress to quickly approve a six-month extension of the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage. More than a year ago, the economic stimulus package provided a nearly $87 billion increase in additional Medicaid matching funds to the states. The current funding is due to expire Jan. 1, 2011, which has proven problematic to cash-strapped states that are now preparing and finalizing their fiscal 2011 budgets.
By: Cheryl Clark, for HealthLeaders Media, May 18, 2010
Non-profit hospital chiefs who think they've been dragged through the wringer with the credit crunch and the recession should not think the worst is over, according to a new Moody's Investor Service report.
By: John Commins, for HealthLeaders Media, May 19, 2010
The Florida Hospital Association and the American College of Surgeons today launched a joint Florida Surgical Care Initiative—a statewide program to improve patient safety and surgical care while reducing costly complications. Regional variation in the quality and cost of care has been identified as a critical issue for the nation's healthcare system, and FHA hopes the initiative will allow its member hospitals to proactively tackle the issue.
By: Cheryl Clark, for HealthLeaders Media, May 19, 2010
With Medicare threatening to reduce payments for hospital-acquired conditions, a consortium of academic medical centers is ramping up the effort to track and stop catheter-related bloodstream infections, a growing acute care concern. University HealthSystem Consortium, an alliance of 107 academic medical centers with 234 affiliated hospitals in the U.S., wants to reduce the number of catheter-related bloodstream infections, or CRBSIs, by streamlining systems of care and hospital practice cultures that cause them.
By: Janice Simmons, for HealthLeaders Media, May 18, 2010
Adult patients without health insurance admitted to intensive care units in Pennsylvania hospitals had a 21% higher risk of death compared to other patients with private insurance, according to University of Pennsylvania researchers.
By: John Commins, for HealthLeaders Media, May 19, 2010
St. Joseph's Women's Hospital in Tampa will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday for its $75 million expansion. The 125,000 square feet, five-story building will house the St. Joseph's Children's Hospital's Level II and Level III-licensed Neonatal ICU, which includes 64 private rooms; and the Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Breast Center, a dedicated women's imaging center with diagnostic services including CT Scanner, Ultrasound, DEXA Scan and MRI, and 24 private patient rooms.
By: Janice Simmons, for HealthLeaders Media, May 18, 2010
Four new members have been appointed and two members reappointed to the 17-member Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, the General Accountability Office has announced. Their terms will expire in 2013.
By: Gienna Shaw, for HealthLeaders Media, May 18, 2010
Telehealth and remote medicine are hot topics these days, widely regarded as fields that are about to explode. But perhaps the most futuristic use of these technologies is the doctor robot.
By: Rebecca Hendren, for HealthLeaders Media, May 18, 2010
What's the best way to train new graduate nurses? Phoenix-based Banner Health System may have the answer.