Pfizer has announced that it will start reporting payments to doctors, part of the growing trend of transparency around the financial ties between doctors and industry. Sen. Chuck Grassley has been looking into undisclosed payments and pushing a bill that would require broad disclosures from industry, as well. But Grassley's Physician Payment Sunshine Act would be still more stringent than the companies' self-imposed disclosure policies, at least in a few respects, according to this Wall Street Journal Health Blog posting.
The Saint Mary's Hospital Foundation of Michigan is sending medical supplies to hospitals in third-world countries, thanks to a partnership and the help of some local volunteers. The foundation works with Global Links in Pittsburgh, which distributes the supplies to hospitals in the developing nations. Global Links partners with many U.S. hospitals to redirect materials and supplies to public health improvement efforts throughout the world.
Doctors at several state hospitals launched a 48-hour walkout this week in protest of the Health Ministry's changes to a collective labor agreement. The doctors say the agreement they signed was altered before being included in a bill sent to Parliament. They claim that the final document proposes a smaller base salary increase and does not include a proposal to hire 2,500 new doctors by 2010, as was originally agreed to.
The Korean Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs will soon promote the country as a prime medical tourism destination. Officials are looking to attract at least 100,000 foreign medical tourists by 2012. In May, the ministry will designate 5% of beds—just over 2,000—in Korean hospitals for foreign patients.
Foreigners seeking more affordable medical care are increasingly traveling to Turkey. Last year, the country's medical tourism numbers increased about 40% over 2007—150,000 foreigners sought medical treatment in Turkey in 2007, while this number rose to 200,000 in 2008. Health officials there say this can be attributed to the current global economic crisis.
Two NHS hospital chief executives have resigned following mistakes that led to long wait times and ultimately compromised patients' safety. The two chiefs in question, one who headed Bart's Hospital in London and the other who led West Middlesex University Hospital in Isleworth, west London, allegedly did not meet waiting time targets and failed to record lapses correctly. Also, the strategic health authority was not informed of any difficulties, which is required under procedures to help hospitals share the strain in times of exceptional demand.