The English government has struck a deal with doctors' leaders to reform the GP contract which MPs complained had led to "eye-watering" pay rises. The new deal with the British Medical Association will see the minimum income practice guarantee phased out by April 2011. MIPG was introduced years ago, alongside bonus payments for GPs helping people with conditions like diabetes or asthma better look after themselves. It soon emerged most practices came close to achieving the maximum bonus points, and the contract was also criticized for allowing GPs to stop offering out-of-hours care. Under the new deal, the amount GPs earn will be directly proportionate to the number of patients on their list and the health needs of their local populations, the Department of Health said.
Three former employees of Des Moines, IA-based Broadlawns Medical Center want to try their hand at overseeing the place. The three are among seven candidates vying for two seats on the public hospital's board of trustees. The hospital, which is supported by Polk County (IA) taxpayers, is run by seven elected trustees.
A new study from the University of Minnesota and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota says a bonus can help entice doctors to make referrals to a hot line. As an experiment, Blue Cross offered to pay medical clinics for referring smokers to a stop-smoking hot line, with clinics receiving up to $100 per referral. In less than a year, those clinics referred nearly three times as many smokers to the hot line as those that didn't get the bonuses (11% vs. 4%), according to the study.
A jury has awarded nearly $11 million to a woman who became partially paralyzed after waiting two hours for a hospital brain scan at New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens. Jurors found the medical center was negligent in caring for Candida Diego after she fractured her skull in a fall in September 2004. A spokeswoman said the hospital doesn't believe it is liable for the 71-year-old's condition and is appealing the decision.
Mt. Pleasant, MI-based Central Michigan Community Hospital has announced that Bill Lawrence has been named President and CEO for CMCH effective October 15. The CMCH Board of Directors was unanimous in their selection of Lawrence, a finalist in the national search conducted by healthcare search firm Furst Group. Lawrence comes to CMCH from University Heights, OH, where he served as President for University Hospitals Health System - Richmond Medical Center.
After more than two decades serving as president and CEO of Dunkirk, NY-based Brooks Memorial Hospital, Richard Ketcham will leave his post in December. Ketcham would celebrate 23 years as leader of Brooks in January, but if the formation of the Lake Erie Regional Health System of New York continues on schedule, the recently-chosen Jonathan Lawrence will take the helm of both the Brooks and TLC Health Network campuses when they combine before the beginning of 2009. Although he had an opportunity to be considered for the leadership role with Lake Erie Regional, Ketcham chose not to throw his name into the process.