The long-running federal investigation into the orthopedic device industry's suspected kickback payments to hip and knee surgeons now has been focusing on the many doctors who receive money as the companies' paid consultants. Kickbacks might raise the overall cost of healthcare, and doctors can be convicted of violating Medicare's antifraud statutes simply for submitting a bill for a procedure linked to a kickback, whether or not the procedure was necessary.
A month after giving notice that they were moving their UPMC Mercy practice to rival West Penn Hospital, six obstetrics/gynecology physicians abruptly were locked out of their University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-owned offices. During the next month, the doctors' patients did not know how to contact them, the doctors did not have new offices ready to see patients and UPMC prevented them from telling their patients what had happened. Patients are now decrying UPMC for not allowing physicians to contact them.
Hollywood, CA-based Memorial Regional Hospital has launched a 15-year expansion plan that will include a new Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, parking garage and power facility. Since winning city approval for the controversial expansion, the South Broward Hospital District has made 32 offers to homeowners in order to make way for the project. While 19 homeowners have accepted at an average sales price of $318,000, a small group of homeowners have appeared before the City Commission to complain the offers are too low.
Nearly 20 percent of physicians are working part time versus about 13 percent two years ago, according to a survey of nearly 14,000 doctors by Cejka Search. Experts say the change has been driven by necessity because as the need for doctors grows, hospitals and physician practices are becoming more flexible. But despite the growing acceptance, drawbacks still exist for physicians who work part-time.
Exactly half of the 246 graduating students from Louisiana State University's medical schools will be staying in Louisiana, according to figures. This is an encouraging sign for healthcare in storm-battered south Louisiana, because studies have shown most doctors practice where they complete their residencies. Fledgling doctors will also be converging on New Orleans from across the country to begin their postgraduate study as well as help the region recover from Hurricane Katrina's damage to the medical system.
Franklin Regional Medical Center in Louisburg, NC, is facing the threat of losing critical federal health insurance payments if it does not correct unspecified problems with care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have given the medical center until March 30, 2008, to correct the problems. The facility is already under criticism from residents who oppose its plans to relocate near more affluent residents in Wake County, NC.