In the latest sign that consumerism is becoming a major force in the healthcare industry, Indianapolis-based Angie's List unveiled a new service that allows its members to rate physicians, dentists, pharmacies and health insurers. Doctors and hospitals, though, are expressing some concerns. Angie's List--which has 600,000 members nationwide, including 43,300 in the Indianapolis area--built its business by providing a forum for its customers to rate painters, roofers and other service providers. Now, the company allows members to log on to www.angieslist.com to share their real-life experiences with local doctors, from the cleanliness of waiting rooms to the physician's bedside manner.
Terminal patients and their families are increasingly weighing the merits of intense medical intervention. About 30% of all hospitals in Denver and 70% of large hospitals nationally offer palliative care, but studies show that palliative care is medically and economically efficient.
Representatives of Sutter Health hospitals in California said it was business as usual despite a strike by registered nurses. A third to more than half of the nurses were crossing their picket lines and with replacement workers already hired, Sutter staffing levels were about normal, said the representatives.
The American College of Surgeons' commission on cancer has granted three-year accreditation to Bristol (CT) Hospital's new cancer care center. Bristol Hospital has affiliated with the Yale-New Haven Cancer Network, which provides Bristol with access to clinical resources, clinical research and other support services from Yale-New Haven, the Yale School of Medicine and the Yale Cancer Center, said a Bristol Hospital spokesman.
B. Braun Medical Inc., a manufacturer of the blood thinner heparin, has initiated a nationwide recall because some products may contain a potentially dangerous contaminant. Contaminated heparin from a different manufacturer has been associated with 19 deaths and hundreds of allergic reactions.
JPS Hospital has unveiled its new five-story patient tower that is the first major addition to the taxpayer-supported hospital's main Fort Worth, TX, campus since 1991. The tower's amenities include 108 private patient rooms with computers and advanced medical equipment mounted on the ceiling. There are also twelve operating suites, each outfitted with a 42-inch plasma screen and multiple cameras that can wirelessly send video feeds to other parts of the hospital. JPS is spending about $93 million on the tower and a seven-level parking garage.