An increasing number of hospitals are opening up their own medical spas that offer medical beauty procedures, from Botox and Restylane to laser hair removal. As the number of medical spas have multiplied, so have concerns about the quality of services they offer and the level of medical supervision present. The hospitals see themselves as a natural alternative, and hope people will automatically associate their names with higher-quality medicine.
Richard Scrushy testified for six hours during a deposition and will return for questioning by attorneys who say the former HealthSouth chief executive swindled their clients. In 2005, Scrushy, a co-founder of the physical therapy chain, was found not guilty in Birmingham's federal court of committing fraud at HealthSouth. Five former chief financial officers pleaded guilty to similar charges and fingered their former boss in the $2.7 billion fraud. Scrushy is about one year into an 82-month federal prison term levied after a Montgomery-based federal jury in 2006 found him guilty of bribing former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman. A federal judge ordered him brought to Birmingham to answer questions in a civil lawsuit filed by HealthSouth shareholders seeking at least $1 billion.
The Joint Commission has announced the 2009 National Patient Safety Goals and related requirements for each of its accreditation programs and its Disease-Specific Care Certification Program. The National Patient Safety Goals promote specific improvements in patient safety by providing healthcare organizations with proven solutions to persistent patient safety problems, according to a Joint Commission release. The goals apply to the more than 15,000 Joint Commission-accredited and -certified healthcare organizations and programs.
A $2.1 million urgent-care center is being built in Lee's Summit, MO. Emergent Care Plus will be the first venture of an emergency practice formed last year by physicians four physicians, and the 7,000-square-foot stand-alone facility is expected to open in October. Patients will not have to make appointments but can go online to alert staff members that they are on the way. Patients also will be able to fill out personal and insurance information electronically before arriving at the facility.
More than 80,000 Americans traveled abroad in the past year for heart surgeries, hip replacements, and other medical treatments, a growing trend prompted by the rising cost of healthcare in the U.S. Many medical tourists are uninsured or have policies that have big co-payments or won't cover certain treatments, while some travelers have high-deductible insurance policies paired with a health savings account, which can be used tax-free to pay for many overseas medical procedures.
As the healthcare industry shifts from a wholesale to a retail model, a new market of consumers is demanding clearer information and personalized support as they face decisions regarding their healthcare. According to a recent study by McKinsey Quarterly, consumers are concerned, confused, unprepared, and uncertain about health insurance and financing needs, leading them to rely heavily on personal recommendations and brand recognition.