Although more than 80% of the state's adults turn to the Internet for health-related information, less than one-quarter have looked at physician ratings sites, according to a poll commissioned by the California HealthCare Foundation. Only 2% of those surveyed made a change in physicians based on information posted on a rating site, the survey found. The survey also found that only 1% of respondents made a change in their hospital or health plan based on ratings sites.
A new initiative at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax, England is pushing people to help stop the spread of infections at the facility. Hand sanitizer gel dispensers that look like traffic lights, have been introduced as part of the "Stop, Gel & Go!" program, which was developed after an outbreak of a "superbug" in May forced several wards of the hospital to close.
The cost of surgery for a spinal fusion of the lower back in southeastern Wisconsin can range from $25,000 to more than $50,000. The price depends on the hospital, the doctors, and the insurer covering the procedure. The wide disparity in prices shows why many contend that more information on what hospitals and doctors charge is needed to lower costs and make the healthcare system work better. The effort to provide consumers with meaningful pricing information, however, is slow and complicated.
North Carolina has approved the construction of a medical center on a 34-acre site in Clayton. The facility will include an emergency room, a diagnostic lab and operating rooms. It is expected to open by July 2009. In addition, Johnston Memorial Hospital recently asked the state for permission to include 27 inpatient beds at the center to accommodate longer stays and a greater number of medical procedures. The state is expected to decide on the issue by September.
Investigators have found Health Central hospital in Ocoee, FL, deficient for its failure to notify the state when one of its nurses was accused of sexually assaulting one patient and inappropriately touching another. Florida law requires hospitals to report every allegation of sexual misconduct to the Department of Health, but the hospital had no policy at the time to do so, according to a report. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration investigated Health Central earlier this year and identified the reporting deficiency.
Hospitals in Johnson County, KS, are working to keep up with the needs of residents by establishing new construction projects. Some hospitals are building or acquiring new campus locations, while others are increasing square footage devoted to specialized services. The University of Kansas Hospital, for example, could see an addition called the KU Clinical Research Center. Also, Shawnee Mission Medical Center is teaming up with Kansas City Cancer Center to create an outpatient cancer center scheduled to open the third quarter of 2009.