Serbia has begun to develop its medical tourism industry, and is offering patients who come to the country for surgery or medical services other benefits such as discovering the country's sites or visiting its numerous thermal spas. The country is well positioned for the business because of its proximity the European Union and its high standards of treatment, said its economic ministry. "We offer good quality medical services as well as competitive prices," said Renata Pindzo, an official in charge of tourism.
Officials say NHS maternity units will likely remain short-staffed despite a recent surge in the number of midwives promised by the Government. The number of births handled by each midwife has increased over the past several years—the average midwife is now delivering nearly 25% more babies per year than is allowed under current safety standards. Many worry that this could be placing mothers and their babies at risk.
Beijing, China plans to invest 850 billion yuan ($125 billion) over the next three years to revamp the country's healthcare system. Leaders say this will provide all Chinese citizens, particularly those in rural areas, with access to basic care through expanded insurance and cooperative medical programs. Experts say, though, that the plan's success will not come easily.
Thailand's Bumrungrad International Hospital will soon install a wireless system to allow doctors and nurses to access electronic medical records. The system will feature Motorola handheld digital assistants for medical staff to be used for communications, to access medical records, and to scan barcodes on medicine labels to ensure they go to the right patient. The hospital will also soon feature computers in every patient room.
Hartford Hospital, which was placed on a one-year probation last February, remains on probation, and a Connecticut official said a new end date has not been determined. Earlier this year, state regulators identified a number of new healthcare violations at the hospital.
Some of the newly reported violations occurred before the hospital implemented policy changes or staff training programs to address problems that gave rise to the initial probation. Others occurred more recently.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited a struggling Hollywood, FL, health clinic to put a positive spin on the federal government's massive spending plan, days after protesters across South Florida and the country decried government largess. Broward Community and Family Health Centers is receiving nearly $1.5 million in federal aid, saving a doctor and a nurse from impending layoffs and allowing 11 new employees to launch a satellite office. The nonprofit clinic says the additional staff will serve an estimated 6,600 low-income patients.