Poor and elderly Minnesotans covered by government health programs don't receive the same standard of care in key categories as patients with private insurance, even though they are treated at the same clinics and medical groups, according to a report. However, the gaps in care narrowed between 2007 and 2008 for six of the nine measures, according to the study by MN Community Measurement, a healthcare quality consortium.
Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay $1 million to settle claims on behalf of five patients alleging that the HMO mishandled its kidney transplant program, endangering lives and causing deaths. The arbitration claims were filed shortly after a Los Angeles Times investigation found that Kaiser's Northern California kidney transplant program jeopardized hundreds of patients by forcing them into a new program unprepared to handle an enormous caseload. Kaiser released a brief statement confirming the settlements.
A pharmacy technician showed up for work at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in California on April 16 brandishing two handguns, killed his boss and another manager and then fatally shot himself, witnesses said. The shootings sent panicked patients, visitors, and hospital workers running for cover as the agitated gunman stalked the corridors in search of his victims.
New figures from sales and marketing consultants ZS Associates indicate drug reps do not get in the door to see a doctor on 13% of their visits. The 18 million wasted sales calls each year suggest the extent of a physician backlash against pharma's marketing push, says Jaideep Bajaj, managing director of ZS Associates. ZS Associates hasn't been tracking the success rate for rep visits for very long but it's clear that doctor access is getting squeezed for the drug-company detailers, according to the Wall Street Journal Health Blog.
Chrysler is close to a deal with the United Automobile Workers to finance retiree healthcare that is crucial to the company's bid for more government aid, according to people with knowledge of the negotiations. Chrysler has agreed to give more than 20% of its stock to a UAW-administered trust to pay for half of its $10.6 billion obligation for retiree healthcare, they said.
JPS Health Network administrators say several patient safety issues could be addressed if the Texas-based, taxpayer-supported hospital district does away with handwritten records and combines its paper files and various computer systems under one electronic medical record system. But the estimated cost of the project is $150 million, about one and a half times the cost of building the 108-bed pavilion that opened last year. JPS board members are expected to vote soon on a strategic plan to overhaul medical records.