One month after its director began work, President Obama has made it official that there is a new White House Office of Health Reform. Obama signed an executive order formally creating the new office assigned the task of pressing his goal of expanding and improving health coverage in America. As outlined in the order, the responsibilities include: coordinating with all relevant executive branch agencies, reaching out to state and local officials, working with Congress to enact health reform legislation and overseeing implementation of any eventual policy changes.
The management team at Nashville General Hospital made a budget presentation to Mayor Karl Dean, who has said the city has to get its spending at the facility under control. Dean is asking the Metro Hospital Authority and other city departments to plan for 10% budget cuts, But he suggested at the budget hearing that he might be willing to accept a smaller reduction at Nashville General for the sake of preserving direct services, such as oncology and cardiology clinics.
More than 300 Massachusetts hospital patients in 2008 suffered perilous falls, got the wrong medication, or had medical instruments left inside them, according to a report released by state health officials. The study tallies episodes at every hospital, with the number ranging from none to 25 per institution.
The Nemours Foundation, which is building a children's hospital in Orlando, will cut about 7.5% of its work force in the next month. Facing a budget shortfall of $60 million this year, Nemours officials will eliminate about 325 positions at its clinics and offices in Orlando, Jacksonville and Pensacola, as well as a hospital in Wilmington, DE, and clinics in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The foundation currently employs about 4,400 people.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal gave private assurances to New Orleans City Council members that he still backs the proposal to build a $1.2 billion state teaching hospital in the city, despite a growing collection of individuals and organizations asking both the council and the governor to reassess the plans. "The governor's position has not changed," said state Health Secretary Alan Levine. "Our focus has to continue to be on developing America's newest and best research and teaching hospital."
Working to prevent and manage chronic disease was one of the key themes at the third in a series of forums on healthcare reform being held throughout the country. The session, held in Wisconsin, touched just occasionally on tough issues such as expanding coverage for the long-term uninsured and restructuring the way in which doctors and hospitals are paid, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.