Hospitals in the United States can help patients by doing less and could save at least $4 billion in the process, according to an analysis by Thomson Reuters. The international professional information provider says its comparative analysis can help hospital chief executives lower needless costs by looking for their weak spots when compared to similar hospitals.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida Inc. announced it is cutting 300 employees, or about 5%, from its statewide workforce. Spokesman John W. Herbkersman said the cost-controlling measure will allow the company "to provide more affordable healthcare choices" for its customers.
The California Association of Health Plans announced that Howard Kahn, CEO of LA Care Health Plan, the nation's largest public health plan, will serve as the chair of the CAHP Board of Directors until the end of 2010. Kahn was elected by CAHP's membership for a term that officially began Jan. 1, though he assumed the chair's seat for the first time at CAHP's first Board of Directors meeting of 2009 on March 18.
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University's Woodruff Health Sciences Center have appointed Paul W. Spearman, MD, chief research officer for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and as vice chair of Research in the Department of Pediatrics, Emory School of Medicine. Spearman, who was selected following a nationwide search of candidates, has been division director of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Emory since November 2005, when he joined Emory from Vanderbilt University's Department of Pediatrics.
Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health, San Diego, has been elected chairman-elect of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He took office at the Council of Regents meeting during the ACHE's 52nd Congress on Healthcare Leadership in Chicago last month. As chairman-elect, he will serve the first part of a three-year term in ACHE's consecutive chairmanship offices: chairman-elect, chairman and immediate past chairman. Van Gorder previously served as an ACHE Governor since 2006. He has been president and CEO of Scripps Health since 2000.
Mike Wilson is retiring from Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Providence Holy Family Hospital after a 27-year career. Wilson, 58, president of Sacred Heart and Holy Family, will continue to advise Providence's local leadership for several months as they work through a recession that will cut services and jobs.