Introduced in the 1970s, computed tomography scans have become a standard procedure for common problems. Doctors in the U.S. ordered 68.7 million CT scans last year, more than triple the number in 1995, according to IMV Medical Information Division. Generating tens of billions of dollars in billing each year, CT scanning has become an economic engine for hospitals and doctors. But with the boom has come a rising concern that the abundant use of radiation is beginning to have a subtle effect on the health of the nation.
Emory Healthcare will reopen the former Northlake Medical Center in Tucker, GA, as a hospital focusing on orthopedic and spinal care. Emory spent $16 million on renovations to the former HCA hospital as it seeks to meet increased patient demand for orthopedic care. Emory projects a 25% increase in demand for inpatient orthopedic services over the next 10 years with the rise of knee and hip replacements and spinal surgeries, said company representatives.
Michael Young, the new CEO of Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, fired a shot at other hospitals in the city by saying they should stop sending their uninsured patients to Grady. The practice of sending these nonpaying patients to Grady has gone on for years, Young said, and is a major problem contributing to Grady's multimillion-dollar deficit. If it continues, the hospital may not survive, Young said.
Fifty-one Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have died over the past 11 months while waiting for permits to enter Israel for medical treatment or after having been denied permission to enter, according to the World Health Organization. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza says 245 people have died since June last year from factors relating to the partial closure of Gaza's only two access points. Since Israel signed a truce in June with the militant group that rules Gaza, it has lessened restrictions on the transfer of goods into Gaza, at the same time allowing fewer patients to cross into Israel for treatment. It is impossible to know how many of those might have been successfully treated and how many might have died regardless of access to better healthcare, said World Health Organization representatives.
In October, CVS Corp. will open Massachusetts' first retail medical clinics in Medway and Tewksbury, after the state Department of Public Health approved licenses for the first two clinics. The decision follows more than a year of debate about whether to allow convenient care in Massachusetts and strong opposition from doctors. CVS has applied for licenses for medical clinics in 26 additional stores, and Walgreens Pharmacy has submitted plans for competing clinics in 15 of its Massachusetts stores.
Partners HealthCare is warning that Massachusetts may face a federal lawsuit if it proceeds with plans to raise the amount some companies must contribute to their workers' health insurance. The proposed new rules are opposed by several trade groups because, they say, businesses are already contributing millions more under the state's new healthcare law and the regulations would hit smaller firms especially hard. Partners was one of dozens of business and consumer groups that testified at a public hearing on the issue. Partners' testimony stood out because it has long been a prime supporter of Massachusetts' healthcare law.