After a stern order from the judge, Alex Zakharia, a 70-year-old South Miami heart surgeon, changed has promised to surrender his medical license as he originally agreed. In 2006, Zakharia was charged with fraud and perjury because of allegations that he exaggerated his credentials while testifying in a Michigan malpractice case. He agreed to retire by Dec. 31, 2007, but as of February 2008 he was still practicing.
Older men with early-stage prostate cancer are not taking a big risk if they keep an eye on the disease instead of treating it right away, according to a study. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said the findings were important because it may persuade some doctors that they are overtreating this disease.
The federal government has cited Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for placing its emergency patients in "immediate jeopardy" because of overcrowding and long waits. The citation comes just six months after Los Angeles County closed all but the outpatient clinics and urgent care center at Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital. Harbor-UCLA saw 82,300 emergency patients in the last year, and the average wait was 12.2 hours. Approximately 16 percent of the ER patients left without being seen.
Blue Cross of California has halted its practice of asking physicians in a letter to look for medical conditions that could be used to cancel patients' insurance coverage. The insurer had sent physicians copies of insurance applications filled out by new patients, along with the letter advising them the company had a right to drop members who failed to disclose "material medical history." Physicians, patients, privacy experts and officials criticized the move, and urged Blue Cross to stop the practice.
Medical Center at Lancaster (TX) will close after 25 years of operation. Hospital spokesman Joe Poulos said the hospital was probably headed for bankruptcy. In recent years, the hospital faced obstacles such as competition, high levels of unpaid patient bills and low payment rates from HMOs, Poulos said.
A chronic care commission appointed by Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell is set to unveil a plan to transform how care for chronic conditions is delivered in the state. The idea is to help patients manage their conditions before problems get out of control. Under the plan, family doctors and other clinicians will be trained and get financial support to redesign their practices. The doctors will also be encouraged to develop a more team-oriented system aimed at changing patient behaviors, such as providing basic education and calling people who miss appointments for key tests.
Aquinas College in Nashville, TN, plans to expand its nursing program, which includes new construction, after accepting two donations totaling $6 million. Angelle Rosata, chief human resource officer for Saint Thomas Health Services, said Tennessee is facing a nursing shortage and groups need to assist colleges to make sure they have the resources needed to expand their nursing program. Saint Thomas Health Services pledged $2 million to the Aquinas nursing program.
Rhode Island's lieutenant governor has unveiled a healthcare plan that puts as much emphasis on slowing soaring costs as it does on providing universal coverage. The plan, acknowledges that Rhode Island cannot afford to insure all its residents unless it can deliver healthcare more efficiently and raise money through a tax on businesses that do not provide coverage. Experts say that Rhode Island's proposal is part of a trend among states to take a slower approach that addresses costs first, or at least simultaneously with access.
Spending on spine treatments in the United States totaled nearly $86 billion in 2005, a rise of 65 percent from 1997 after adjusting for inflation, according to a report. The data show that the percentage of people with serious spine problems has not declined, and it appears to have increased. The report suggests that the nation is losing its battle against back pain, and that many popular treatments may be ineffective or overused.
As of 2006 there were 22,146 American doctors in residency programs in the United States specializing in primary care, down from 23,801 in 1995, according to The General Accountability Office. The number of international medical graduates training in primary care, however, had grown from 13,025 in 1995 to 15,565 in 2006, according to the GAO's report on primary care.
