Since 2000, UnitedHealth has been sanctioned in nine states for paying claims slowly, shortchanging doctors, hospitals or patients or poorly handling their complaints and appeals. The payment problems related to an array of medical care, from ER visits to specialist referrals to oral surgery on children.
While there are numerous new products that help patients take charge of their health and medical history by organizing their records, but there are privacy concerns.
Even as the community rallies to save Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, the 115-year-old facility could run out of money by the end of 2007. The hospital is expecting hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, but that money may not arrive for months, and some may not arrive at all.
Nurses have argued for years that injuries could be avoided with devices that make it easier to lift or slide patients, and now hospitals and lawmakers are listening. Some hospitals are voluntarily investing in equipment they hope will keep nurses on the job and reduce workers-compensation claims. Also, New Jersey lawmakers expect to vote on a bill that would require hospitals and nursing homes to minimize manual lifting by employees.
Communication between doctors and patients regarding prescription drugs sorely needs improvement. According to Consumer Reports, 45 percent of U.S. adults regularly take at least one prescription drug, and 18 percent take three or more--meaning consumers need to know how to get the best value for their healthcare dollar.
The lead contractor building a new replacement hospital in Clarskville, TN, says the $200 million construction effort is a full four months ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed by April 2008. In response to the news, Gateway Health System administrators say they now plan to have the new hospital ready to receive patients a few weeks later.
Loyola University Health System is interested in acquiring Gottlieb Health Resources of Melrose Park, IL, for $100 million, and is considering maintaining the 46-year-old institution as a general purpose hospital. Loyola operates a major hospital and medical center in Maywood, IL, with satellite clinics and medical services around suburban Chicago.
Brockton (MA) Hospital has gone regional, creating a system of primary care physicians and medical centers to form a new, larger healthcare provider. The hospital and its parent company, Brockton Hospital Corp., will now be known as Signature Healthcare.
The Washington, DC, City Council is scheduled to vote on a bill that would make DC the first jurisdiction in the country to license pharmaceutical sales representatives. One council members say the move would help protect doctors and patients from disreputable agents who help drive up the costs of prescription drugs.
Greater Southeast Community Hospital in Washington, DC, had its national accreditation yanked because of the overwhelming problems that pushed the facility close to collapse for much of 2007. Eric Rieseberg, president of Greater Southeast ownwer Specialty Hospitals of America, said he does not expect reimbursement from Medicare or Medicaid to be at risk.
