A review of state and federal records shows that dozens of Iowa healthcare workers have been disciplined by their employers for snooping through the medical records of HIV-positive men, pregnant teenagers, victims of domestic violence, and emergency-room patients. Not one of them, however, has been prosecuted for violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. In the five years since the law was enacted, 38,000 Americans have complained of HIPAA violations to the federal Office for Civil Rights. More than half of those complaints nationally have been disposed of with no investigation, and until last year no one nationally ever was prosecuted for violating HIPAA.
Three contenders for 41 new hospital beds in Wake County, NC, announced they were filing plans to build new facilities. Novant Health announced that it wanted to build a $110 million community hospital in Holly Springs. WakeMed has filed plans for a $34 million, 61-bed women's hospital on its North Raleigh campus. Rex Healthcare, the third contender, submitted a request for beds to be added on its Raleigh campus.
Michael Taylor, MD, discusses the CMS Recovery Audit Contractor demonstration project. Though the RAC program has yet to be rolled out nationwide, it's coming soon, and hospitals will need to know how best to respond to an audit's findings. +
The future of physician-hospital joint ventures is now uncertain thanks today's struggling economy and pushes for healthcare reform. This is prompting many to seek innovative strategies that will ensure future success. +
Beth Connor Guest and James S. Mathis, for HealthLeaders Media
Although Democratic healthcare proposals may have gotten more attention during the primaries, Republican John McCain's plan might be more revolutionary. McCain wants to tax workers on the value of the insurance they receive from employers, and offer everyone a federal tax credit to help them pay for insurance. The goal, McCain said, is to give those without company-provided health insurance the same tax advantages as those with coverage through work. It would also encourage individuals to shop for less expensive insurance and push prices down, say supporters.
Forsyth County, GA, is evolving into a regional healthcare hub, with an expanding campus of Northside Hospital in Cumming and access to an Emory hospital in nearby Johns Creek. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta also zeroed in on Forsyth County this summer as it plunked down $17 million for property in the county. Healthcare now appears to be the fastest-growing industry in this rural-turned-wealthy suburban county, and its growth has closely tracked the county's population boom.
Connecticut's nursing shortage could reach crisis proportions if more education programs and funds are not made available, according to healthcare advocates. The advocates attribute the problem, in part, to a shortage of instructors and the limited number of spots available in existing nursing programs statewide for people who want to enroll. Several nurses, instructors, and others in the field are now awaiting word on whether a proposed $185,000 federal grant will be approved for the Connecticut State University System's nursing programs to help offset the shortage.
With 47 million uninsured and a sagging economy, consumers around the nation are finding one good sign in the nation's healthcare system: a growing competition in the sale of individual policies. As more people are forced to shop for their own insurance, they'll discover more companies competing in the individual market than a few years ago. The result is an array of policies, and a broader spectrum of prices. The rivalry increases the chance of consumers finding something they can afford, but insurers are continuing to reject people with chronic medical problems and charge premiums that many others still can't afford.
Florida Memorial and Florida International universities have brokered a partnership officials say will boost the number of minority nurses. The agreement will offer students a dual-degree in biology and nursing. Under the agreement, three academic tracks will enable honor students from Florida Memorial to complete their nursing degrees at FIU, and two of those will let students receive the dual degree.
Although thousands of Cuban doctors have defected over the years and others are planning to do the same, more than 72,000 remain on the island and scattered all over the world, and more are in the pipeline. Despite the increasing risks of defection—since 2006 the United States has made it easier than ever for Cuban doctors to abandon their posts by offering them U.S. visas from consulates wherever they defect—Cuba seems to be relying more than ever on its vast health industry for income.
