News for Hospitals & IDNs

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High private-payer margins can lead to negative Medicare margins

 Richard Pizzi March 18, 2010
An article published this week in Health Affairs found that hospitals with strong market power lose money on Medicare patients because these hospitals tend to have high cost structures.
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New York hospital official pleads guilty to bid rigging and fraud

 Chelsey Ledue March 18, 2010
A former New York Presbyterian Hospital purchasing official pled guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan to conspiring to rig bids on re-insulation service contracts.
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Study finds nursing workforce is growing and diversifying

 Richard Pizzi March 18, 2010
The number of licensed registered nurses in the United States grew to a new high of 3.1 million between 2004 and 2008, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.
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CMS won't enforce 'direct supervision' policy for critical access hospitals

 Richard Pizzi March 17, 2010
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has instructed Medicare contractors not to evaluate or enforce the "direct supervision" requirement for therapeutic services furnished in calendar year 2010 to outpatients in critical access hospitals.
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California hospitals end affiliation talks

 Richard Pizzi March 17, 2010
Affiliation discussions have ended between Los Angeles-area-based Downey Regional Medical Center and the five-hospital Daughters of Charity Health System.
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Hospital CEO turnover rate increases

 Richard Pizzi March 16, 2010
Hospital CEO turnover increased in 2009, tracking at 18 percent nationwide, up from 14 percent in 2008, according to the American College of Healthcare Executives.
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New MedAssets program helps providers with construction projects

 Eric Wicklund March 16, 2010
Healthcare providers looking to launch construction projects will have a new tool at their disposal to make sure brick and mortar issues don’t affect the healthcare delivery process.
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Mayo Clinic’s debt rating improves

 Richard Pizzi March 15, 2010
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has revised its rating outlook to positive from stable and affirmed a 'AA-' rating on debt issued for the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.
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USDA funds construction of North Carolina hospital

 Richard Pizzi March 15, 2010
A $25 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help fund the construction of a new 50-bed acute care hospital in Harnett County, North Carolina.
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Operating improvements drive debt rating boost for Connecticut hospital

 Richard Pizzi March 12, 2010
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has revised the outlook on its underlying rating on revenue bonds issued for Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Conn., from negative to stable.
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Ohio health system to invest $65M in ED expansion

 Richard Pizzi March 10, 2010
Summa Health System, an Akron, Ohio-based integrated delivery system, has announced a $65 million plan to grow its emergency services network by building two new full-service emergency departments and expanding three existing emergency departments.
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Recession hurts, but pharmacists are still in demand

 Richard Pizzi March 10, 2010
More U.S. pharmacists are working past retirement age to lessen the impact of the bad economy on their families, according to a new workforce report, although job opportunities are still expanding.
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Online auction nets Maryland health system $1.25M in energy savings

 Richard Pizzi March 09, 2010
Adventist HealthCare, a non-profit network of healthcare providers in Rockville, Md., has locked in more than $1.25 million in electricity savings by purchasing power through an online auction process.
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American Hospital Association urges IRS to correct Schedule H flaws

 Richard Pizzi March 08, 2010
The American Hospital Association has urged the Internal Revenue Service to improve its new Schedule H to better reflect the benefits non-profit hospitals provide to their communities.
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Healthcare employment rose in February

 Richard Pizzi March 08, 2010
Employment in the U.S. healthcare sector increased by approximately 12,000 jobs in February, while the national unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Missouri health system will upgrade revenue cycle management technology

 Richard Pizzi March 05, 2010
BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare organizations in the United States, intends to automate and standardize its charge description master and pricing.
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IRS to honor medical resident tax refund claims

 Richard Pizzi March 05, 2010
The Internal Revenue Service has determined that medical residents are excepted from FICA taxes based on the "student exception" for tax periods ending before April 1, 2005, when new IRS regulations went into effect.
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Florida medical center implements labor management system

 Richard Pizzi March 03, 2010
Lakeland Regional Medical Center, an 851-bed facility based in Lakeland, Fla., is adding time and attendance technology in an attempt to increase operational efficiencies.
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New York rallies over provider cuts, taxes

 Molly Merrill March 03, 2010
More than 350 healthcare chief executives, administrators, board chairs and trustees representing hospitals and healthcare organizations from New York state convened in Albany on Wednesday to oppose $1 billion in provider taxes and cuts.
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Online job demand for healthcare workers fell sharply in February

 Richard Pizzi March 03, 2010
Online advertised vacancies for healthcare practitioners, technical occupations and support personnel fell in February, according to a report released this week.
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