Wednesday, November 30, 2011

HIPAA 5010 grace period doesn't let practices off the hook - FiercePracticeManagement

HIPAA 5010 grace period doesn't let practices off the hook - FiercePracticeManagement

Partner with patients to avoid gaps with test results - FiercePracticeManagement

Partner with patients to avoid gaps with test results - FiercePracticeManagement

Addicted surgeons, non-surgeons equally likely to return to practice - FiercePracticeManagement

Addicted surgeons, non-surgeons equally likely to return to practice - FiercePracticeManagement

Addicted surgeons, non-surgeons equally likely to return to practice - FiercePracticeManagement

Addicted surgeons, non-surgeons equally likely to return to practice - FiercePracticeManagement

Emory Healthcare teams up with CVS walk-in clinics  | ajc.com

Emory Healthcare teams up with CVS walk-in clinics | ajc.com

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Increased doc employment at hospitals a 'building block' for coordinated care - FierceHealthcare

Increased doc employment at hospitals a 'building block' for coordinated care - FierceHealthcare

Overhauls Are Urged by Governor’s Panel to Fix Brooklyn Hospitals - NYTimes.com

Overhauls Are Urged by Governor’s Panel to Fix Brooklyn Hospitals - NYTimes.com

State wants control over struggling hospitals, ability to fire execs - FierceHealthcare

State wants control over struggling hospitals, ability to fire execs - FierceHealthcare

General Surgery News - Oxaliplatin May Cause Nerve Damage

General Surgery News - Oxaliplatin May Cause Nerve Damage

amednews: Medicare RACs to conduct prepayment reviews for doctors, hospitals :: Nov. 28, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Medicare RACs to conduct prepayment reviews for doctors, hospitals :: Nov. 28, 2011 ... American Medical News

Back on the brink: Doctors again face steep Medicare cuts unless Congress acts before Jan. 1 - The Washington Post

Back on the brink: Doctors again face steep Medicare cuts unless Congress acts before Jan. 1 - The Washington Post

Back on the ‘Doc Fix’ Watch as Medicare Cuts Loom - Health Blog - WSJ

Back on the ‘Doc Fix’ Watch as Medicare Cuts Loom - Health Blog - WSJ

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Medicaid cuts costing hospitals more jobs - FierceHealthcare

Medicaid cuts costing hospitals more jobs - FierceHealthcare

FTC Commissioner blasts ACOs - FierceHealthcare

FTC Commissioner blasts ACOs - FierceHealthcare

bizjournals mobile: Atlanta: Emory MD's to oversee MinuteClinics

bizjournals mobile: Atlanta: Emory MD's to oversee MinuteClinics

Last chance for Medicare, Medicaid reform? Nope - David Nather - POLITICO.com

Last chance for Medicare, Medicaid reform? Nope - David Nather - POLITICO.com

Top-earning CEO receives $10M at Northwestern Memorial - FierceHealthcare

Top-earning CEO receives $10M at Northwestern Memorial - FierceHealthcare

Blame-free culture means more error reporting - FierceHealthcare

Blame-free culture means more error reporting - FierceHealthcare

Hospitals use more NPs, PAs amid doc shortage - FierceHealthcare

Hospitals use more NPs, PAs amid doc shortage - FierceHealthcare

FTC challenges hospital merger, cites reduced competition - FierceHealthcare

FTC challenges hospital merger, cites reduced competition - FierceHealthcare

Breast Cancer Genetic Profiling Has Not Achieved Personalized Medicine Yet

Breast Cancer Genetic Profiling Has Not Achieved Personalized Medicine Yet

amednews: Costs prompting sicker patients to avoid medical care :: Nov. 21, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Costs prompting sicker patients to avoid medical care :: Nov. 21, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Super committee failure leaves Medicare pay cuts in place :: Nov. 21, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Super committee failure leaves Medicare pay cuts in place :: Nov. 21, 2011 ... American Medical News

Monday, November 21, 2011

As Panel Admits Defeat, Battle Shifts to Automatic Cuts - NYTimes.com

As Panel Admits Defeat, Battle Shifts to Automatic Cuts - NYTimes.com

As Panel Admits Defeat, Battle Shifts to Automatic Cuts - NYTimes.com

As Panel Admits Defeat, Battle Shifts to Automatic Cuts - NYTimes.com

As Panel Admits Defeat, Battle Shifts to Automatic Cuts - NYTimes.com

As Panel Admits Defeat, Battle Shifts to Automatic Cuts - NYTimes.com

General Surgery News - The So-called “Sportsman’s Hernia”

General Surgery News - The So-called “Sportsman’s Hernia”

General Surgery News - Over-retraction May Be a Common Cause of Sleeve Stenosis

General Surgery News - Over-retraction May Be a Common Cause of Sleeve Stenosis

General Surgery News - Bougie Size, Reinforcement Tied to Reduced Bariatric Leaks

General Surgery News - Bougie Size, Reinforcement Tied to Reduced Bariatric Leaks

Low BMI Linked To Higher Mortality After Surgery Than High BMI

Low BMI Linked To Higher Mortality After Surgery Than High BMI

Georgia trying to control pill mills  | ajc.com

Georgia trying to control pill mills | ajc.com

Hospital mistakes kept secret  | ajc.com

Hospital mistakes kept secret | ajc.com

Exploring The Role Of Endoscopy In Treating Obesity

Exploring The Role Of Endoscopy In Treating Obesity

Four New Lawmakers Support ASC Quality and Access Act of 2011

Four New Lawmakers Support ASC Quality and Access Act of 2011

Friday, November 18, 2011

Why treating patients like customers means reimbursement dollars - FierceHealthcare

Why treating patients like customers means reimbursement dollars - FierceHealthcare

Medical News: FDA Yanks Avastin Breast Cancer Indication - in Oncology/Hematology, Breast Cancer from MedPage Today

Medical News: FDA Yanks Avastin Breast Cancer Indication - in Oncology/Hematology, Breast Cancer from MedPage Today

Albany Herald | Lawsuit filed to halt hospital acquisition

Albany Herald | Lawsuit filed to halt hospital acquisition

Top patient care performers are most profitable hospitals - FierceHealthcare

Top patient care performers are most profitable hospitals - FierceHealthcare

Congressional Deficit Panel Still at Loggerheads - NYTimes.com

Congressional Deficit Panel Still at Loggerheads - NYTimes.com

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Patient compensation could reduce malpractice costs, defensive medicine - FierceHealthcare

Patient compensation could reduce malpractice costs, defensive medicine - FierceHealthcare

Georgia Medicaid doesn't help smokers quit | The Augusta Chronicle

Georgia Medicaid doesn't help smokers quit | The Augusta Chronicle

Surgery patient readmissions cost $300M, Johns Hopkins says - FierceHealthcare

Surgery patient readmissions cost $300M, Johns Hopkins says - FierceHealthcare

Surgery patient readmissions cost $300M, Johns Hopkins says - FierceHealthcare

Surgery patient readmissions cost $300M, Johns Hopkins says - FierceHealthcare

A Little Electronic Help for Doctors Helps Hospitals, Study Shows - Health Blog - WSJ

A Little Electronic Help for Doctors Helps Hospitals, Study Shows - Health Blog - WSJ

General Surgery News - Surgeons Taking the Leap: Dropping Insurance

General Surgery News - Surgeons Taking the Leap: Dropping Insurance

General Surgery News - Preventing Nosocomial Infections Saves Lives, Money

General Surgery News - Preventing Nosocomial Infections Saves Lives, Money

General Surgery News - Increased Alcoholism Rates Seen in Gastric Bypass Patients

General Surgery News - Increased Alcoholism Rates Seen in Gastric Bypass Patients

Massive pill mill raid spans 7 metro counties  | ajc.com

Massive pill mill raid spans 7 metro counties | ajc.com

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Be clear about doc compensation-formula expectations - FiercePracticeManagement

Be clear about doc compensation-formula expectations - FiercePracticeManagement

AMA aims to halt 'massive, expensive' ICD-10 - FiercePracticeManagement

AMA aims to halt 'massive, expensive' ICD-10 - FiercePracticeManagement

Report identifies facility safety concerns at Grady Memorial Hospital  | ajc.com

Report identifies facility safety concerns at Grady Memorial Hospital | ajc.com

amednews: Communication failures over diagnostic tests prompting more lawsuits :: Nov. 15, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Communication failures over diagnostic tests prompting more lawsuits :: Nov. 15, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: CMS pushes back Medicare revalidation deadline to 2015 :: Nov. 14, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: CMS pushes back Medicare revalidation deadline to 2015 :: Nov. 14, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Medicare 27.4% doctor pay cut set for 2012 unless Congress acts :: Nov. 14, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Medicare 27.4% doctor pay cut set for 2012 unless Congress acts :: Nov. 14, 2011 ... American Medical News

Gwinnett | Georgia AG pleased by high court's health law review

Gwinnett | Georgia AG pleased by high court's health law review

Super Committee Clock | Jamie Dupree Washington Insider

Super Committee Clock | Jamie Dupree Washington Insider

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Study: Medicare Coverage of Weight Loss Surgery Lowered Price, Risk

Study: Medicare Coverage of Weight Loss Surgery Lowered Price, Risk

7 Goals for ICD-10 Preparation for the Next Six Months

7 Goals for ICD-10 Preparation for the Next Six Months

Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery in ASCs: 5 Thoughts From Dr. Huy Nguyen

Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery in ASCs: 5 Thoughts From Dr. Huy Nguyen

amednews: House passes bill to stop 3% withholding rule on Medicare pay :: Nov. 7, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: House passes bill to stop 3% withholding rule on Medicare pay :: Nov. 7, 2011 ... American Medical News

Computer Trained To Evaluate Breast Cancer

Computer Trained To Evaluate Breast Cancer

Reopened National Practitioner Data Bank restrictions 'protect' disciplined docs - FierceHealthcare

Reopened National Practitioner Data Bank restrictions 'protect' disciplined docs - FierceHealthcare

Friday, November 11, 2011

To reduce malpractice risk, explain risks of skipping care - FiercePracticeManagement

To reduce malpractice risk, explain risks of skipping care - FiercePracticeManagement

Physician social media users say ROI is real - FiercePracticeManagement

Physician social media users say ROI is real - FiercePracticeManagement

Metastatic Breast And Ovarian Cancer Vaccine - Promising Results

Metastatic Breast And Ovarian Cancer Vaccine - Promising Results

Medical testing companies under scrutiny – USATODAY.com

Medical testing companies under scrutiny – USATODAY.com

Senate GOP questions healthcare law’s $10B innovation center - The Hill's Healthwatch

Senate GOP questions healthcare law’s $10B innovation center - The Hill's Healthwatch

Gallup: Uninsured adults rising - Tim Mak - POLITICO.com

Gallup: Uninsured adults rising - Tim Mak - POLITICO.com

Decision on Health Care Cases Could Come Monday - Law Blog - WSJ

Decision on Health Care Cases Could Come Monday - Law Blog - WSJ

Health Of Gums Improves With Weight Loss

Health Of Gums Improves With Weight Loss

Thursday, November 10, 2011

8 Things to Know About the ACO Final Rule | Hospital-Physician Relationships

8 Things to Know About the ACO Final Rule | Hospital-Physician Relationships

Financial Advantages Under ACO Model Only Possible With Reduced Payments to Providers? | Hospital-Physician Relationships

Financial Advantages Under ACO Model Only Possible With Reduced Payments to Providers? | Hospital-Physician Relationships

Hospitals sue gov't over 20% state Medicaid cuts - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

Hospitals sue gov't over 20% state Medicaid cuts - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

Health system pilots see lackluster bundled payment results - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

Health system pilots see lackluster bundled payment results - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

Congress grills IRS on hospital tax-exemptions - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

Congress grills IRS on hospital tax-exemptions - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

Senate to probe Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Quest, LabCorp for alleged billion-dollar fraud - FierceHealthcare

Senate to probe Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Quest, LabCorp for alleged billion-dollar fraud - FierceHealthcare

Docs sue Kaiser, Sutter over peer review process - FierceHealthcare

Docs sue Kaiser, Sutter over peer review process - FierceHealthcare

Hospital to pay $52M to former radiology group partner - FierceHealthcare

Hospital to pay $52M to former radiology group partner - FierceHealthcare

Patients use fewer care services when asked to pay more - FierceHealthcare

Patients use fewer care services when asked to pay more - FierceHealthcare

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Surgery to Prevent Strokes Is Found Ineffective - NYTimes.com

Surgery to Prevent Strokes Is Found Ineffective - NYTimes.com

General Surgery News - "Surgeon" Ranked Second Most Overrated Job in Survey

General Surgery News - "Surgeon" Ranked Second Most Overrated Job in Survey

Hospitals with best patient satisfaction to draw in reimbursements - FierceHealthcare

Hospitals with best patient satisfaction to draw in reimbursements - FierceHealthcare

Academic hospitals have better cancer patient outcomes - FierceHealthcare

Academic hospitals have better cancer patient outcomes - FierceHealthcare

Appeals Court Rules Health Law's Individual Mandate Constitutional - Kaiser Health News

Appeals Court Rules Health Law's Individual Mandate Constitutional - Kaiser Health News

Feds give Georgia insurers more time to comply with health care law  | ajc.com

Feds give Georgia insurers more time to comply with health care law | ajc.com

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Doctor Groups Seem Less Wary of Medicare Changes - NYTimes.com

Doctor Groups Seem Less Wary of Medicare Changes - NYTimes.com

Hospital employment climbing in October - FierceHealthcare

Hospital employment climbing in October - FierceHealthcare

Add NPs to reduce emergency visits in half, coordinate care - FierceHealthcare

Add NPs to reduce emergency visits in half, coordinate care - FierceHealthcare

Medicare patients sue HHS over outpatient status - FierceHealthcare

Medicare patients sue HHS over outpatient status - FierceHealthcare

Study Raises Questions About ‘Bundling’ To Pay Doctors - Health Blog - WSJ

Study Raises Questions About ‘Bundling’ To Pay Doctors - Health Blog - WSJ

Study Finds Potential, Challenges For Bundled Payments – Capsules - The KHN Blog

Study Finds Potential, Challenges For Bundled Payments – Capsules - The KHN Blog

Kennestone becomes Level 2 trauma center | Georgia Health News

Kennestone becomes Level 2 trauma center | Georgia Health News

Increasing Medicare Age Could Lead To Higher Costs : NPR

Increasing Medicare Age Could Lead To Higher Costs : NPR

Monday, November 7, 2011

Deal fills top jobs with insiders  | ajc.com

Deal fills top jobs with insiders | ajc.com

amednews: Social media increasingly used to gauge public health :: Nov. 7, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Social media increasingly used to gauge public health :: Nov. 7, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Jumping to a nonclinical career :: Nov. 7, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Jumping to a nonclinical career :: Nov. 7, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Why small medical practices lag in EMR adoption :: Nov. 7, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Why small medical practices lag in EMR adoption :: Nov. 7, 2011 ... American Medical News

Friday, November 4, 2011

Hospital Chief On Apology To James Woods For Brother’s ER Death | CommonHealth

Hospital Chief On Apology To James Woods For Brother’s ER Death | CommonHealth

Cancer drug shortages are tied to economics, experts say - latimes.com

Cancer drug shortages are tied to economics, experts say - latimes.com

Price (Bill) Is Right For Cain’s Health Fix – Capsules - The KHN Blog

Price (Bill) Is Right For Cain’s Health Fix – Capsules - The KHN Blog

Hospital Care: How Smart Phones and Tablets Are Helping Patients - US News and World Report

Hospital Care: How Smart Phones and Tablets Are Helping Patients - US News and World Report

Aetna and Emory announce new partnership for patient care  | ajc.com

Aetna and Emory announce new partnership for patient care | ajc.com

Medical News: ASCO Calls for New Approaches in Cancer Research - in Public Health & Policy, Health Policy from MedPage Today

Medical News: ASCO Calls for New Approaches in Cancer Research - in Public Health & Policy, Health Policy from MedPage Today

Interest Groups Try to Catch Debt Committee’s Ear - NYTimes.com

Interest Groups Try to Catch Debt Committee’s Ear - NYTimes.com

Discovery Whilst Studying Why Measles Spreads So Quickly Has Implications For Ovarian, Breast And Lung Cancers

Discovery Whilst Studying Why Measles Spreads So Quickly Has Implications For Ovarian, Breast And Lung Cancers

amednews: AMA launches online group for e-claims :: Oct 31, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: AMA launches online group for e-claims :: Oct 31, 2011 ... American Medical News

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Georgia drug monitoring program gets $400,000 grant  | ajc.com

Georgia drug monitoring program gets $400,000 grant | ajc.com

amednews: Physician practice purchases already surpass 2010 levels :: Nov. 2, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Physician practice purchases already surpass 2010 levels :: Nov. 2, 2011 ... American Medical News

IRS to review nonprofit hospitals in tax-exempt ACOs - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

IRS to review nonprofit hospitals in tax-exempt ACOs - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

Hospitals to See 1.9% Jump in Medicare Outpatient Fees in 2012 - Bloomberg

Hospitals to See 1.9% Jump in Medicare Outpatient Fees in 2012 - Bloomberg

CMS Extends the Deadline to Tuesday November 8th to Apply for a Significant Hardship Exemption to Avoid the 2012 Electronic Prescribing Payment Penalty

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the deadline to apply for the significant hardship exemption to Tuesday, November 8th, 2011.  If you missed the previous November 1st deadline, CMS has extended the deadline by one week, so it is still not too late to apply for the 2012 Medicare Electronic Prescribing hardship exemption.  If you are an eligible professional who was unable to report at least 10 electronic prescriptions from January 1st to June 30th in order to qualify for the 2011 Medicare Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program, you may still receive a 1% penalty for the 2012 electronic prescribing payment adjustment.  To avoid this penalty, eligible professionals and group practices participating in the group practice reporting option (GPRO) must apply by, Tuesday, November 8, 2011 for the 2012 Medicare Electronic Prescribing hardship exemption.   

On September 6, 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Final Rule: Medicare Program—Changes to the Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program.  The final rule made several key changes to the e-Prescribing program.  The ACS was actively involved responding to the proposed changes to the eRx Incentive Program in order to reflect the concerns of surgeons attempting to comply with the program. We are pleased that CMS took into account many concerns raised by ACS, along with other organizations.  While we continue to believe additional changes should be made to the program, we are encouraged that the current changes will help some surgeons to avoid the eRx penalty.      

In order to assist you with the hardship exemption request process, we are providing a step-by-step guidance document that explains how to apply to for the hardship exemption http://www.facs.org/ahp/erx-exemption.pdf.
   
For more information on the Medicare e-Prescribing program and whether you are an eligible professional, please see the e-Prescribing article from the June issue of the American College of Surgeons Bulletin at: http://www.facs.org/ahp/pubs/whatsurg0611.pdf  or contact the ACS Washington Office at 202-337-2701 or ahp@facs.org.

For additional information from CMS on the e-Prescribing program, please see http://www.cms.gov/erxincentive/.    

For a copy of the Final Rule, please visit:  http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-09-06/pdf/2011-22629.pdf

Back on the brink: Doctors again face steep Medicare cuts unless Congress acts before Jan. 1 - The Washington Post

Back on the brink: Doctors again face steep Medicare cuts unless Congress acts before Jan. 1 - The Washington Post

Docs plagued by little patient time, misinformation - FiercePracticeManagement

Docs plagued by little patient time, misinformation - FiercePracticeManagement

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

IRS to review nonprofit hospitals in tax-exempt ACOs - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

IRS to review nonprofit hospitals in tax-exempt ACOs - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

CMS final rule to slash Medicare payments by 27.4% - FiercePracticeManagement

CMS final rule to slash Medicare payments by 27.4% - FiercePracticeManagement

Cancer Research May Advance With Fast New Method For Mapping Blood Vessels

Cancer Research May Advance With Fast New Method For Mapping Blood Vessels

Albany Herald | High court considers Rehberg suit

Albany Herald | High court considers Rehberg suit

NPR- US Supreme Court hears case invoving GA Surgeons & Phoebe Putney Hospital in Albany

Supreme Court To Weigh Case Of False Testimony : NPR

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Painkiller Overdose Death Rate Triples In Ten Years, USA

Painkiller Overdose Death Rate Triples In Ten Years, USA

Recession takes toll on health-care industry | The Augusta Chronicle

Recession takes toll on health-care industry | The Augusta Chronicle

More Clues To Causes Of Breast Cancer Revealed By Moffitt Cancer Center Researchers

More Clues To Causes Of Breast Cancer Revealed By Moffitt Cancer Center Researchers

amednews: WellPoint offers members cash incentives for using less expensive facilities :: Oct. 25, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: WellPoint offers members cash incentives for using less expensive facilities :: Oct. 25, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Quality incentives become bigger factor in physician compensation :: Oct. 27, 2011 ... American Medical News

amednews: Quality incentives become bigger factor in physician compensation :: Oct. 27, 2011 ... American Medical News

Congress Asks I.R.S. About Oversight of Nonprofit Hospitals - NYTimes.com

Congress Asks I.R.S. About Oversight of Nonprofit Hospitals - NYTimes.com

Medicare report: Improve tracking of serious hospital errors – USATODAY.com

Medicare report: Improve tracking of serious hospital errors – USATODAY.com

The Grady inspection — and other health news | Georgia Health News

The Grady inspection — and other health news | Georgia Health News