Business Intelligence

Providers utilize business intelligence to monitor referral patterns and collaborate with clinicians who order their services. Such analytics tools have also been deployed in the specialty to improve productivity, track patient satisfaction and bolster quality.

Congressional candidate physician sues hospital and doctor for death of father
Some of the claims in the lawsuit, brought against Novant Health by Kyle Horton, MD, are backed by a report from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Industry Watcher’s Digest
HHS isn’t waiting to see what its incoming secretary does before filling some key leadership positions.
FTC, DOJ and HHS release report warning of private equity consolidation in healthcare
The agencies said private equity firms are rolling up healthcare sectors through serialized purchases that fly under the radar of regulators, creating an unsustainable level of consolidation.
Report highlights flaws in FDA rapid approval of Alzheimer drug
A new report from the Office of the Inspector General found the FDA failed to properly record meetings with drug manufacturers, ultimately approving drugs later shown to have safety and efficacy issues.
Telehealth diabetes management offering now part of Amazon marketplace
The integration was announced during the annual JP Morgan Health Care Conference in San Francisco. The program works through Amazon Benefits Manager to remotely help patients with weight and blood pressure management.

CMS Creates New Link For Comments on Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

The Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has created a new link to be used by the public for commenting on the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule officially published in the Federal Register Tuesday. The link, which is found on the Web site www.regulations.gov, replaces a link designed for the same purpose and sent to

Health Care M&A On Track to Shatter Records

Get ready for a record-breaking year on the health care mergers and acquisitions (M&A) front.

ACR, Society of Breast Imaging Support ACOG Mammography Guidelines

The American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Society of Breast Imaging yesterday announced that they “applaud and support” updated American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG) recommendations that women begin to receive annual mammograms at age 40. The updated ACOG recommendations, published in the August 2011 issue of Obstetrics

Senators to Obama: No More Imaging Cuts

A bipartisan group of senators, among them John Kerry (D-MA), Herb Kohl (D-WI). and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), yesterday sent a letter to the Obama Administration protesting the inclusion of any diagnostic imaging cuts in legislation to raise the debt ceiling. The American College of Radiology (ACR) and the ACR-co-founded Access to Medical Imaging

ACR Requests Improvements to Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act

The American College of Radiology (ACR) has formally asked for improvements to the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act (H.R. 1394/S. 752), which calls for the development of a comprehensive government strategy to spark a 50% decrease in lung cancer mortality by 2020 and initiate a demonstration project that would permit lung cancer patient

Physicians Eager to Try Out ACOs, Executive Says

Most physicians recognize that the U.S. health care system is inefficient and must change. As such, they are eager to give accountable care organizations (ACOs) a try.

FDA Alert Focuses On Potential Rubidium Overexposure

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an alert to the medical community and the public in general about the potential for inadvertent, increased radiation exposure in patients who underwent or will be undergoing cardiac PET scans with rubidium (Rb)-82 chloride injection from CardioGen-82 (manufactured by Bracco Diagnostics, Inc. of

Hospital Execs Uncertain ACOs Will Actually Improve Quality and Efficiency

There are many reasons hospital executives may be planning to form Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), but belief in the potential of ACOs to improve care delivery does not appear to be at the top of that list according to a survey released this week.

Business Intelligence

Congressional candidate physician sues hospital and doctor for death of father

Industry Watcher’s Digest

FTC, DOJ and HHS release report warning of private equity consolidation in healthcare

Report highlights flaws in FDA rapid approval of Alzheimer drug

Telehealth diabetes management offering now part of Amazon marketplace