Thursday, November 4, 2010

Health Informatics News

Health Informatics News

Despite risks hormone use still common

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11/4/2010 © St. Petersburg Times Doctors say female hormone replacement is worth the risk in some acute cases of menopausal symptoms, but the treatment is still in widespread use.

DOH: Closing TB hospital costs $$

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By Jim Saunders 11/3/2010 © Health News Florida Florida lawmakers have talked for years about shutting down the only state hospital for stubborn tuberculosis cases. But a new state report asks: Would other hospitals take those contagious patients? At what cost?

350 HIV patients may lose drugs

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11/2/2010 © South Florida Sun-Sentinel Continuing budget problems may force the Department of Health to stop providing medicine to 350 uninsured HIV/AIDS patients in the state within 30 days. DOH already has 2,300 on a waiting list for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

Pain-clinic law draws complaints

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11/2/2010 © South Florida Sun-Sentinel Tammy Cummings, who now has to see her doctor and be examined every month to get her pain-pill prescription renewed, says the state crackdown needs tweaking to prevent inconvenience to legitimate patients and waste of Medicare funds.

Pacemaker firm to pay $9.2M

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11/2/2010 © Miami Herald A Miami whistleblower charged that Ela Medical paid kickbacks to doctors in a varieties of ways; in return, the doctors ordered tests that led to sales of more equipment.

Arrested doctor apparently was addicted

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11/2/2010 © Palm Beach Post Dermatologist Heather Houck came under investigation when two pharmacists reported that she filled dozens of prescriptions for narcotic painkillers in the names of non-existent patients.

Surgery 'complication?' Here's an option

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By John Koenig 10/29/2010 © Health News Florida A Jacksonville-based company offers an alternative for patients worried that surgeries could go bad: "Complication insurance.'' The company founder says it could help reduce the number of malpractice cases.

Smallest babies spur big hospital projects

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10/24/2010 © St. Petersburg Times Hospitals in the Tampa Bay area have launched expansion projects because of an increase in the number of premature babies. But doctors and groups like the March of Dimes wish that such a need didn't exist.

Nonprofit eases pain of drug costs

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10/22/2010 © Orlando Sentinel Pharmacy-company executive Edward Hensley saw a need for helping patients with sometimes-crippling drug costs. Now, he and business partner Jeff Spafford are heading a national charity, the Assistance Fund, that helps people who have insurance but can't afford their drug co-pays.

US: FL scam used mentally ill

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10/21/2010 © Associated Press Federal officials said a Miami company billed Medicare $200 million in a scam that preyed on patients with severe dementia.

Insurance chiefs vote against industry

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By Jim Saunders and Julie Appleby 10/21/2010 Health News Florida and Kaiser Health News The nation's insurance commissioners, meeting in Orlando, today adopted recommended rules on how much of the premium insurers must spend on patients. They shot down pro-industry amendments, including one from Florida's Kevin McCarty.

Grassley cites Miami case demands action

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10/21/2010 © Miami Herald Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, demands that Health and Human Services crack down on doctors who prescribe too many drugs, a move sparked by the case of a Miami psychiatrist who wrote almost 100,000 prescriptions in under two years.

No need for health system to go private?

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10/21/2010 © Sun Sentinel North Broward's hospital system doesn't need to go private to make legal agreements with doctors and for-profits, health attorneys say.

Cancer nurse becomes hero to other 'deadbeats'

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10/20/2010 © Palm Beach Post Lisa Epstein, a cancer nurse, was served with foreclosure papers last year. Then she began hearing her patients talk about their mortgage woes. She started a blog and get-togethers to help.

Mayo offers clinic for cancer survivors

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10/20/2010 © Florida Times-Union Breast cancer patients tend to have a lot of support during active treatment, but not much when the disease is in remission. Mayo Clinic has created a "survivors clinic" tailored to the medical and social needs of breast cancer survivors.

Pharma's big-dollar winners

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10/19/2010 © ProPublica Seven drug companies paid 17,700 U.S. physicians a total of $257 million in 2009 and early 2010 for speaking to other doctors or consulting. There are 37 Florida doctors listed as receiving more than $100,000.

Pain doctors' limit: 150 Rx/day

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By Carol Gentry 10/14/2010 © Health News Florida A state panel says pain-clinic doctors should write no more than 150 prescriptions a day for potentially addictive and dangerous drugs. The proposed rule aims to curb pill mills that make Florida a magnet for drug abusers.

Nurses doctors at odds on politics

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By Jim Saunders and Carol Gentry 10/13/2010 © Health News Florida Anyone who hasn't noticed the big difference between the world views of doctors and nurses could catch on just by looking at their  endorsements in the Florida governor's race.

Patients have limits on patience

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10/13/2010 © Tampa Tribune A new USF study of emergency-room patients finds that some who are "admitted" because they're very sick nevertheless leave if there is a long delay in getting a bed.

New concept to counter HMOs?

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By Jim Saunders, Phil Galewitz and Jenny Gold Health News Florida and Kaiser Health News Faced with a likely expansion of Medicaid HMOs, the Florida Medical Association is looking at a new possibility to give doctors more control over patient care:  "accountable care organizations." 

Baptist challenges 'huge' UM health center

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10/12/2010 © Miami Herald Baptist Health, a dominant  hospital system in south Miami-Dade, wants Coral Gables to delay a decision about  a proposed 200,000-square-foot facility on the UM campus. Meanwhile, in Southwest Florida, Lee Memorial Health System is ending its contract with United Healthcare for two Medicare Advantage plans.

Teen who was set on fire rebuilds life

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10/9/2010 © Sun Sentinel One year after he jumped into a pool to escape when other boys set him on fire, 16-year-old Michael Brewer continues to outpace doctors' predictions in his recovery. He's even gone back to school.

PACE slow to arrive but finally here

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10/9/2010 © Tampa Tribune It’s tough for sick or disabled older people to spend days alone and make it to all their doctors' appointments. The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly offers them a place to enjoy their day and offers the full range of caregivers they need, right where they are.

Tired of waiting in an ER? Step right up

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10/7/2010 © Ocala Star Banner HCA pushes its hospitals to cut ER wait times and uses a marketing blitz to get sick patients through the doors. That has created ER competition in places like Ocala.

Feds ease concerns on health partnerships

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By Phil Galewitz 10/6/2010 © Kaiser Health News Supporters say "accountable care organizations" offer a better way for doctors and hospitals to team up to provide services. But while the federal-health overhaul encourages the partnerships, legal questions remain.

Med-mal market is 'encouraging'

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10/4/2010 © News Service of Florida As some legislative leaders prepare for another possible fight about limiting lawsuits against doctors and other health providers, a new report shows that the medical-malpractice insurance market is stable and attracting new carriers.

Study: Nurses should play bigger role

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By Andrew Villegas and Mary Agnes Carey 10/5/2010 © Kaiser Health News Florida nurse practitioners have fought for years to get more power to prescribe drugs. But state lawmakers and the powerful doctors' lobby have blocked the idea. Now, a new study could bolster the nurses' arguments.

Hospital chain paid kickbacks: suit

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By Mike Wells 8/10/2010 © Health News Florida Health Management Associates, a hospital chain based in Naples, offered doctors money, free rent, and even jet trips to a golf tournament in return for referring Medicare patients, a former HMA executive says. Editor's note: corrections added.

Health execs offer 'solutions'

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By Nancy McVicar 8/4/2010 © Health News Florida A state senator's "Health Care Solutions Tour" kicked off in Miami today with a slide show that hit the major Republican talking points, including warnings about the cost of "Obamacare" and growth in Medicaid. Public officials and health-industry executives spoke, but no patients or advocates were there.

Keys hospital unhappy with HMA

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7/30/2010 © Miami Herald What to do with Fisherman's Hospital, a facility that has only a handful of beds filled and flies all its chest-pain patients to Miami? 

Insurers stop writing for kids

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7/24/2010 © Associated Press In Florida, UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield have stopped issuing new policies that cover children as individuals, Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty says, because they worry that only the sick will sign up. 

Doctor riles family with gun question

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7/24/2010 © Ocala Star-Banner One mother who refused to answer when pediatrician Chris Okonkwo asked whether the family has a gun says it's none of his business. He says the safety of his patients is his business.

Hopkins' chief-to-be reassures

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By Carol Gentry 7/22/2010 © Health News Florida Jonathan Ellen, the Johns Hopkins professor in line to become physician-in-chief at All Children’s Hospital, says local doctors and USF faculty and residents should not be concerned. But confusion abounds.

Shands eyes special session

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By Jim Saunders 7/13/2010 © Health News Florida Warning that it will otherwise have to cut services, Shands HealthCare wants to use a special legislative session next week to reverse Gov. Charlie Crist's veto of $9.7 million for the University of Florida teaching hospital. 

Double-CT radiation a concern

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By Dave Gulliver 7/9/2010 © Health News Florida A type of medical scan that delivers a double dose of radiation to the patient is recommended for only a small number of conditions. But some Florida hospitals perform the scans on more than half of their patients, a new study shows. 

Medicare bids save 1/3 on costs

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By Jim Saunders 7/2/2010 © Health News Florida Medicare patients and taxpayers will save more than one-third on home-health equipment costs in South and Central Florida next year because of a new competitive-bidding program, officials said Thursday. But the industry is trying to kill it, with the help of a Florida Congressman. 

This is an order: Do not resuscitate!

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7/2/2010 © Kaiser Health News Too often, nursing homes or hospitals ignore patients' Living Wills, resuscitating and intubating against the patient's and family's wishes. It helps to have a physician's order in the medical file. FSU is leading an effort in Florida to spread the news.

Hospital charges remain mystery

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6/30/2010 © Kaiser Health News More than 30 states, including Florida, make hospital prices public. But that doesn't mean patients can figure out what a procedure will cost ahead of time, let alone get a binding estimate.

Unsealed complaint slams WellCare

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By Carol Gentry and Mike Wells 6/28/2010 © Health News Florida The whistleblower complaint that launched a federal investigation of WellCare Health Plans four years ago has now been unsealed, portraying a company so heartless it rewarded employees who dumped hundreds of sick newborns and terminally ill patients from the membership rolls.

Chance of seeing Medicaid $ dims

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By Jim Saunders 6/25/2010 © Health News Florida Florida's chances of receiving up to $1 billion in additional Medicaid money appeared to be in deep trouble Thursday; in other action, the Medicare doctors' pay cut was put off for six months.
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