General News

(8/10/2008) Medicare to Hospitals: Won’t Cover Your Errors
Source: Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette

Summary: Beginning Oct. 1, government insurance heavyweight Medicare will stop paying hospitals for additional care required to treat 11 types of “hospital-acquired conditions.” To access the complete article, click here.

(8/10/2008) Two Checklists Aid Those Over 50 with Medical Decisions
Source: WFIE-14 NBC TV (Evansville)

Summary: Two new checklists designed to help people over the age of 50 learn what they can do to stay healthy have been released by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the AARP. The checklists include evidence-based recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force regarding screening tests, preventive medicines, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. To access the complete article, click here.

(8/8/2008) Hospital Taps New CEO
Source: Gary Post Tribune

Summary: Ian E. McFadden is the new President and CEO of The Methodist Hospitals Inc. (Gary, IN). Mr. McFadden, who is currently President and CEO of Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago, will start work at Methodist on Sept. 2nd. To access the complete article, click here.

(8/7/2008) States Mandate ‘Culturally Competent’ Health Care
Source: WIBC 1070-AM (Indianapolis)

Summary: States such as New Mexico and New Jersey are working to ensure that health care providers are trained in cultural competency. Some are even passing laws in order to implement this concept. To access the complete article, click here.

(8/7/2008) Riverview Hospital Receives Award
Source: Indianapolis Star

Summary: Riverview Hospital (Noblesville, IN) has been awarded a 2008 QuadraMed QUEST Award. The awards program recognizes innovation and excellence in the use of QuadraMed Care-Based Revenue Cycle solutions in four categories: Efficiency Improvement, Patient Safety Improvement, Revenue Cycle Improvement, and Nursing Care Delivery Improvement. To access the complete article, click here.

(8/7/2008) Just How Good is Low-Cost Health Insurance?
Source: WAVE-3 NBC TV (Louisville, KY)

Summary: Low monthly premiums don’t necessarily mean proper health care coverage. Consumers might well focus on the monthly price and not examine the cost and coverage of each health service, actually leaving these consumers at higher risk. To access the complete article, click here.

(8/7/2008) Local Hospitals OK with ER Wait Times
Source: WISH-TV Channel 8 (Indianapolis)

Summary: Nationwide studies (including by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics) are revealing an increase in waiting times in Emergency Rooms. New federal statistics show the average time hospital Emergency Room patients wait to see a doctor has jumped from 38 minutes to almost an hour in the past decade. However, Central Indiana’s ER waiting times remain much less. To access the complete article, click here.

(8/5/2008) Physicians Consider Annual “Fees” to Spend More Time with Patients
Source: Lafayette Courier-Journal

Summary: A growing number of physicians around the country are asking patients to pay for a more exclusive service known as “concierge medicine”. This practice typically involves charging an annual fee in exchange for better access, longer appointments, more emphasis on preventive care, and other medical perks. To access the complete article, click here.

(8/1/2008) WellPoint Foundation Donates
Source: Indianapolis Star

Summary: WellPoint Foundation recently announced a $2.5 million donation to an organization that assists uninsured individuals and families seeking health coverage. To access the complete article, click here.

(7/31/2008) Free Clinic on Track
Source: Rochester Sentinel

Summary: Organizers of the Fulton County Free Medical Clinic say the clinic is progressing well and now has a target opening date of August 2009. To access the complete article, click here.

(7/25/2008) Web Site Demystifies Lab Tests
Source: WISH-TV 8 (Indianapolis)

Summary: A non-profit web site entitled Lab Tests Online from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) offers patients easy access to detailed but consumer-friendly information on lab work and test results. To access the complete article, click here.