How to Use New Medicare Hospital Tools
from U.S. News & World Report
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) just finished an upgrade to the hospital information available to consumers. More

Retooling the Medicare/Medicaid Model
from The Boston Globe
National health reform is on a fast track. And most proposals draw heavily on the experiment in Massachusetts, which has led to a phenomenal coverage success. But there is a lesser-known innovation in Massachusetts that may offer greater lessons to our nation in improving health and lowering cost. It is called Senior Care Options, and it targets a population largely ignored by health reform - seniors. To understand its novelty, a quick review of Medicare and Medicaid is instructive. More

New Learning Network Tool Available - Join the Listserv! SHCA has launched a Listserv! This online community is designed to improve communication among peers, offer a forum for exchanging ideas, and allow you to benefit from the experience, knowledge, and wisdom of others. Any e-mails sent to the listserv are automatically sent to all members of the listserv for evaluation and discussion among the membership! Sign Up today
from Time
Until the nation's governors staged a public revolt last weekend, few people were paying attention to one of the most far-reaching proposals being considered as part of overhauling the health-care system: a dramatic expansion and redefinition of the Medicaid program. More

Hospitals Tally Their Avoidable Mistakes
from The Washington Post
Surgery on a patient with a debilitating spinal-cord disease went terribly wrong in a D.C. hospital last year: The patient was discharged only to be readmitted a few days later complaining of severe leg pain. The surgeon, it turned out, had operated on the wrong part of the spine. More

Exclusive Member Benefit - Register for the SHCA Career Center We are pleased to introduce our new SHCA Career Center
from The Boston Globe
He's staying firmly on message with his persistent push on healthcare. But for good reason: While the fate of the sweeping legislation might not be the “Waterloo” turning point of his presidency -- as some Republicans hope from defeating him -- Obama has staked a huge pile of his political poker chips on victory. More

One Wheelchair -- One Lesson of Problems in Health Care Reform
from CNN
Debbie Brown used to process medical and dental forms for a living before a debilitating illness forced her into early disability retirement and left her in a simple, no-frills wheelchair -- a rented wheelchair that has cost taxpayers about $1,200. Brown says the public should be outraged about her wheelchair. More

Lobbyists Spend Millions to Influence Health Care
from The Washington Post
Drugmakers, hospitals and insurers continued to pour millions of dollars into lobbying during the second quarter of this year, hoping to limit the damage to their bottom line as lawmakers and the Obama administration wrangle over landmark health-care legislation. More

AONE Webinar Opportunity :Making the Move to Electronic Healthcare Records Wednesday, July 29, 2009 2:00 p.m. EST Join AONE and Dana Alexander, CNO of GE Healthcare Solutions, as she presents "Preparing the Nursing Workforce for Electronic Healthcare Records." This webinar will focus on developing programs and strategies that stress the value of information technology and empower hospital leaders to use IT knowledgeably as they make decisions about EHR within their own organizations and professional networks. To learn more and to register or purchase the on-demand content, visit the AONE website
from The Gazette
The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals has begun posting online all statements of deficiencies from inspections or investigations conducted at hospitals, home health agencies, hospice programs and other facilities. More

Betting on Health Care Start-Ups That Cut Costs
from The New York Times
Biotechnology and medical device start-ups typically take many years and a lot of money to get to market. But Chrysalis Ventures, a venture capital firm in Louisville, Ky., takes a different approach to health care investments. More