Healthcare Finance Staff

AmSurg has signed a definitive merger agreement for the acquisition of Dallas-based National Surgical Care for $173.5 million in cash.

Hospitals continue to see capital expenditure budgets increase while financial and supply chain executives are placing a greater focus on healthcare information technology (HIT) and patient safety, according to a survey published in the Premier healthcare alliance's March 2011 Economic Outlook analysis.

For the first time, Medicare patients can see how often hospitals report serious conditions that develop during an inpatient hospital stay and possibly harm patients. The important new data about the safety of care available in America's hospitals was recently added to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Hospital Compare website.

According to a new report issued by Fitch Ratings, the U.S. healthcare sector experienced an eventful but stable 2010 as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted and implementation of certain provisions of the bill took effect.

Healthcare organizations are constantly making upgrades or replacing redundant technology, but what happens to these orphaned IT systems and the data on them? More importantly do companies even know what data is stored on these assets?

The National Quality Forum (NQF) has formalized its agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to serve as the neutral convener of multi-stakeholder groups that will provide input on selecting measures for use in federal public reporting and performance-based payment programs and has also established the Measure Applications Partnership (MAP).

Seven of 10 adults think the U.S. healthcare system needs to be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt, according to a Commonwealth Fund survey.

BALTIMORE - For the first time, Medicare patients can see how often hospitals report serious conditions that develop during an inpatient hospital stay and possibly harm patients with important new data about the safety of care available in America's hospitals added today to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Hospital Compare website. The Hospital Compare website can be accessed at www.HealthCare.gov/compare.

Many children covered under Medicaid and CHIP needing care coordination and access to care networks had difficulty getting the needed services according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office.

Kaiser Permanente this week has opened a new Center for Total Health near Capitol Hill. Kaiser executives said they hope the center will be a place or bringing together history, innovation, and state-of-the-art technology.