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Quality and Safety

By Mary Mosquera | 09:33 am | February 20, 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has paid $3.12 billion to physicians, hospitals and other healthcare providers who have started to meaningfully use electronic health records to improve the quality of patient care, HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Friday.
By Kelsey Brimmer | 02:24 pm | February 16, 2012
Successfully coordinating the efforts between various health and community organizations and engaging patients in a meaningful way are central issues to consider when it comes to the Partnership for Patients initiative, according to several expert panelists speaking on a live webinar Wednesday.
By Rene Letourneau | 10:15 am | February 15, 2012
The main factors contributing to regional differences in private healthcare spending are health status and hospital prices, says a new report released today from the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR).
By Chris Anderson | 11:25 am | February 14, 2012
In a deal that aims to create a technology company focused on providing real-time data to doctors from both medical records and private payers, Lumeris and payers Highmark Inc., Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Independence Blue Cross announced they will acquire NaviNet for an undisclosed price.
By Rene Letourneau | 10:32 am | February 13, 2012
As the FDA issued draft guidance on biosimilar product development, a new report finds the global market for biosimilars is forecast to reach $4.8 billion by the year 2015.
By Michelle McNickle | 10:31 am | February 10, 2012
In a recent WIHI radio show titled "The Social Imperative to Demonstrate That Better Care Equals Lower Costs," Donald Berwick, MD, former administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and Gerry Shea, assistant to the president for governmental affairs at the AFL-CIO, spoke on the climbing costs associated with today's healthcare system.
By Rene Letourneau | 09:55 am | February 10, 2012
The Department of Health and Human Services granted more than $40 million to fund the Strong Start initiative aimed at reducing the number of preterm births in America, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Thursday.
By Kelsey Brimmer | 09:36 am | February 10, 2012
Virginia's hospitals and health systems provided more than $2.2 billion in community support, accounted for $27.7 billion in economic activity and employed 129,000 individuals in the Commonwealth in 2010, according to a statewide report recently released by the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.
By Betsy Caron | 12:08 pm | February 09, 2012
When nurses feel engaged and respected by their co-workers in a positive physical work environment, their perception of the quality of care given to their patients is much higher, according to a recent study that researched ways to improve nurses’ work environments without increasing nurse-to-patient ratios and overspending.
By Richard Pizzi | 11:56 am | February 09, 2012
Nearly all healthcare organizations that use quality performance measures included measures endorsed by the National Quality Forum, according to a new study.