> Fifteen percent of surgeons suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence, according to a study in the February Archives of Surgery. Article
> Proposed legislation in Missouri would allow nurse practitioners to practice without formal physician supervision, an idea that makes some physicians nervous about patient safety, KY3 reported. Article
> Fewer than 20 percent of doctors provide online scheduling or test results for their patients, according to a new report from Deloitte. The report reveals that only 25 physicians are on target to meet Meaningful Use incentives and that 62 percent of physicians cited ICD-10 documentation as a major concern, the Sacramento Bee reported. Article
> A proposed bill in Florida would make it harder to prove a doctor has committed medical malpractice and permit an attorney to privately interview doctors without the patient or patient's attorney in the same room, the Insurance Journal reported. Article
And Finally... Taking Fat Tuesday to new widths. Article