ALSO NOTED: Shares of Allion drop; New York Hospitals face budget crunch; and much more...

> Add a new group to the list of those complaining about the new Medicare drug benefit: Pharmacists say the new plan is hurting them economically. Article [1]

> The Boston Globe reports that healthcare execs are emerging as the state's new power elite. Article [2]

> The Bush administration is learning that calling for transparency in healthcare and actually achieving it are two very different things, argues Sarah Lueck in The Wall Street Journal. Article [3] (sub. req.)

> OmniCell will test a system that uses a bedside bar code reader to prevent medical errors. The pilot will be at Overlake Hospital Medical Center. Release [4]

> Six weeks after the fact, Medco says it lost a laptop containing personal health information on thousands of patients. Article [5]

> Shares of Allion Healthcare dropped sharply on Friday after the provider of pharmacy and disease management services to patients with HIV lowered its estimates for the last quarter. Article [6]

> In the UK, Alliance UniChem and several partners are providing the technological backbone underpinning the National Health Service ePrescribing effort. Article [7]

> New York City public hospitals are projecting a $500 million deficit this year. Mayor Michael Bloomberg calls the problem one of the most serious the city faces. Article [8]

> Killer nurse Charles Cullen is ordered bound and gagged and eventually dragged from the courtroom, as a Pennsylvania judge hands him six more life sentences for his murders at hospitals in the state. Article [9]

And Finally... The sex scandal at San Diego Children's Hospital worsens as the respiratory therapist involved admits molesting "countless" disabled and brain damaged children. Bail is set at $5 million. Article [10]