> Laura Landro examines a new Medicare health-support pilot program that will study the impact of better care coordination for patients with multiple chronic conditions. Healthways, Aetna, Cigna and Health Dialog are participants. Article (WSJ sub. req.)
> Nuance Communications makes a play for the healthcare dictation and transcription services market, picking up Dictaphone in a deal worth $357 million. Article
> The Houston-based AC Group estimates that over the next four years the healthcare industry could wind up spending as much as $3.6 billion on EMR software, $3.4 billion on hardware and $1.4 billion on implementation costs. Article
> Former FDA commissioner Lester Crawford, who resigned abruptly last year, has joined Policy Directions, a prestigious Washington firm specializing in food and drug issues. Article
> Canada Infoway says it is on track to have electronic health records available for 50 percent of Canadians by 2009. Release
> The Los Angeles Times continues its series on UC-Irvine Medical Center. The latest twist: the paper reports the hospital gave jobs to three relatives of top administrators. Article
> Medicity CEO Kipp Lassetter, discusses his company's acquisition of Park City Solutions, which was announced yesterday. Blog
> Abovehealth said it has a deployed its self-service member and physician web portal solution for Care Choices, a subsidiary of Michigan-based Trinity Health. Release
> LifePoint said a major physician recruitment drive will be the key to turning things around after a disappointing quarter. Article
> California opened a new disaster response command center in Sacramento. Among other things, the center will monitor earthquake risk for hospitals. Article
And Finally... A women's group released a study this week that argues many Catholic hospitals are failing to comply with laws that require them to provide emergency contraception to sexual assault victims. Article