ALSO NOTED: Harvard honors VA for EMRs; Shortage of bilingual health workers; and much more...

> Harvard University has honored the VA for its advancements in the area of electronic medical records. The VA maintains records on 5 million vets and despite recent security issues, the program has successfully increased care quality and reduced cost. The agency will receive a $100,000 grant as part of the University's Innovations in American Government Award. Report

> Cook County in Illinois is looking to foreign-born nurses, pharmacists and radiologists to compensate for a lack of bilingual healthcare workers--even if they are illegal immigrants. Report

> U.S. Renal Care has acquired nine dialysis centers from Tarrant Dialysis Centers in the Fort Worth, TX area. The company also completed the subscription of $36 million of series C preferred stock. Release

> Comprehensive Care Corporation has signed a contract with a health plan in southeast Michigan to provide behavioral health services for 60,000 Medicaid recipients, making it the largest Managed Behavioral Health Organization (MBHO) servicing Medicaid HMOs in that state. Release

> In the struggle to reduce medical malpractice suits, which is more important: capping jury payouts or preventing medical errors in the first place? Article

And Finally... Brace yourselves. Michael Moore's healthcare industry exposé Sicko is on track for a 2007 release. Report