ALSO NOTED: Humana posts poor Q3; ERs jammed in Fla.; and much more...

> Dark days at Humana, as the health plan's third-quarter profit plunged 41 percent. Article (Wall Street Journal sub. req.)

> With many local doctor's offices closed a week after Hurricane Wilma, emergency rooms in South Florida are jammed. Article

> PBS airs Rx for Survival November 1-3. The series profiles global health challenges and influential figures in the healthcare industry. Multimedia Web site

> Will healthcare IT save money? Maybe. What about better diagnostics? Less
certain. Article

> At Philadelphia Medical Center, an experiment aimed at improving patient comfort is underway. The hospital's observation unit offers cable TV and a la carte meals. Article

> In Vermont, IDX co-founder Richard Tarrant is running for Senate as a Republican. His healthcare proposals, however, are the kind that make Democrats smile. Article

> In Lansing, MI, a deal has been struck between Ingham Regional Medical Center and nurses striking since October 12. Article

> Jonathan Cohn writes in the New Republic on The Danger of Consumer-Driven
Health Care. Article

> Searching for human-driven care in the age of the gadget? You're not alone, doctor. You're not alone. Article

> Investigators at the US Attorney's office in Boston are playing a lead role in the inquiry into possible kickbacks paid by leading device companies. Article

> Scribe Healthcare Technologies, a maker of a web-based transcription system for physicians, says it has partnered with MD-IT. Release

> MedSeek, a firm specializing in web-based content management systems, announced that it has signed four new hospitals as clients. Release

> Doctor groups say federal aid is needed to help hospitals and clinics in Louisiana recover from the storms of September. Article

And Finally... Who knew? They're rapping over in the ER. We await the arrival of the first GI rapper with highly baited breath. Blog (Video/QuickTime)