Dallas man accused of impersonating doctor; Healthcare orgs in Philly form collaborative;

News From Around the Web

> A 23-year-old Dallas man has been charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and evading arrest after policy say he posed as a physician at Children's Medical Center Dallas and stole an ambulance, the Dallas Morning News reports. Article

> A group of Philadelphia-area healthcare organizations including Independence Blue Cross, Jefferson Health System and the University of Pennsylvania Health System have started the Health Care Innovation Collaborative to "identify and solve institutional needs by connecting its members to innovative solutions," the Philadelphia Business Journal reports. Article

> Chicago's Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and KishHealth System, based in DeKalb, Illinois, have signed a letter indicating they will explore an affiliation that could include a merger of the two institutions, according to the Chicago Tribune. Article

Health Finance News

> The cost of treating cancer continues to skyrocket in the United States, and providers are taking notice as it becomes more of a financial burden on their patients, Bloomberg has reported. Article

> The process for determining how much work a physician puts into completing a particular clinical task is often inflated and inaccurate, creating problems when Medicare and other federal agencies attempt to place an appropriate value on the task, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. Article

And Finally… Bring in the specialists. Article