cardiologists news from FierceHealthcare

The U.S. Department of Justice has added its firepower to a whistle-blower lawsuit contending that a hospital in Cincinnati was rewarding cardiologists who generated the most revenue for the Read more...

Two gainsharing arrangements between a hospital and physician groups have gotten an OK in advisory opinions from the HHS Inspector General's office. The ruling assures the applicant(s) that they'd be Read more...

A new study suggests that if heart failure patients get intensive support from a heart failure nurse and a multidisciplinary team, they're more likely to comply with key non-medical interventions Read more...

In recent times, controversy has raged over whether drug-coated stents are safe to use for cardiac patients. The debate arises from recent studies suggesting that some stents can actually raise the Read more...

A high-profile San Diego cardiologist is under CMS investigation for allegedly hitting a patient several times during a cardiac catheterization. The physician, Dr. Maurice Buchbinder, is a Read more...

In recent times, research has raised serious questions about safety of drug-coated stents, which are used to protect patients against complications from some forms heart disease. Since then, Read more...

While the number of heart attack patients getting angioplasties or clot-busting drugs has climbed over the past 10 years, 10 percent of patients don't seem to be getting the drugs at all, according Read more...

A company that makes coronary stents and catheters for pediatric use is facing an investigation by the FDA and federal prosecutors, who contend that it promoted non-approved stents for use in children. They say device maker NuMed sold more than 30 stents to the DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., but didn't file for FDA approval prior to selling the stents as agency regs require. If the FDA investigation moves forward, NuMed ultimately could be banned from selling the …

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Primary care costs much less than specialty care, but insurers aren't necessarily taking that into account, according to a new study. The study, by HHS's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, noted that while orthopedist fees averaged $210 per visit, and cardiologists $232 per visit, primary care physicians typically charge $100 per visit. But insurers still penalize primary care, requiring patients to pay an average of 20 percent of PCP costs out-of-pocket. Despite higher costs, …

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> Closely-watched consumer health site RevolutionHealth.com should launch this week. The project is funded by AOL founder Steve Case. Article

> Texas has the nation's highest rate of uninsured citizens, researchers say. Article

> Experts are arguing that The Global Fund should pay for health worker salaries, not …

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