Cerner

> Shares in Cerner were up sharply, rising over $96.50 before dipping in late morning trading. Rumors of interest on the part of Oracle persist. Article

> Chutes & Ladders: The CFO at Triad Hospitals said he is moving on while a major research group has downgraded the company to neutral. Burke Whitman jumps to rival Health Management Associates.  …

Cerner stock hit an all-time high yesterday with shares rising as high as $94.80 before an afternoon sell-off brought them down to earth. The company's good fortune led to renewed rumors of interest on the part of a major player--possibly Oracle. The increased interest appears to have been triggered at least in part by a delayed reaction to the release of the company's third-quarter results and media reports which indicate plans to hire more workers.

- see this …

> A state Web site rating Florida's hospitals had 75,000 hits during its first hours of operation and was briefly out of service Thursday. Report

> Hours after media reports of extremely serious problems, the organ transplant program at UCI was stripped of its certification. Article

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> Why do retailers appear to have extensive vaccine supplies while physicians are struggling to find shots for their patients? Article (Wall Street Journal sub. req.)

> The VA Health System will work with Initiate Systems for patient ID management. Article

> A physician-tracking …

Health IT vendor Cerner reported excellent third-quarter results yesterday, posting profits up nearly 80 percent to $26.4 million, thanks largely to new bookings. The company reported 233 implementations of its Millennium Information System in the quarter. Cerner now has 4,500 systems installed at healthcare facilities around the world. Highlights of the quarter for the company included a $149.3 million deal with Fujitsu to work on the massive NHS project in the UK.

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Cerner has signed a deal with a French health system, the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, which will see Cerner Millennium implemented at four hospitals. Overcome with Joie de Cerner, investors pushed Cerner's stock to another 52-week high before a sell off brought shares back down to earth. Cerner is expected to announce its third-quarter earnings on Thursday afternoon.

- see this article from the Kansas City Business Journal

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City said it will offer its members web-based consultations with their doctors using a secure system developed by RelayHealth. For a small copay, plan members will be able to log on and conduct an online meeting with a physician using the system. The crucial detail: Physicians will be reimbursed for the "virtual visit" by the insurer, although the exact details are apparently not available yet. Other Blues in California and Massachusetts have also …

Wall Street has long thought Cerner will benefit from the Bush administration's plan for a national health IT infrastructure. But now some people are wondering if relations have worsened between the well-connected company and the White House. Over the weekend, Cerner CEO Neal Patterson made remarks critical of National Health IT coordinator David Brailer's performance. Speaking at a Cerner event, Patterson expressed doubts about the way in which Brailer has handled government HIT …

In Kansas City, Cerner is playing a large role in an unusual employer-led initiative which will set up an electronic community health record. The system, tentatively named Health e, would create a repository for patient medical records, allowing caregivers access to detailed information on past lab results, claims information, and other data. Cerner has offered to underwrite the cost of the system and provide server space for the first three years the program is in operation. …

> The FDA said it has issued a "not approvable" letter for Pfizer's injectable Cox-2 painkiller Dynastat. The regulator did not provide a cause.  Story

> Senate Majority leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn) recently sold his stake in HCA, the giant hospital chain his family owns. Critics question the timing of the sale.  …