News From Around The Web
> The University of Iowa hospital system apparently waited until the very last moment to admit that it had signed a contract to be a provider under the state's revamped Medicaid system, causing confusion among patients, the Des Moines Register reported. Article
> Hospital spending on community benefits in Oregon totaled just under $1.9 billion last year, virtually unchanged from 2013. Experts believe the Affordable Care Act may have played a role in the spending plateau, according to the Portland Business Journal. Article
Provider News
> A new inpatient care model that used multidisciplinary accountable care teams reduced the length of stay and cut additional costs, but did not affect readmission rates or patient satisfaction ratings, a study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine found. Article
> Emergency department overcrowding remains a major problem throughout the country, but a new study finds that hospitals with the busiest emergency rooms haven't adopted proven interventions that could alleviate the stress. Article
Healthcare IT News
> Cancer patients who tracked their systems online reported higher quality of life compared to a control group, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. They also were less frequently admitted to the emergency department, remained on chemotherapy longer and had a higher survival rate. Article
And Finally... Zombie nativity scene. Article