> One in nine U.S. jobs are in hospitals, according to an American Hospital Association (AHA) report. More than $2.2 trillion in economic activity in 2009 is attributed to hospitals, which employ more than 5.4 million people, according to the AHA. Report (.pdf)
> The Marin County (Calif.) Coroner's Office found that a patient at Marin General Hospital died after hospital staff failed to check if her ventilator was working properly before leaving her room. The hospital will be implementing new patient safety procedures, according the Associated Press. Article
> A Salem (Va.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center nurse admitted to stealing prescription medications while on duty for personal use, reports WSLS 10, an NBC affiliate. Amy Elizabeth McCoy, a former registered nurse, pleaded guilty to charges of two counts of stealing Fentanyl from patients. Article
> After employees allegedly looked at health information of two celebrity patients, the University of California at Los Angeles Health System (UCLAHS) and the U.S. Health & Human Services (HHS) yesterday announced they settled potential HIPAA privacy and security violations. UCLAHS will settle for $865,500 and will commit to a corrective action plan to ensure HIPAA compliance, according to HHS. HHS news brief
> Sutter Health in Sacramento will be getting $6 million after labor union United Here in 2005 sent postcard warnings to Northern California residents that the hospital used soiled linens in maternity wards. The 2006 court decision was the largest award against a labor union in U.S. history, which was then retried, reports the Sacramento Bee. United Here officially apologized on Wednesday. Article
And Finally... Termites may be good for something and could be used as biofuel. News brief