> Brigham & Women's Hospital vice president of clinical services John Fernandez has agreed to take on what many see as one of the toughest jobs in Boston healthcare. Fernandez is taking over as CEO of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute. Article
> The number of Caesarian births in New York city has jumped 7 percent over the last year, a city agency has found. Article
> After two years of debate, a dispute over the structure of a Bakersfield, CA-based medical group contract continues to fester. A Kern Medical Center auditor's report suggests that a physicians' group serving the hospital may have to pay back almost $320,000 in fees that they allegedly should not have received. Article
> Heck, they do everything else under the sun. Can Google help patients find, share and rate health information more effectively than their competitors? Blog
> Is your hospital prepared for disaster? A new Johns Hopkins panel is suggesting that hospitals rank patients so that the healthiest can leave if a catastrophic event occurs. Article
> A jury has cleared police working for Yale-New Haven hospital, who were charged with violating the civil rights of a psychiatric patient by spraying him with pepper foam during a psychotic rage. Article
> The mother of an 18-year-old Oxycontin addict who committed suicide in prison has sued Pennsylvania's Schuylkill County Prison Board, alleging that the prison staff and medical providers should have known he was suicidal and kept closer watch over him. The plaintiff is asking for $150,000 on each of several federal civil rights counts. Article
> The all-too-common story of a regional hospital's troubles. Willmar, MN-based Rice Memorial Hospital falls $1 million into the red. Article
> The American Academy of Pediatrics has more than a few worries about the treatment of children in retail clinics. A committee has come up with a list of seven key issues, including potential lack of follow-up on diagnostic tests, problems with long-term management of chronic conditions such as obesity and possible effects on the quality of care. Blog
And Finally…. Is it just paranoia? Or are pharma companies really and truly sending anonymous PR reps online to shoot down proponents of big pharma-free alternative treatments? Item