> Patient living wills and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders are often misinterpreted by internal medicine, family medicine, and emergency medicine physicians, compromising patient safety and even leading to patient deaths, concludes a new study by University of Pittsburgh Medical Center researchers. The study found that more than half of physicians surveyed confused a living will with a DNR order, suggesting that more understanding is needed to ensure the proper care is delivered, reports the Erie Times-News. Article
> Reinforcing his spot on our list of 10 Notorious Healthcare Execs in 2011, the fired CEO of Slidell (La.) Memorial Hospital pleaded guilty to his second DWI offense, reports The Times-Picayune. Robert L. "Bob" Hawley Jr. accepted two years of supervised probation and 26 days of community service. Article
> Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital is spending $450 million to build clinical and research building and $55 million to restore a grassy common area, all while cutting expenses by $160 million for the next three years, reports The Boston Globe. To cut expenses, the hospital will consolidate vendors and temporary hiring agencies, as well as monitor the use of towels, sheets, and blankets. Article
> A shortage of surgical drugs could lead to more medication errors, jeopardizing patient safety, according to an article in the December issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia. Administering alternatives that have a higher concentration or potency than the regular drugs can cause overdoses when healthcare providers are not informed of the different drug strength. Article
> Legislation is now pending in Congress that would penalize purveyors of hospital drugs that mark up their prices far above market rate, reports FierceHealthFinance. The bill, to be introduced next week by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), would make price gouging for drugs sold to hospitals a federal crime and call for up to $500 million in fines. FierceHealthFinance
And Finally... Dog missing for eight years is reunited with family. Article