News From Around the Web
> The Columbus Regional Health System in Georgia plans to eliminate 219 positions to reduce costs, according to MyFoxAtlanta. Article
> More than 150 medical secretaries at Novant Health in Charlotte and Winston-Salem, North Carolina will receive pay cuts early next year due to implementation of electronic medical records, the Charlotte Observer reports. Article
> The Obama administration plans to close a loophole in the Affordable Care Act that allows large companies to refuse to cover inpatient hospital stays in any of their health insurance plans, according to USA Today. Article
Practice Management News
> Despite the benefits of increasing healthcare price transparency for patients, putting cost information in front of clinicians may introduce ethical challenges in ensuring patients get appropriate care, according to a post from Forbes. Article
> In the discussion about the expanding roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in medical practices, there's little agreement that any one level of education, supervision requirement or scope of practice for any particular type of nonphysician practitioner is the best approach to ensuring high-quality, cost-effective patient care. Article
And Finally… Pass out the cigars. Article