> Markets changes brought on by healthcare reform will swing the hospital operating budget from an annual 4 percent profit to -1 percent, according to research released yesterday by consulting firm L.E.K. Consulting. L.E.K. encourages hospitals to create new care models based on a holistic approach to care, in addition to measuring performance and aligning financial motives of institutions and providers. Press release
> The New York State Nurses Association, the largest union of registered nurses in the state, announced yesterday that it is fighting an arbitration decision that upheld nurses' healthcare benefit cuts by employer trustees of the NYSNA Benefits Fund. The decision requires that nurses contribute to premiums, pay increased copays, and abide by mandated drug step therapy. Press release
> A South Florida man, Jimmy Lee Theordore, yesterday pled guilty of stealing the identifies of 250 emergency room patients from Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, resulting in his sentence of 14 years in prison. The patient information was used to make cash withdrawals and purchase money orders, reports the Associated Press. Article
> Exeter (N.H.) Hospital and former nurse Susan Smith settled a lawsuit, in which the nurse was fired after claiming that medical procedures were not properly followed. Smith filed suit in October 2009 after voicing concerns about syringe sterilization and administrating sedation, reports the Associated Press. Article
> More than 5 million Americans, that is, one in six people, with traditional Medicare use the free preventative services available through healthcare reform, according to a report by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released yesterday. The report reaffirms CMS' push to improve healthcare and lower costs. Press release
And Finally... Man politely robs bank for $1 to score free healthcare. Article