> The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Donald Berwick responded to Senators who called for justification of how much the the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation costs, reports the Washington Post. "We're engaging thousands of hospitals, employers and other stakeholders in the Partnership for Patients, the largest and most coordinated effort to reduce medical errors that this country has ever seen," he told the Post. "We've launched the Pioneer ACOs, a bundled payments demonstration. We are working with states on dual-eligibles." Interview
> Hospitals support proposed direct patient access to lab tests even though they acknowledge it will pose logistical challenges for care facilities, according to comments submitted yesterday by the American Hospital Association (AHA). The AHA said the proposed rule would eliminate barriers to exchanging health information and allow patients to more actively participate in their healthcare. Comments
> Most healthcare leaders (84 percent) support health reform's individual mandate, according to a Commonwealth Fund study released yesterday. Almost all (95 percent) say controlling efficient models of healthcare delivery is the way to slow national health spending, as well as stopping Medicare/Medicaid fraud and abuse (90 percent). Study (.pdf)
> Most hospitals in New York are struggling financially, highlighted by Nassau University Medical Center laying off 175 workers, reports Newsday. More than 6,000 healthcare workers have been laid off throughout the state since 2008. Article
> As hospitals with the best patient satisfaction draw in more reimbursements, institutions are accepting that patient satisfaction is more than just a healthcare marketing tool, reports Ocala. Article
And Finally... Turning a profit on turkeys. Press release