> After Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA closes on its purchase of Mercy Hospital in Miami on May 1, it plans to merge the hospital license into Plantation (Fla.) General Hospital, reports the South Florida Business Journal. Article
> Thomas D. Kmetz, president of Kosair Children's Hospital and Pediatric Services, has been named to the board of directors of a new organization created by the merger of three national children's hospitals organizations--Child Health Corporation of America, the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions, and the National Association of Children's Hospitals--reports Business First. Article
> Kaiser Permanente gave more than $4.2 million in grants to mid-Atlantic nonprofits during the first quarter of this year, reports the Baltimore Business Journal. It's donations focused on healthy eating and active lifestyle initiatives, and increasing access to healthcare for uninsured and underinsured populations. Article
> New York-based Hudson Valley Hospital Center is encouraging its employees to go meatless on Mondays to promote healthier eating, reports the Peekskill-Cortlandt Patch. "Going meatless once a week can reduce the risk of chronic preventable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity,'' notes Jennifer Fell, the hospital's director of Food and Nutrition. Article
> Hospitals in Richmond, Va., are opening stand-alone emergency room departments, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch. These facilities, not attached to hospitals, will provide the only access to emergency care for miles in rural areas. Article
And Finally... Can't smell? Who cares? Article