> Ventilator alarm errors were linked to 119 patient deaths between 2005 and May 2011, according to an analysis of federal safety reports by The Boston Globe. As a another source of alarm fatigue, 27 cases involved caregivers not hearing or responding to warnings in time; six cases involved caregivers who didn't know whether the ventilator alarm had sounded; and in 11 instances, it was unclear what happened. Article
> Community Health will buy MetroSouth Medical Center in Chicago, the Franklin-Tenn. hospital chain announced yesterday. When the transaction gets regulatory approval and closes in the first quarter of 2012, MetroSouth will become Community Health's ninth hospital in Illinois. Press release
> Mayo Clinic today began building a $182 million proton beam cancer therapy facility, the health system announced Friday. Through proton therapy, Mayo hopes to treat cancerous tumors with radiation without damaging healthy tissue and organs. Article
> Alabama Court of Civil Appeals ruled in favor of Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham, allowing it to continue with plans to build a new facility, according to a Dec. 9 hospital statement. The ruling overturns a decision to have the hospitals' certificate of need reviewed, prompted by Brookwood Medical Center and St. Vincent's Hospital. Statement
> The United States has been ranked number 1 in world health by the London-based nonprofit Legatum Institute, reports The Hill's Healthwatch. Earlier this year, the United States was given top honors in a Commonwealth Fund study that found the country largely outspends the rest of world on healthcare. Blog post
And Finally... Ready-to-bake cookie dough not ready-to-eat. Study