> Racial and ethnic minorities are 20 percent less likely to choose palliative care than white patients in the last six months of life, concludes a study published in The American Heart Journal, American Medical News reported. Research suggests that minority patients often forgo hospice care and choose more aggressive end-of-life treatment rather than focusing on the pain and symptom management of palliative care. Article
> Studies show hospital patients boosting vitamin D intake can greatly reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections, according to a study in the journal Dermato-Endocrinology, reported Landes BioScience. While vitamin D-deficient patients are more susceptible to infection, data shows higher amounts of vitamin D can help boost the immune system with potential antimicrobial properties against bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Article
> The former Chief Medical Officer at County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center claims two county health officials damaged his reputation and exposed him to negative publicity after his abrupt departure from the hospital last year, reported The Daily Breeze. Gail Anderson alleges that the officials leaked news of his departure to the press and drew defamatory media attention to him after he was placed on administrative leave for undisclosed reasons. Article
> Physicians and medical schools reiterated their opposition to the Centers for Medicare & Mediciad Services' expansion of a Medicare no-payment policy for preventable hospital-acquired conditions, reported American Medical News Monday. The American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges oppose nonpayment when providers do not have the opportunity to demonstrate that the patient's hospital-acquired conditions were preventable. Article
> The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced Monday it has awarded more than $971 million to improving preparedness and health outcomes against public health threats. The HHS awarded funding to the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) and the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperation agreements, aligning for the first time the nation's public health and its healthcare systems' federal preparedness programs. Statement
And Finally… Police recover missing teddy bear. Article