> After a failed merger between Pittsburgh's West Penn Allegheny Health System and Highmark, the health system's chief executive may step down next week, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported. CEO Keith Ghezzi's contract expires Tuesday. Article
> A Medicare rule could compromise care for nursing home residents, according to new research in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. They don't get simultaneous Medicare reimbursement for hospice and skilled nursing care, which results in more aggressive hospitalization and treatment. Announcement
> Controlling depression in heart failure patients can improve outcomes, according to researchers from UC Davis and Duke University schools of medicine. Participants whose depression remitted saw improvements in physical limitation, quality of life, symptom frequency and total symptoms. Announcement
> Kaiser Permanente laid off 84 employees from its Southern California region in a "modest downsizing," reported the San Bernardino Sun. The job cuts spared physicians. Article
And Finally… It's not performance anxiety. Article