News From Around the Web
> California's new breast density law goes into effect this week. The state becomes the fifth with a breast density notification law, joining Connecticut, Texas, Virginia and New York. "We believe this notification will be a good thing for patients, because it will help raise awareness and serve as the basis for important conversations between women and their doctors," said Vivian Lim, M.D., who specializes in breast imaging with Scripps Clinic in San Diego. "The earlier we can diagnose and treat breast cancer, the better the outcomes for the patient." Article
> In an effort to increase screening rates for colon cancer, a public relations campaign running in Washington, D.C., Detroit, Los Angeles, and other cities is urging people to "love your patooty." "We wanted something cheeky to focus on your bottom, similar to a 'Save the ta-tas' [breast cancer cure] sort of thing," says Maurisa Potts, a publicist for the Chris4Life Colon Foundation, which is funding the campaign. Article
> More than half of lower back MRI examinations could be unnecessary, according to a study published online in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers at two Canadian hospitals found that more than 50 percent of lumbar spine or lower-back MRIs had questionable value or were deemed inappropriate. Abstract
Health IT News
> A massive database that will provide "second opinions times multiples" is in the works from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Article
Health Finance News
> The 2 percent pending cuts to Medicare payments as a result of the budget sequestration are expected to affect the bottom line of some hospitals to the tune of millions of dollars a year, but a variety of reports suggest hospital finance leaders will be able to cope with the reductions for now. Article
And Finally… German "circus" troop flea-zes to death. Article