Data breach of wellness plan impacts 1,700 in Virginia; Military equipment finds new use to fight malaria;

News From Around the Web

> About 1,700 people in Richmond, Virginia, had their personal data compromised when Dominion Resources Inc.'s employee wellness plan was hacked in March, according to an article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Those affected were notified last Friday. From a subcontractor's computer system, the hackers were able to access names, addresses, emails, phone numbers and dates of birth. The breach involved info belonging to Dominion Resources' employees who used the Internet to schedule health-screening appointments. Article

> Hardware usually reserved for military efforts may also be able to fight malaria. An anti-tank Javelin missile detector, thanks to researchers at Monash University and the University of Melbourne, can be used to quickly identify malaria parasites in blood. The research was published in the journal Analysis. Announcement

Health Finance News

> To reduce healthcare costs, the U.S. healthcare system must reduce spending, which is at a 10-year high, according to Aetna Chairman Mark T. Bertolini. Article

Provider News

> Patients today are no safer from harm caused by preventable errors than they were 15 years ago, a leading healthcare expert testified before the Senate subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging on Thursday. Article

> The Leapfrog Group released results from its 2013 annual survey today, examining key hospital safety and quality elements at a record 37 percent of hospitals across the country. Article

And Finally... Talk about a case of déjà vu. Article