News From Around the Web
> Focused on "better health and greater value through information technology," the HIMSS Foundation and the National eHealth Collaborative have announced a merger late last month. Both organizations embrace a similar mission to engage with all stakeholders to drive positive change in healthcare with IT and provide a single, mission-driven voice and focus, and NeHC will fold into the HIMSS Foundation. Announcement
> In a recent blog post, HIMSS shared its top 10 social media moments of 2013 liked, shared and retweeted by the HIT community. Post
Provider News
> Nurses who are tired, don't get enough sleep or don't have time to recover between shifts are more likely than unimpaired nurses to regret clinical decisions they make during their shifts, according to a new study in the American Journal of Critical Care. Article
> Independent, private practices may play a smaller role in the future if young doctors continue the trend of working at hospitals instead of their own practices, according to the Kansas City Star. In the Kansas City area, 55 percent of physicians are now employed by hospitals, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City estimates, according to a separate article from the Star. Article
Health Insurance News
> UnitedHealthcare has amassed two more opponents to its Medicare Advantage network cuts--the state of Connecticut and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D). Article
> Another year, another healthcare reform delay: Only hours before the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate took effect on New Year's Day, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor halted its implementation for some religious groups. Article
And Finally... Of all the people to pull over as a fake cop ... Article