News From Around the Web
> McKesson plans to sell its Pittsburgh-based pharmacy automation business for an undisclosed sum to San Francisco-based private equity firm Francisco Partners, it announced this week. The system helps hospitals and health systems to streamline their delivery of medications. Announcement
> The American Telemedicine Association recently announced that it has developed a new state tracking tool on Internet prescribing. The tool--the ATA State Internet Prescribing Policy Matrix--offers users a state-by-state breakdown of online prescribing policies. Announcement
Health Insurance News
> Few insurers have as much to gain--or lose--by the success of the health insurance exchanges than consumer oriented and operated plans (CO-OPs). As the newcomers to the health insurance industry, they need the online marketplaces to recruit members and build their business. But technical glitches miring the exchanges, minimal enrollment numbers from federal officials and a lack of revenue thus far all are leaving CO-OPs feeling uncertain about their future. Article
> Highmark aired a TV ad saying it would lose thousands of jobs if UPMC doesn't sign a contract to join the insurer's provider network, and Pennsylvania officials are questioning the claim. The state Insurance Department says Highmark's statement that UPMC's refusal to join its network will result in the "loss of thousands of critical jobs right here in Western Pennsylvania" is inconsistent with information the insurer provided to the state regarding its proposal to acquire West Penn Allegheny Health System. Article
Provider News
> In their quest to reduce and prevent hospital-acquired infections, hospitals have focused most of their attention on central-line-associated infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections but not on the most common of all--surgical-site complications, according to a new study presented at IDWeek 2013 and reported by Medscape. Researchers counted the number of infections acquired as a result of surgical procedures, intensive care unit patient-days and nonintensive care unit patient-days in a network of 15 hospitals from Jan. 1, 2010, to June 30, 2012. Article
And Finally... I love Dunkin', too, but not enough to do this. Article