News From Around the Web
> The U.S. Senate voted recently to approve a budget amendment that will repeal the medical device tax. The amendment's language said the repeal of the tax would "promote innovation, preserve high-paying jobs, and encourage economic growth for manufacturers of lifesaving medical devices and cutting edge medical therapies." Announcement
> Employees at a VA hospital in Mississippi have reported a range of wrong doings, including allegations that thousands of radiology reports were unread or improperly read, leading to missed diagnoses, and in some cases, fatal illnesses, the Washington Post reports. Article
> Expert radiologists and representatives from the American College of Radiology; the World Federation of Pediatric Imaging; the Society for Pediatric Radiology, the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound; and the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are gather in Port-au-Prince, Haiti this week to provide a series of lectures and hands-on ultrasound training during "Radiology Education Days." About 100 radiologists, pediatricians and physicians from Haiti will gather for the event. Post
Health IT News
> Teleheath failed to produce gains more cost effectively than standard care alone according to research published in BMJ. That work comes on the heels of previous research in the journal that found that telehealth produced no significant improvements in reported quality of life or anxiety or depression symptoms. Article
Provider News
> After making a second recalculation, the Medicare program has reduced financial penalties to more than 1,200 hospitals with excessive readmissions. Article
And Finally… Criminal charges for Punxsutawney Phil? Article