News from Around the Web
> A staggering one in 20 people purchase cigarettes at the same time as picking up prescriptions for conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or high blood pressure, according to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Research letter
> A New Jersey medical receptionist has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $446,000 as well as spending more than $200,000 with fraudulent credit cards between 2007 and 2011, the New Jersey Journal reported. Article
Provider News
> Patient early warning detection systems alert staff to minor changes in patients' conditions and can help prevent more serious events down the line and reduce mortality rates. Article
Health Insurance News
> The rise in plans sold on health insurance exchanges with high deductibles brings a new concern--consumers who postpone needed care because of the cost. Those decisions could mean the high-deductible health plans backfire on insurers and could lead to even more medical use and greater expenses in the future, The New York Times reported. Article
Health IT News
> Poor workflow, communication issues and other problems with electronic health records have increased nurse dissatisfaction of inpatient systems to 92 percent, an all-time high, according to the latest report from Black Book Market Research. Article
And Finally…I'd like to call a lifeline. Article