Electronic Health Records Probe Expands to Hospitals
A congressional inquiry into plans for spending billions of dollars in stimulus money on digital medical records is now questioning some of the nation’s most prestigious health care providers about possible safety flaws and other problems with the electronic systems. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa)…has asked 31 hospitals and health systems across the country…to advise him of any problems with their computer systems and any “issues or concerns that have been raised by your health care providers” over the past two years…
The hospitals include [ see full list here] the prestigious Mayo Clinic and others among the country’s leading users and pioneers of digital records, such as Kaiser Permanente, a California-based health system with more than 8 million members.
Huffington Post, by Emma Schwartz 1/20/2010
Additional coverage:
TOP STORIES
Health Companies Scramble to Access Shift
The Wall Street Journal
January 21, 2010
The victory by Republican Scott Brown caught many health care companies off guard, with a number of firms reiterating support for a sector overhaul thrown into doubt by his win.
The Wall Street Journal
June 21, 2010
President Barack Obama suggested he's open to Congress passing a scaled-back health care bill, potentially sacrificing much of his signature policy initiative as chaos engulfed Capitol Hill Wednesday.
Additional Coverage
House Democrats Reluctant to Take Up Senate Health Care Reform Bill - The Washington Post
Obama Weighs Paring Goals for Health Bill - The New York Times
Obama Signals Willingness to Scale Back Health Bill - Bloomberg Report
Dems Look Toward Scaled Down Reform - Politico
Health Bill Sinking After Senate Shocker - The Washington Examiner
Obama Still Prefers a Major Overhaul
The New York Times
January 21, 2010
The president’s first preference is to pass the sort of far-reaching health care legislation that lawmakers and the administration were negotiating before the Republican victory in Massachusetts upended everything.
TRANSPARENCY/SAFETY
The Wall Street Journal - Op-Ed
January 21, 2010
At the heart of the health care legislation is what supporters describe as all of the best ideas for paying doctors and other health care providers to deliver better care.
Should Surgeons Meet Patients Online?
The New York Times
January 21, 2010
What are the potential risks and benefits for online surgery consultation - before even meeting a patient face to face?
STATE NEWS
Another Health Care Obstacle Awaits in States
The Wall Street Journal
January 20, 2010
Lawmakers in at least 19 states have filed bills that aim to nullify key provisions of the federal legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
New York Governor Wants Hospitals to Pay Higher Revenue Taxes
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January 20, 2010
Attempting to erase his state's deficit, New York Gov. David Paterson proposed a new state budget that includes higher taxes on hospital revenue and additional surcharges for health care providers.
REFORM EFFORTS
Why Public Support for Health Care Faltered
Kaiser Health News
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There’s nothing in it the average person could understand about why your costs would be lower," says Robert Blendon, professor of health policy at Harvard’s School of Public Health.
Editorial: The Massachusetts Election
The New York Times -0p-Ed
January 21, 2010
Mr. Obama was right to press for health care reform. But he spent too much time talking to reluctant Democrats and Republicans who never had the slightest intention of supporting him.
The Wall Street Journal - Op-Ed
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As Congress works to address the critical issues facing our nation, every elected official must do a better job explaining to Americans how these legislative proposals will impact their lives.
NEW ADMINISTRATION
Brown’s Victory in Massachusetts Hardly a Repudiation of Health Reform
The Washington Post
January 21, 2010
Republican candidate rode to victory on a message more nuanced than flat-out resistance to universal health coverage: Massachusetts residents, he said, already had insurance and should not have to pay for it elsewhere.
Senate Loss Puts the Burden on Nancy Pelosi
Politico
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Tuesday’s loss of the 60-vote Democratic Senate majority means Pelosi must shoulder the main burden of salvaging President Obama’s health care reform deal.
HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Top Hospitals Questioned in Electronic Health Records Probe
The Huffington Post
January 21, 2010
A congressional inquiry into plans for spending billions of dollars in stimulus money on digital medical records is now questioning some of the nation's most prestigious health care providers [including Mayo Clinic] about possible safety flaws and other problems with the electronic systems.
Additional Coverage
Grassley Asks Hospitals About Problems with Health IT Systems - The Wall Street Journal