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| Current Memphis Medical News |
Saving The MED?
Arkansas and Mississippi Weigh In
When news spread about The MED possibly closing its Emergency Department by Feb. 1 if it cannot secure $32 million in additional funds, state governments in neighboring Arkansas and Mississippi—whose residents also frequent the Memphis hospital—took another look at their involvement.
LYNNE JETER |
LEADERS IN HEALTHCARE: Michael Cates, Executive Director, Memphis Medical Society
Frustrations over reform are at the brink, concerns are high and solutions are still desperately needed. One organization that has been at the forefront of advocating for physicians is the Memphis Medical Society. For more than 130 years, the Society has organized physician efforts and lobbied for their causes in the state and nation's capitols.
HOLLI W. HAYNIE |
Future Healthcare Leaders
I am literally composing this article the day after the House passed their version of the healthcare reform bill, by an extremely close margin of 220 for and 215 against.
On the house floor, Democratic leaders appealed to members' sense of history, reminding them this was one of the most significant votes, short of war, that they were likely to take. This is an interesting analogy. The future of the American Health System is being drafted by individuals that are distanced from the average American seeking healthcare. Not to sound too critical of members of Congress, I am reminded of a quote by Sir Winston Churchill, "One lesson I have learned in life is that even fools get it right every now and then."
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Common Table Update: Methodist North Chosen for Cardiac Care Collaborative
We are pleased to announce that Methodist North Hospital has been selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to participate in a new effort to improve the quality and equality of cardiac care delivered in hospitals to racial and ethnic minority populations. The Aligning Forces for Quality: Equity Quality Improvement Collaborative (Equity QI Collaborative) will identify and test ways for hospitals to improve the quality of their cardiac care, while also identifying and reducing any racial and ethnic disparities.
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Another Twist on Red Flag Rules
Defining "Creditor" Has Many Implications
Implementation of the Red Flag Rules has been postponed again—until June 1, 2010—as legislation is snaking through Congress that would allow the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to exempt healthcare and legal professions of 20 or fewer employees from the rule mandated by the 2003 Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act.
LYNNE JETER |
| Health Information Technology Focus |
Transparency: It's Clear Pharmacists, PBM Associations Caught in Contentious Debate
On the face of it, both the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) "strongly support" the principle of transparency within the pharmaceutical industry. Scratch the surface, however, and the two associations have very different ideas about what the concept of transparency means and how it should be enacted. Both claim their viewpoint is best for the bottom line.
CINDY SANDERS |
"Recession Depression" a Growing Mental Health Concern
Economic Woes Take a Toll
You've heard the joke: It's a recession if you lose your job; it's a depression if I lose mine. Whatever you want to call the nation's economic downturn, it's downright depressing, say mental health professionals, and a recent survey confirms that the economy is taking its toll on Americans' mental health.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD |
PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Robert Buchalter, MD
Fascinated by the inner workings of the mind, psychiatrist Robert Buchalter, MD, has spent his career learning how the brain works and utilizing his knowledge to treat patients. The variety of personalities and emotional issues he deals with ensure his job is never boring.
HOLLI W. HAYNIE |
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