Quality and Safety
Cigna and the Piedmont Physicians Group, part of Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare, have launched an accountable care organization pilot program, designed to provide a comprehensive, accountable and collaborative approach to medical care.
President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, after months of bitter debate nationwide and on Capitol Hill.
A report on healthcare spending released in September by actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been used to support both sides of the bitter partisan debate over healthcare reform.
A former chief financial officer for three different hospital networks is under house arrest and facing federal fraud charges for allegedly stealing more than $200,000 from health systems in Connecticut and Ohio.
The percentage of the nation's population without health insurance increased from 15.4 percent in 2008 to 16.7 percent in 2009, according to data released in September by the U.S. Census Bureau.
In recent news reports, medical billing companies were named in connection with a medical records data breach, one of which apparently involved medical records found in a public dump.
Annual performance-based incentive plans are on the rise for physicians, according to a recent survey of provider organizations.
Medical group practice leaders from around the country are set to visit The Big Easy at the end of October for the Medical Group Management Association's 2010 Annual Conference.
The Integrated Healthcare Association, a statewide-based leadership group that promotes quality improvement, accountability and affordability of healthcare in California, has named its top 45 performing physician organizations for 2009, based on the IHA statewide Pay for Performance program measures.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has awarded $13.7 million to six states to design background check programs for jobs involving direct patient care.