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Three Urology Practices Merge
As of January 1st, Urology Centers of Alabama, Birmingham-Shelby Urology, and Eastern Urology Associates have merged into a single practice. Urology Centers of Alabama (UCA) will be the surviving named entity.... Read More
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Three Urology Practices Merge As of January 1st, Urology Centers of Alabama, Birmingham-Shelby Urology, and Eastern Urology Associates have merged into a single practice. Urology Centers of Alabama (UCA) will be the surviving named entity. “It’s a true merger,” said Mark DeGuenther, MD, president of UCA. “No one practice is buying another... Steve Spencer |
Keeping Healthy Resolutions On Track January starts as a fresh page, when people are full of the resolve to finally make the positive changes they’ve been meaning to get around to—go to the gym, eat healthy, stop smoking, get control of their time and stress... Laura Freeman |
CMS Releases ACO Final Rules, Deadlines Loom
Two tracks for Shared Savings Accountable Care Organizations
The final regulations governing Medicare accountable care organizations were released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in October, and they represent a sea change in healthcare’s future... SHARON H. FITZGERALD |
End-of-life Care Makes the Difference for Dr. Tracey Humbert At 15, on her first day as a candy striper, Tracey Humbert, MD, took a pitcher of ice water into the room of an elderly woman. The woman was waiting for a perma-cath procedure and distraught about her future on dialysis.
The teenager and the 60-year-old talked for an hour. At the end, the woman said, “How did someone so young get so wise?”... Jane Ehrhardt |
A New Year's Resolution: Updating Your HIPAA Plan As January gets underway, it is common for us to reflect back on the prior year and set goals for the upcoming year. Whether it is losing weight or maintaining better relationships with loved ones, New Year's resolutions are on everyone's minds this time of the year. Health care providers should also consider setting a New Year's resolution... Kelli Fleming |
2011 Health Care Year in Review As I sit down to write this article, I cannot help but to recall the immortal words of Yogi Berra who said: "It's déjà vu all over again." Howard Bogard |
The Literary Examiner “Making an Exit: From the Magnificent to the Macabre- How We Dignify the Dead” by Sarah Murray
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Lifeblood You’ve done everything you possibly could.
You took your vitamins faithfully, drank lots of OJ, and ate all the things the experts said to eat. You’ve avoided touching germy things and you’ve washed your hands raw... Alex Perry |
THE RUMORS OF THE ACOs DEMISE ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED On October 20, 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued final regulations (the “Final Rule”) that will govern the implementation of the Medicare Shared Savings Program (the “Medicare Program”) and the formation of accountable care organizations (“ACOs”). Judd Harwood |
Increased Administrative Burdens Accompany Breach Notification Requirements On August 24, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new regulations requiring health care providers and other entities subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to notify individuals when their unsecured protected health information (PHI) is breached. The regulations implement breach notification requirements enacted under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Judd Harwood of Balch & Bingham |
JCAHO Accreditation Surveys May Become More Cumbersome On March 26, 2009, the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations ("JCAHO" or "Joint Commission") announced changes to its accreditation and survey standards for hospitals. These changes revise the proposed set of changes that were announced earlier this year by the Joint Commission. In January, JCAHO proposed to issue more than 165 new and revised accreditation and survey standards. However, based on discussions between the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS"), the number affected has now been reduced to 87. Nonetheless, these new and revised standards may make it more difficult for hospitals to obtain or maintain JCAHO accreditation. Kelli Fleming |
MEANINGFUL USE REGULATIONS ISSUED BY CMS On December 30, 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that outlines provisions governing the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record incentive programs, including a proposed definition for the central concept of “meaningful use” of electronic health records (EHR) technology. This proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on January 13, 2010, and public comments are due 60 days thereafter. JUDD HARWOOD |
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Factors Linked to Age of Onset of Menopause Identified
Title: Factors Linked to Age of Onset of Menopause Identified Category: Health News Created: 1/26/2012 6:06:00 PM Last Editorial Review: 1/27/2012 Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 1:00 am CST
| | Caffeine May Alter Women's Estrogen Levels
Title: Caffeine May Alter Women's Estrogen Levels Category: Health News Created: 1/26/2012 6:06:00 PM Last Editorial Review: 1/27/2012 Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 1:00 am CST
| | Researchers Spot Potential Bile Duct Cancer Drug Targets
Title: Researchers Spot Potential Bile Duct Cancer Drug Targets Category: Health News Created: 1/26/2012 6:06:00 PM Last Editorial Review: 1/27/2012 Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 1:00 am CST
| | Statins May Stave Off Liver Cancer in People With Hepatitis B
Title: Statins May Stave Off Liver Cancer in People With Hepatitis B Category: Health News Created: 1/26/2012 8:06:00 PM Last Editorial Review: 1/27/2012 Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 1:00 am CST
| | Health Tip: Preparing for a Stress Test
Title: Health Tip: Preparing for a Stress Test Category: Health News Created: 1/27/2012 8:05:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 1/27/2012 Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 1:00 am CST
| | Health Tip: Manage Pain During Childbirth
Title: Health Tip: Manage Pain During Childbirth Category: Health News Created: 1/27/2012 8:05:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 1/27/2012 Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 1:00 am CST
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Briggs - Christopher - Anderson Independent Mail
 Anderson Independent Mail |
Briggs - ChristopherAnderson Independent MailHe is a resident in internal medicine and pediatrics at Greenville Memorial Hospital. A rehearsal dinner was hosted by the groom's parents, Steve and Lynn Briggs at The Club in Birmingham. Several prenuptial parties were hosted by family and friends in ... | Posted Saturday, January 28, 2012 11:14 pm CST
| | Middle-agers dabbling in drugs die sooner - UPI.com
Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 8:43 pm CST
| | UK Teen Eats Chicken Nuggets for 15 Years, Nothing Else - ABC News (blog)
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UK Teen Eats Chicken Nuggets for 15 Years, Nothing ElseABC News (blog)Stacey Irvine, 17, of Castle Vale, Birmingham, loves eating McDonald's Chicken McNuggets. So much so, in fact, that it's been her main-choice meal for the past 15 years, according to a report written by the UK's Daily Mail. Early this week, Irvine was ...and more » | Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 5:13 pm CST
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