Too many tests? Routine medical checks getting a second look, 2-7-12, The News and Observer/Associated Press
AP writer Lauran Neergaard reports on concerns that routine medical tests are overused.
Doctors may not tell you the truth about medical errors, 2-8-12, Los Angeles Times/Standard.net
LA Times writer Karen Kaplan examines the findings of a nationwide survey of 1,800 physicians conducted by the Morgan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. (This story also appeared in the 2-9-12 edition of The News and Observer.)
AMA presses Sebelius to halt ICD-10, 2-3-12, Modern Healthcare
Writer Joseph Conn reports that the AMA is again trying to get federal officials to halt federally mandated 2013 rollout of the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) procedural and diagnostic codes.
Standards Group Delays Push for Next Generation of HIPAA 5010, 2-8-12, iHealthBeat
A report on an announcement by the American Standards Institute’s Accredited Standards Committee X12 that it will hold off recommending the adoption of the next generation of HIPAA transaction sets, call HIPAA 6020.
Patients look for mix of short wait times and long doctor visits, 2-6-12, PhysBizTech.com
Editor Frank Irving examines the “Annual Report Card on Patient Satisfaction,” done by research firm DrScore.
States Under Pressure as Health Law Deadlines Approach, 2-1-12, Kaiser Health News
Writer Marilyn Werber Serafini examines where states are in complying with federal health law changes that take effect in 2014, with some deadlines occurring in 2012. (This article appeared in The News and Observer on 2-5-12.)
North Carolina’s $2.6B health plan with Blue Cross up for bid, 2-2-12, Triangle Business Journal
Staff Writer Jason deBruyn reports that the state is seeking bids from major insurance carriers for the state health plan contract.
Bill Would Help Doctors Practice Telehealth Across State Lines, 2-3-12, iHealthBeat
A report about Senator Tom Udall’s (D-Utah) plan to introduce legislation that would streamline licensure portability for physicians to make it easier to practice telemedicine in multiple states.
Veterans give even more; 1 million sought for DNA data, 2-8-12, The News and Observer
Staff Writer Jay Price looks at the Veterans Administration genetic collection research program.
