Here are seven updates from the past week.
Former Kaiser anesthesiologist claims cost-cutting measures jeopardized patient safety; files lawsuit
Erik Franck, MD, a former anesthesiologist with Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, filed a $9 million lawsuit against the health system. The suit claims Dr. Franck complained about the cost-cutting measures and was later fired.
Gunman kills 2 at Parrish Medical Center
Early Sunday, a gunman entered a patient's room at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville, Fla., and killed an elderly female patient and hospital employee. The attack appears to be random and the suspect is being held without bond on two counts of first-degree murder.
UnitedHealth suffers additional $200M losses
UnitedHealth lost an additional $200 million from the Affordable Care Act exchanges in the second quarter of 2016. However, the payer a 28 percent increase in profits, growing by $10.2 billion compared to the second period last year.
Justice Department could file blocking suit against payer mega-mergers
Justice Department antitrust officials are likely to file lawsuits to stop the pending Anthem/Cigna and Aetna/Humana mega-mergers. The Justice Department may file suits as early as this week out of concern the mergers will limit competition in the payer marketplaces, thereby drastically raising prices for consumers.
American College of Physicians names AmSurg's Dr. Robert Musselman a fellow
American College of Physicians named AmSurg Partner Robert F. Musselman, MD, a fellow. Dr. Musselman practices at Rockville, Md.-based Endoscopic Surgical Centre of Maryland—North.
ASGE names Dr. Kenneth McQuaid president
The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy named Kenneth R. McQuaid, MD, president. Dr. McQuaid is chief of medical service and chief of gastroenterology at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. He is also vice-chairman of medicine department and a professor at University of California San Francisco School of Medicine.
Small bowel resection inpatient costs total $28.5k
Boston-based Brigham & Women's Hospital researchers found seven types of emergency general surgeries accounted for 80.2 percent of inpatient costs in the United States. Small bowel resection's inpatient costs totaled $28,450.72, on average.
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UnitedHealth suffers additional $200M losses, but financial outlook strong with $10B revenue increase: 4 takeaways