Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mass. General To Take On Children's Hospital In Ad Campaign
MGH opened MassGeneral Hospital for Children in 1999, after Children鈥檚 refused to join it in the Partners HealthCare System. At that time, MGH threw $200,000 into ads designed to lure patients from Children鈥檚, which provides continuing care for adults in only a few categories, such as congenital heart disease, cerebral palsy and sports medicine. Children鈥檚 is by far the largest pediatric hospital in eastern Massachusetts. It has 41 percent of the market share for inpatient pediatric care, compared with Partners鈥 13 percent, according to a 2012 bond filing by Children鈥檚. (Bailey, 8/31)
More insured patients chose to be hospitalized at Jackson Health System over the summer than administrators had expected, a small development that may portend big changes for Miami-Dade鈥檚 taxpayer-supported hospital network. Jackson, which has begun a 10-year building plan and public relations campaign to upgrade facilities and shed the hospital system鈥檚 image as the healthcare provider of last resort, on Monday reported growing revenues from patients with commercial insurance, Medicaid managed care and other forms of coverage. (Chang, 8/31)
For thousands of employees at hospitals in or near the papal security zone, Pope Francis' visit next month will mean a three-day sleepover at the office. Some bosses are even trying to make it fun. People will be working so hard that they may be tired enough to actually sleep on the cots and air mattresses hospitals will scatter about their campuses. Their supervisors swear medical workers are used to spartan conditions after years of storm and disaster duty. (Burling and Cook, 8/31)
A former emergency room nurse at Lawrence Memorial Hospital has filed a federal 鈥渨histleblower鈥 lawsuit alleging that the hospital falsified patient records to obtain higher Medicare and Medicaid payments. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., on behalf of Megen Duffy alleges that top hospital officials knew about the fraud, which began in 2007, and threatened to fire employees who objected. (McLean, 8/31)
