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Partners HealthCare, as it steps up efforts to commercialize research done at its labs and hospitals, is offering up to $1 million in grants for employees who come up with promising ideas for new drugs, devices and other inventions that have the potential to improve patient care. The grants, up to $100,000 each, are open not just to researchers, but to anyone in Partners’ workforce of 64,000 who has a good idea. The small sum is intended to help early-stage ideas get off the ground. (Dayal McCluskey, 1/28)

Employee health is one of the biggest investments employers and their employees make all year. Some major businesses are now calling for more accountability for workplace wellness among employers. Employee health scorecards feel like a natural progression of HR metrics for measuring employee benefits and wellness initiatives. If used properly, they could allow HR professionals to benchmark their benefits plans and employee health with competitors in their industries. (Straz, 1/28)