Medicare Penalizes 758 Hospitals For Safety Incidents
More than half of the hospitals punished this year were also dinged in 2014. The government has used financial carrots and now sticks to improve the quality of care.
Hospitals
Celebrities' Medical Records Tempt Hospital Workers To Snoop
When well-known performers receive health care, the details of their cases can leak. Electronic medical records make peeking easier — and also make it easier to catch the staffers who looked.
Is It Safe For Medical Residents To Work 30-Hour Shifts?
Young doctors being trained at dozens of hospitals around the country are being asked to work up to 30 hours straight as part of a study. Critics say the study is risky and unethical.
In Syria, Health Care Workers Are The Heroes — And The Targets
Over 300 hospitals and clinics have been hit with bombs and missiles. Nearly 700 medical workers have been killed. Only Syrian President Bashar Assad has the air power to conduct these attacks.
Mendocino Coast Fights To Keep Its Lone Hospital Afloat
Tourists love California's Mendocino coast for its redwoods, surf and charm. But the battle to keep the area's only hospital afloat is pitting hospital administrators and doctors against each other.
In Caring For Sickest Babies, Doctors Now Tap Parents For Tough Calls
Doctors were once unquestioned authorities on how aggressively to treat the sickest and most premature babies. Then parents started pushing back for more say. The responsibility can be excruciating.
Budget Switch For Maryland Hospitals Is Starting To Pay Off
Maryland has flipped financial incentives for hospitals. They get paid a set amount each year and can make money when patients are healthy and don't need hospital care.
Some Hospital Systems Want To Care For You And Sell You Insurance
These plans, which remain a minority in the marketplaces, can help steer consumers to the system's hospitals and doctors, but some also offer competitive prices.
In Maryland, A Change In How Hospitals Are Paid Boosts Public Health
Baltimore Health Commissioner Leana Wen has big dreams for her city, but finding the money to achieve them is a challenge. Putting Maryland hospitals on fixed budgets may be the key.
A Hospital Reduces Repeat ER Visits By Providing Social Workers
Some people return to the emergency room again and again because it's their only source of medical care. A Wisconsin hospital hired social workers to help patients find more appropriate care.