Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Very applicable article for Arizona's Nurse Shortage and the Economy!

Economy may be tanking, but hospitals still hiring nurses

Amy C. Rippel Special to the Sentinel
November 22, 2008

When Mary Clark decided to relocate from Arkansas to Central Florida, she wasn't worried about the move. It was finding the perfect nursing job that was a concern.With about 13 years of experience as a registered nurse, Clark has had her share of good job-search experiences and bad ones. She applied at four hospitals in Lake County. But when the recruiters at Leesburg Regional Medical Center went all-out during the application process, Clark said she knew it was a perfect fit.During a time when companies are downsizing and cutting costs, some local hospitals are hiring nurses by the dozens.The Villages Regional Hospital and Leesburg Regional, together called Central Florida Health Alliance, recently hired 64 nurses during a two-month span. Florida Hospital Waterman in Tavares has hired about 130 nurses since January.

To read the rest of this article, click here:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-lnursing2208nov22,0,280756.story

Happy Thanksgiving and Stories Wanted!

Hello Arizona Case Managers! I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving this week! 2008 has certainly flown by and soon we will be entering a brand new year!

Speaking of Thanksgiving and knowing we are all in the health care field in some fashion, I thought it would be interesting to share some of the interesting, heart warming stories that we would all like to hear around this time of year. Case Managers seem to have some good ones, whether recent or not, we would like to hear about them and share them on this blog. So whether it was a particular situation working with a patient or family member or even a fellow provider or practitioner, please share your stories. Feel free to email them to me at sathornley@gmail.com or just post them as a comment to this post and I will republish the best ones!

Thanks so much and I hope everyone has a safe and happy Holiday!

-Steve

Monday, November 10, 2008

Article: New U.S. Rule Pares Outpatient Medicaid Services

New U.S. Rule Pares Outpatient Medicaid Services

By ROBERT PEAR
Published: November 7, 2008

WASHINGTON — In the first of an expected avalanche of post-election regulations, the Bush administration on Friday narrowed the scope of services that can be provided to poor people under Medicaid’s outpatient hospital benefit.

TO VIEW THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE CLICK HERE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/washington/08regs.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

Friday, November 7, 2008

Article: Health Insurers Prime for New Business With Democratic Rule

Health Insurers Prime for New Business With Democratic Rule

Health insurers are priming themselves to gain new business from policy changes likely to be approved with Democrats in control of Washington.

Democrats are expected to expand federal programs that cover low-income children and adults, groups that insurers are increasingly contracted to administer via private Medicaid plans. More funding for those programs could offset further cuts of government reimbursement made to private Medicare plans, for which the industry has been bracing. Other moves to reduce the number of uninsured also could boost the individual insurance market, which insurers also have been expanding into.

TO VIEW THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE, CLICK HERE:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593755004203961.html?mod=dist_smartbrief