By MIKE DENNISON http://www.missoulian.com HELENA – Retiree Hugh van Swearingen hadn’t seen a doctor in four years, but when he called a Helena clinic a few months ago to make an appointment, he was told, sorry, no room at the inn. “They said they weren’t taking new Medicare patients,â€? says Van Swearingen, who is 70. […]

By Alison Snyder Long Island Business News – New York Business News The medical malpractice insurance crisis not only has Long Island obstetricians anxious, but midwives – who take a more natural approach to childbirth – are also feeling the crunch. In the New York metropolitan area, midwives – who provide prenatal care and assist […]

By Zach Lowe http://www.stamfordadvocate.com STAMFORD – A Stamford jury’s decision to award a record $38.5 million to the parents of a boy born with cerebral palsy has reignited debates over medical malpractice rates, insurance company tactics and the cause of cerebral palsy. Obstetricians statewide were shocked by the verdict against a Harvard-trained obstetrician from Stamford […]

All 119 PQRI Measures Have Been Built Directly Into athenaNet and National Client Base Workflow to Help Maximize Participation and Reimbursement Under Expanded Program athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of internet-based business services to physician practices, today announced that athenaNet(r), athenahealth’s centrally-hosted, on-demand practice management and EMR services network, now incorporates all 119 new […]

http://www.stltoday.co With a shortage of physicians, nurse practitioners can help fill the void. Terry McQuaide, advanced nurse practitioner, Esse Health As an advanced nurse practitioner with offices in Illinois and Missouri, I have a unique perspective. My Illinois patients receive more efficient care for issues such as bronchitis and acute back pain based on that […]

By Paul J. Nyden Staff writer http://sundaygazettemail.com

Federal panel meeting in Anchorage is told relief is still in school By ROSEMARY SHINOHARA Anchorage Daily News http://www.adn.com A shortage of primary care physicians in Alaska will get worse before it gets better because the best solutions — training more Alaskans to be doctors and teaching them within the state — will take years, […]

The governor talked to members of the county chamber of commerce about his new health care plan. By TOM JOYCE Daily Record/Sunday News http://www.ydr.com <do-not-display-image-not-in-use=file;\governing.com conf=”” mtech6e2.jpg”=”” alt=”” align=”left” hspace=”10″ height=”200/”> Gov. Ed Rendell started an appearance Wednesday night in York by outlining what he sees as some of the absurdities of Pennsylvania’s health care […]

athenahealth, Inc., the premier provider of web-based services, knowledge, and software for medical practices, today announced that in 2006 its system caught claims errors that would have resulted in health insurance claim denials totaling close to $100 million for Massachusetts medical providers. This figure is one of a series of new financial milestones athenahealth achieved […]