Posted by Andante Higgins http://www.cbsnews.com John McCain visited Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania, today, where doctors and nurses showed him how they’ve used technological advances to deliver a higher quality of care while bringing costs down. McCain heard stories from a cancer survivor and woman whose difficult pregnancy was successfully treated by specialists here. […]

By Patty Pensa http://www.sun-sentinel.com/ Pregnant women in South Florida face fewer choices for medical care as more doctors stop delivering babies and avoid taking on high-risk patients. The result: More patients flock to fewer doctors, who in turn send expectant mothers to even fewer specialists. It means more juggling of appointments, longer waits to see […]

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 Dr. MICHAEL LYNCH http://www.concordmonitor.com I am an emergency physician. I care for about 5,000 patients a year. I have been practicing for 12 years and thus have cared for roughly 60,000 patients. I receive deep satisfaction from my job and the privilege of the “laying on of hands” as the physician-patient relationship is called […]

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