Anesthesia Industry News

Jane W. Duke, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, along with Thomas J. Browne, Special-Agent-in-Charge of the Little Rock Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced today the guilty pleas of a Doctor and Two Former Hospital Employees. Each pled to a misdemeanor violation of the health information privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) based on their accessing a patient’s record without any legitimate purpose.

The need for more doctors is so critical that Medical College of Georgia must expand immediately to produce physicians that will remain in GA — assuring both public health and economic opportunity for all citizens.

The American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and FASA agreed to merge.

Aon study finds fewer medical malpractice claims against hospitals and physicians.

Baxter Healthcare Corp. recalled all models of its Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pumps because the pumps can shut down while delivering medication and fluids to patients, the Food and Drug Administration said.

The Center for Justice and Democracy, New York, said 15 of the nation’s biggest malpractice insurers “price–gouged” physicians from 2000 to 2004, increasing net premiums 120% while their net payments for claims rose 5.7% during that period.

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, June 21st examined how malpractice insurance premiums for anesthesiologists have decreased over the past 20 years because they have “focused on improving patient safety” rather than legislation that would “protect them against patient lawsuits.”

Not all medical malpractice policies are the same. Understanding the difference between a “claims–made” policy and an “occurrence” policy may be difficult as there are significant differences in coverage.

CRNA’s not holding a Masters Degree will not be “grandfathered in” after 07/01/2005.