Prime Healthcare Ordered To Honor Labor Contract At 3 Hospitals
In other hospital news, prices are still hard to figure out. A bitcoin ransom paid by a Hollywood hospital is examined, and Adventist Health eyes operating another hospital in Southern California.
Modern Healthcare:
Prime Healthcare Ordered To Recognize Union Contract
The National Labor Relations Board on Friday ordered Prime Healthcare to honor its contract with 1,100 unionized employees at three of its Southern California hospitals. The NLRB gave Prime 21 days to comply.The hospital chain originally agreed to the contract with the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West on Nov. 10, 2014. (Sandler, 2/19)
Modern Healthcare:
Hospital Prices Are Still Hard To Come By (And Not Very Useful)
Consumers may have the legal right to get price quotes from hospitals, but that does mean it's easy or useful when they do, according to a health policy think tank that used mock consumers to test how accessible the information is in the real world. The mock consumers found it “difficult and frustrating” to get the price of a common and standard imaging procedure. When provided, prices were sometimes inaccurate, the Boston-based Pioneer Institute after its survey of 54 hospitals in six states. (Evans, 2/21)
Los Angeles Times:
$17,000 Bitcoin Ransom Paid By Hospital To Hackers Sparks Outrage
The malware ransom attack on Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center — which prompted the facility to pay a $17,000 ransom in bitcoin to the hacker who seized control of the hospital's computer systems — is part of a larger problem that is generating outrage. The hospital attack has prompted a California state senator to propose making it an extortion crime for a hacker to infect a computer system with so-called ransomware. (Winton, 2/19)
The Sacramento Business Journal:
Adventist Health Could Soon Gain Another Southern California Hospital
Roseville-based Adventist Health could soon operate another hospital in Southern California. A community hospital district southeast of Bakersfield has offered the health system a long-term lease agreement. If voters approve the deal in June, Adventist Health would operate Tehachapi Hospital. (Anderson, 2/21)
In other news: Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center weighs adding a $1.2 million stroke ambulance, the role of technology in treating psychiatric patients in ERs is examined, and a report names two California hospitals with high infection rates --
The Ventura County Star:
Los Robles Checks Out $1.2M Stroke Unit
The $1.2 million stroke ambulance parked in front of a Thousand Oaks hospital on Friday was made to save time and brain cells. It's for sale. Dr. M. Asif Taqi wants it in Ventura County. (Kisken, 2/20)
Modern Healthcare:
Could Technology Be The Answer To The Crisis Facing Psychiatric Patients In EDs?
Over a 2½-year period, Aaron Hernandez was taken to the emergency department at a California hospital eight times on a 72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold. Doctors told the teen's family that inpatient treatment had to be voluntary, and Aaron, legally an adult at 18, would refuse. Anthony Hernandez spoke by cellphone as he drove from the California state psychiatric hospital that now houses his 20-year-old son. In September 2014, Aaron, in a delusional state, stabbed both his parents with a knife and used a baseball bat to beat the family dog to death. He was found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity. (Kutscher, 2/20)
The Sacramento Business Journal:
State Report Names Two Local Hospitals With High Infection Rates
A new report says California hospitals face a rising threat from an intestinal bacterium. (Anderson, 2/19)