By Keith M. Phaneuf, Journal Inquirer http://www.journalinquirer.com HARTFORD – The 2007 General Assembly session opened Wednesday with its usual flurry of activity, with more than 200 new bills referred to various committees. Not surprisingly, included among them were dozens of health insurance-related measures. Legislative leaders and rank-and-file lawmakers spent much of the past fall campaigning […]

By David Phelps, Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com Worried about the rising number of CT scans, MRIs and other high-tech imaging procedures showing up on medical bills, Minnesota’s largest insurers now want doctors to get permission from a third-party evaluator before ordering such procedures for their patients. As medical imaging centers and expensive machines proliferate, insurers say […]

BUSINESS WIRE A.M. Best Co. (AM Best) upgraded Medical Protective’s financial strength rating to “A++”? (its highest) last week, citing Medical Protective’s “leading market presence in the primary medical professional liability market, distribution capabilities, aggressive claims philosophy and comparatively strong operating performance”? along with “support provided by [its] ultimate parent Berkshire Hathaway.”? “We are proud […]

Business Wire AmSurg Corp. (NASDAQ: AMSG) today announced that it will participate in the 25th Annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 9, 2007 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, California. In connection with the conference, there will be an on-line simulcast and a replay of the Company’s presentation available at the […]

http://www.asu.edu Despite recent gains in the number of physicians practicing in Arizona , the state is likely to face a persistent physician shortage for years to come, particularly in rural areas. A report completed recently by ASU’s Center for Health & Information Research (CHIR) found the physician-to-population ratio improving, but it also shows that an […]

Healthvision to Interoperate with CCHIT Certified Misys EMR application http://home.businesswire.com Healthvision, a leading healthcare information technology (HIT) solutions provider, today announced a sixth application partner with their e-Health Interoperability Exchange Partnership Program, with the addition of the Misys EMR product. Healthvision’s e-Health Interoperability Exchange Partnership program certifies that partner health IT applications, including EHR, EMR […]

http://home.businesswire.com SRS Software universally deployable for 70 physicians in 18 specialties Celebrating its 60th year serving the population of central Connecticut, Grove Hill Medical Center, P.C., is bringing the benefits of award-winning SRS Chart Managerâ„¢ to its doctors, staff and patients. As one of the largest independent multi-specialty health care organizations in New England, Grove […]

http://www.joplinindependent.com Do you have an outstanding, caring physician in your community that deserves the title “Missouri Family Physician of the Year?” The Missouri Academy of Family Physicians is now seeking nominations for for the award to be presented June 9, 2007, during MAFP’s annual banquet meeting in Lake Ozark. Nominations may be made by the […]

DAVE PARKS News staff writer http://www.al.com Dr. Drake Lavender wears many stethoscopes as a family physician practicing medicine in rural Alabama. He sees 15 to 20 patients a day at the Pickens County Family Practice Center in Gordo, then heads over to the Pickens County Medical Center in Carrollton, where he makes rounds, helps staff […]