Bradford Hospital Opens Beds To Online Addicts

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting McKean County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Think of it as “digital detox.”

Bradford Regional Medical Center on Monday opened a four-bed program to treat those suffering from Internet addiction.  It is believed to be the first such hospital-based facility in the country, although private and out-patient programs were around before “friend” became a verb.

“I think this is a fairly new field, and certainly there is nothing to compare it to at this point,” said Kimberly Young, the psychologist who created the cognitive behavioral therapy program at the McKean County facility, about 3 1/2 hours northeast of Pittsburgh.

“There is a learning curve for all of us.”

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/health/hospital-opens-beds-to-online-addicts-702709/#ixzz2eXdNt1zs

Children’s Hospital Of Philadelphia Gets $50 Million Gift For Advanced Care Center

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will announce on Tuesday its biggest gift ever: $50 million toward the $425 million cost of an outpatient center rising on the institution’s University City campus.

The Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care, named for a family that owns a Fort Washington financial-services firm, will become the hub for complex outpatient care in the hospital’s network in Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The donation is part of a $100 million capital campaign to help pay for the facility, expected to open in 2015. Remaining costs will be paid through additional philanthropy and money from operations.

Spearheading the family’s gift was Reid Buerger, who said his view of Children’s, frequently ranked among the best of its kind nationally, took on deeper significance when he was looking forward to fatherhood several years ago.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20130625_Children_s_Hospital_gets__50_million_gift_for_center.html#d5XYbYJiCEFCdIaI.99

Reading Health System Lays Off 210 Employees

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The parent company of Reading Hospital, Reading Health System, laid off 210 employees today as part of a cost-cutting plan that also will eliminate an additional 181 jobs through attrition and change the employee retirement package from a defined-benefit pension to a 401(k) plan.

Hospital officials said the cuts are in response to changes in the national health care system, including cuts in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals.

Also, fewer patients are getting elective surgeries because the patients themselves have been laid off or experienced reductions in their medical benefits, said Therese Sucher, chief operating officer.

The cuts are in part due to the 2010 Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, which required hospitals to implement electronic health records so all patients and physicians have immediate access to patient information.

Read more:   http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=470221

Wait Time Clocks In The ER? Does That Sound A Little Too Much Like Ordering A Pizza?

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Some local hospital Emergency Rooms already have them.  Some others are considering adding them like Pottstown Memorial Medical Center and Phoenixville Hospital.

I don’t know about you but is this making medical care too much like ordering a pizza or being on hold with your credit card company?  Will patients get discounts and prizes for prompt treatment?  Will employees be rewarded for providing prompt treatment?

Some things take as long as they take.  Do we want medical treatment on the same level as an express lunch guarantee at Bennigan’s?  I am somewhat skeptical of this concept.  Will we be installing deli ticket machines so patients can take a number as well?  Maybe we can put up a digital display like at Redner’s so everyone can see what patient we are on.

Triage takes care of making sure the neediest patients get care first.  Turning the ER into a deli atmosphere does not seem like a step forward IMHO.