Modern Healthcare Names Steve Case Most Powerful Person in Healthcare

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Aug 25,2008

7th annual reader poll ranks the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare

Steve Case, co-founder of America Online and founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Revolution Health Group, was voted the most powerful person in healthcare by readers of Modern Healthcare magazine, the nation’s leading healthcare business publication.

“The future of healthcare is patient empowerment, and the key to that empowerment is access to information,” said David Burda, editor of Modern Healthcare. “Our readers recognized that with their choice of Steve Case as well as other executives on this year’s list.”

Ranked No. 2 and No. 3 on the list are Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO of Google, and Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corp., respectively. Like Revolution Health, both Google and Microsoft are moving heavily into the healthcare information technology market. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, ranked No. 5 on the list. His expected opponent on the Nov. 4 ballot, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), finished No. 9 in the annual reader poll.

Modern Healthcare’s ranking of the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare is based on a reader poll conducted on the magazine’s Web site, Modern Healthcare Online at modernhealthcare.com, from May 26 through June 27. Readers cast nearly 500,000 votes in this year’s poll.

The complete ranking of the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare appears in the Aug. 25 issue of the magazine. Readers also can view the ranking on Modern Healthcare Online at modernhealthcare.com.

For more information on this year’s 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare program, contact Editor David Burda at 312-649-5439 or dburda@crain.com.

Source: Modern Healthcare


Grocery Manufacturers Association Strongly Supports U.S. Food & Drug Administration Decision on the Irradiation of Fresh Produce for Foodborne Pathogen Control

Robert Brackett, chief science officer for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) decision to allow ionizing radiation to be used for controlling food-borne pathogens in fresh iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach:

“This decision by FDA is a very significant step forward in helping to improve the safety of fresh produce. This technology is simply one more tool that industry will have at its disposal to provide consumers with safe food products. However, the adoption of this technology cannot in any way serve as a substitute for industry adherence to good agricultural and sanitary practices that are so essential to maintaining a safe food supply. GMA has been an outspoken advocate for making these good agricultural practices mandatory and today’s announcement in no way alters that position.

“As the original sponsor of the petition to FDA on this matter, we strongly support the agency’s decision. There is overwhelming scientific evidence supporting the safety of food irradiation. In addition to the FDA, the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association all agree that more than 50 years of research demonstrate that, at approved doses, low-dose food irradiation presents no health risk. This technology will provide consumers with the option to purchase fresh produce that has been made even safer while also retaining its original quality and texture.”

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) represents the world’s leading food, beverage and consumer products companies. The association promotes sound public policy, champions initiatives that increase productivity and growth and helps to protect the safety and security of the food supply through scientific excellence. The GMA board of directors is comprised of chief executive officers from the association’s member companies. The $2.1 trillion food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry employs 14 million workers, and contributes over $1 trillion in added value to the nation’s economy. For more information, visit the GMA Web site at www.gmaonline.org.

Source: Grocery Manufacturers Association


Workers at Menifee Valley Medical Center and Hemet Valley Medical Center voted by a near 2-to-1 margin last night to authorize a strike. The vote gives caregivers’ elected bargaining team the ability to call a strike if the board of directors of Valley Health System (VHS) continues to allow its management team, Quorum, to reject workers’ proposals to help the hospitals recover from bankruptcy and protect patient care.

“We’ve lost dozens of experienced caregivers to other hospitals in the past few months alone,” said Margaret Matthews, a registered nurse at Menifee Valley Hospital. “There are less people to train new staff. VHS can’t recover from bankruptcy if the board allows Quorum to sacrifice its most important resource.”

Just weeks ago, the VHS board authorized Quorum to reject an offer from its employees that would have provided $4.3 million in concessions to help the struggling hospital while protecting the health of the community.

Quorum has insisted that it must cut standards for patient care workers in order to make ends meet, yet it has spent $1.47 million on cosmetic improvements like paint and carpet. The VHS board also authorized Quorum to spend around $100,000 on a billboard and advertising campaign.

“A strike is always a last resort,” said Art Bravo, a monitor observer at Hemet Valley Hospital. “But the VHS board isn’t doing what they need to protect healthcare in our community.”

The 150,000-member SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West is the largest, fastest-growing hospital and healthcare union in the western United States and represents every type of healthcare worker, including nurses, professional, technical and service classifications. Our mission is to achieve high-quality healthcare for all.

Source: SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West


ASPS Urges Team Approach to Breast Reconstruction

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Aug 23,2008

Actress Christina Applegate’s public disclosure of her breast cancer, her decision to have a double mastectomy, and plans to go forth with breast reconstruction, calls attention to the need for a medical “team” approach in the treatment and recovery from breast cancer.

“A decision to have breast reconstruction surgery is a decision to have plastic surgery. And that ought to be done by a plastic surgeon. This is what we train for and do everyday. Plastic surgeons have pioneered and refined all of the state-of-the-art techniques in breast reconstruction including implant approaches and autologous tissue (natural) transfers,” said Richard D’Amico, MD, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Christina Applegate

The methods for treating women with breast cancer have evolved and we are seeing scientific advancements in the treatment of this disease. These improvements can be attributed to a strong collaboration between medical specialties, in particular radiologists, pathologists, psychologists, general oncologic surgeons, medical oncologists, and plastic surgeons.

The ASPS says breast cancer patients should insist that their treatment be handled by a “team” of physicians, including plastic surgeons, with the appropriate expertise for each procedure and level of care. This, in turn, gives the breast cancer patient the best chance for positive outcomes.

“ASPS Member Surgeons are carrying out the cutting-edge research for constant outcomes improvement. Our members have the foremost training, education and experience in breast reconstruction, and should be a part of every breast care team,” said Dr. D’Amico.

Patients should not assume that anyone other than a board-certified plastic surgeon affiliated with an accredited facility is qualified to perform breast reconstruction. While technology has made breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and reconstruction better than ever, it does not negate the need for medical expertise within each area.

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 98 percent of elective mastectomy patients would have breast reconstruction again.

“That’s a success and satisfaction rate that should not be compromised,” said Dr. D’Amico.

According to ASPS statistics, more than 57,000 breast reconstruction procedures were performed in 2007.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 6,700 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 90 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons


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