Today, we bring you a varied assortment of links, from one to a bill that may let you ride the rails with your pet to another regarding the latest projections on the nation’s doctor shortage.
- If you like to take your pets along on locum tenens opportunities, you may have a new travel option in the near future. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that could allow Amtrak passengers to ride with their cat or dog in a carrier that fits under their seat. USA Today Travel reports the bill now heads to the Senate and has the support of the Obama administration.
- The nation will be short between 46,000 and 90,000 physicians by 2025, according to a report by the Association of American Medical Colleges. The comprehensive national analysis, which takes into account both demographics and recent changes to care delivery and payment methods, projects shortages in both primary and specialty care, with specialty shortages particularly acute.
- Led by the American Medical Association, 100 state medical societies and specialty organizations are imploring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to enhance contingency plans for the transition to ICD-10. As shared by Medscape, the group issued a list of concerns and is urging CMS to provide more information on how the shift will impact quality reporting.
- The hospital-rating systems used by U.S. News & World Report, Healthgrades, the Leapfrog Group, and Consumer Reports often conflict, which can be confusing for patients. A recent analysis revealed most hospitals ranked as top performers by one system weren’t top-ranked by the other three. In several cases, hospitals named as high performers by one system were considered low performers under another, as reported by FierceHealthcare.
- An infographic from HIT Consultant illustrates seven areas, ranging from genomics and cancer research to diagnostics and wearables, where Google is working toward healthcare innovation.
Have a wonderful weekend!
