In the News

Doctors describe pressures driving them from independent practice - According to amednews.com, November 19, 2012, Some physicians, facing daunting business costs, decide the price of autonomy isn’t worth it. Only about one in three is expected to hold a practice ownership stake in 2013. Consultants say there will continue to be a place for small, independent practices, but it might be like small businesses in other industries, where large players have taken the majority of the market. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Patients form center of med school training - According to Greenville Online, November 25, 2012, It’s part of a new model of medical education called competency-based training that’s aimed at producing doctors who give STEEEP — or safe, timely, efficient, effective, equitable and patient-centered — care, Dr. Carol Aschenbrener, chief medical education officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges, told GreenvilleOnline.com. In traditional medical education, George, a first-year med student at the school, typically wouldn’t get any time with a patient until his third year. This early simulation is designed to help medical students apply what they are learning as they’re learning it.



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Revised Medicare Penalties Hit Some States Hard - According to Kaiser Health News, on October 22nd, Medicare revised its penalties from the new Readmissions Reduction Program at the end of September after discovering it had made small errors in its calculations affecting more than 1,400 hospitals. A total of 2,217 hospitals, or 71 percent of those eligible, are receiving penalties for having too many patients with heart attacks, heart failure or pneumonia return within 30 days. Only hospitals with at least 25 heart failure, heart attack or pneumonia cases for Medicare to evaluate were eligible.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

Revised Medicare Penalties Hit Some States Hard - According to Kaiser Health News, on October 22nd, Medicare revised its penalties from the new Readmissions Reduction Program at the end of September after discovering it had made small errors in its calculations affecting more than 1,400 hospitals. A total of 2,217 hospitals, or 71 percent of those eligible, are receiving penalties for having too many patients with heart attacks, heart failure or pneumonia return within 30 days. Only hospitals with at least 25 heart failure, heart attack or pneumonia cases for Medicare to evaluate were eligible.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Home Health Aides: In Demand, Yet Paid Little - According to NPR, on October 16th, the home care workforce — some 2.5 million strong — is one of the nation's fastest growing yet also worst paid. Right now, many home health aides get no training at all. There's little path to advancement. And with a median wage less than $10 an hour, it's hard to call this a career. Advocates say one big problem is a decades-old law that exempts home care workers from federal minimum wage and overtime.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Health care students seek edge in new charter school - According to The TandD, on October 13th, Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five’s new charter school is giving 68 local ninth and tenth graders a chance to prepare for careers in the health care field. The mission of the High School for Health Professions(HSHP)is to give students a competitive edge throughout high school and college and their professional careers, Principal Angel Hightower reported at Tuesday night’s OCSD 5 board meeting. Hightower also reported that HSHP students will be able to take dual course credits at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and Claflin University.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

Home Health Aides: In Demand, Yet Paid Little - According to NPR, on October 16th, the home care workforce — some 2.5 million strong — is one of the nation's fastest growing yet also worst paid. Right now, many home health aides get no training at all. There's little path to advancement. And with a median wage less than $10 an hour, it's hard to call this a career. Advocates say one big problem is a decades-old law that exempts home care workers from federal minimum wage and overtime.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Health care students seek edge in new charter school - According to The TandD, on October 13th, Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five’s new charter school is giving 68 local ninth and tenth graders a chance to prepare for careers in the health care field. The mission of the High School for Health Professions(HSHP)is to give students a competitive edge throughout high school and college and their professional careers, Principal Angel Hightower reported at Tuesday night’s OCSD 5 board meeting. Hightower also reported that HSHP students will be able to take dual course credits at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and Claflin University.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



SC legislator calls for routine dental office inspections - According to DrBicuspid.com, October 15th, 2012 South Carolina lawmakers say the state should consider routine inspections of dental offices. Some 15 states conduct regular inspections of dental offices; South Carolina currently only does routine inspections of barbershops and hair salons. The VA notified 535 veterans that they may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV by Dwight Pemberton, DDS, the dentist who allegedly failed to properly sterilize dental instruments between patients between 1992 and 2010.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

Health care students seek edge in new charter school - According to The TandD, on October 13th, Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five’s new charter school is giving 68 local ninth and tenth graders a chance to prepare for careers in the health care field. The mission of the High School for Health Professions(HSHP)is to give students a competitive edge throughout high school and college and their professional careers, Principal Angel Hightower reported at Tuesday night’s OCSD 5 board meeting. Hightower also reported that HSHP students will be able to take dual course credits at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and Claflin University.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



SC legislator calls for routine dental office inspections - According to DrBicuspid.com, October 15th, 2012 South Carolina lawmakers say the state should consider routine inspections of dental offices. Some 15 states conduct regular inspections of dental offices; South Carolina currently only does routine inspections of barbershops and hair salons. The VA notified 535 veterans that they may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV by Dwight Pemberton, DDS, the dentist who allegedly failed to properly sterilize dental instruments between patients between 1992 and 2010.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Nearly half of physicians struggle with burnout - According to American Medical News, September 3rd, 2012 the many rigors and stresses of medical practice mean that physicians experience burnout at higher rates than the general population. They work an average of 10 hours more per week and are nearly twice as likely to be dissatisfied with their work-life balance, according to an Archives of Internal Medicine study published online Aug. 20. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

News from September 25th through October 15th

In the News

SC legislator calls for routine dental office inspections - According to DrBicuspid.com, October 15th, 2012 South Carolina lawmakers say the state should consider routine inspections of dental offices. Some 15 states conduct regular inspections of dental offices; South Carolina currently only does routine inspections of barbershops and hair salons. The VA notified 535 veterans that they may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV by Dwight Pemberton, DDS, the dentist who allegedly failed to properly sterilize dental instruments between patients between 1992 and 2010.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Nearly half of physicians struggle with burnout - According to American Medical News, September 3rd, 2012 the many rigors and stresses of medical practice mean that physicians experience burnout at higher rates than the general population. They work an average of 10 hours more per week and are nearly twice as likely to be dissatisfied with their work-life balance, according to an Archives of Internal Medicine study published online Aug. 20. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Luring Students Into Family Medicine - According to The New York Times, September 9th, 2012, Most students going into medicine imagine that they will have daily contact with their patients; but the reality is that only a minority will end up as primary care physicians, causing what some experts say could be a critical shortage in the United States, where there are long waits in both doctors’ offices and emergency rooms. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

News from September 7th through the 25th 2012

In the News

Nearly half of physicians struggle with burnout - According to American Medical News, September 3rd, 2012 the many rigors and stresses of medical practice mean that physicians experience burnout at higher rates than the general population. They work an average of 10 hours more per week and are nearly twice as likely to be dissatisfied with their work-life balance, according to an Archives of Internal Medicine study published online Aug. 20. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Luring Students Into Family Medicine - According to The New York Times, September 9th, 2012, Most students going into medicine imagine that they will have daily contact with their patients; but the reality is that only a minority will end up as primary care physicians, causing what some experts say could be a critical shortage in the United States, where there are long waits in both doctors’ offices and emergency rooms. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE



Nurse practitioners an underused resource - According to Star-Telegram, September 13th, 2012 nurses are crucial to the future of healthcare in our state. Texas ranks 47th of 50 states in supply of primary care physicians, and 185 of the state's 254 counties are designated as medically underserved. Texas does not have enough first-year residency slots to train Texas medical school graduates. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

News for August 27th through September 10th

In the News

Retail clinics fill gap left by primary care doctors - Retail clinics appear to be finding their place in the health care ecosystem. Health Affairs, a health policy journal, recently released a study on the growth of retail health clinics. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

Sharp increase expected in number of nurse practitioners - The nurse practitioner population will nearly double by 2025, according to an analysis published in the July Medical Care, the official journal of the medical care section of the American Public Health Assn. "Nurse practitioners really are becoming a growing presence, particularly in primary care," said David I. Auerbach, PhD, the author and a health economist at RAND Corp.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

Replenishing the Primary Care Physician Pipeline - A recent survey of nearly 1,000 students from three medical schools found that just 15% planned to become primary-care physicians, including 12% of first-year students. However,the study reinforces the importance of admitting student with primary-care-oriented values and the primary-care interest and reinforcing those values over the course of medical school," the authors conclude. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

News for August 1 to August 8, 2012

In the News

Pediatric specialty shortages cause long waits for care - According to amednews.com, (07August2012), "For primary care physicians, the shortages create difficulties in trying to refer young patients for specialty care. Sixty-four percent of surveyed hospitals said physician shortages have caused them to lose patient referrals, and 78% said they have delayed or lost clinic visits." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Aging baby boomers face home health care challenge - According to the Associated Press, Cleveland, (06August2012), "The U.S. Labor Department projects that home health and personal care aides will be among the fastest-growing jobs over the next decade, adding 1.3 million positions and increasing at a rate higher than any other occupation." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Study Examines Hospitalist Growth and Possible Workforce Implications - According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, (06August2012) "In a study on hospitalists growth, "the greatest number specialize in general internal medicine and are under the age of 45. Hospitalists in this age group are also 1.5 times more likely to be male. The authors suggest that hospitalists contribute to increased patient satisfaction, but additional coordination may be needed to ensure continuity of care between the hospital and a patient’s primary care physician."TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

In the News July 20 to July 26, 2012

In the News

New-GHS-med-school-help-fill-doctor-shortage - According to Greenville Online, (26July2012), "Though the physician workforce has more than doubled from about 3,100 in 1980 to 8,615 in 2009, according to the state’s Office for Healthcare Workforce, nearly every county is designated as a shortage area for primary care physicians." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Building the Best Physician Team - According to Health Leaders Media, (24July2012), "Hospitals are expanding their physician teams and revamping their leadership structures, establishing specialized committees to oversee various jobs and undertake new missions. The the Carolinas HealthCare System is following this philosophy." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. For male nurses, stigma no barrier - According to Highlands Today, (22July2012), "The percentage of men in nursing has doubled over the past 25 years, yet men currently comprise only 6 percent of nurses." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for July 15 to July 21 2012

In the News

Nurse Practitioner Workforce Expected to Nearly Double - According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, (18July2012), "The number of trained nurse practitioners (NP) in the United States is expected to increase by 94 percent from 2008 to 2025, according to a study published in the July issue of Medical Care. Those providing care as NPs will rise 130 percent, from 86,000 in 2008 to 198,000 in 2025." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. More Medical Schools Boost Primary Care Doctors Through Small-Town Campuses - According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, (July2012), "At a time when the AAMC projects a shortage of 90,000 physicians by 2020, the leadership at a number of medical schools hopes rural or small-town regional campuses programs will recruit students with an interest in primary care, who will put down roots where they train and practice there after they complete residency." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Demand for APRNs Set to Spike - According to Health Leaders Media, (16July2011), "The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' occupational outlook handbook estimates that by 2020 there will be a demand for 712,000 additional RN jobs. From 2010 through 2020 the demand for RNs is projected to grow by 26%, well above the 14% average growth rate for all occupations." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for June 27 to July 3, 2012

In the News

The Gap Between Skilled Healthcare Workers and Support Jobs - According to Health Learder's Media, (02July2012), "The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine data series for June reports 615,800 online job ads seeking skilled healthcare workers, led primarily by the demand for registered nurses and physical therapists. The number of online job ads for this skill set grew by more than 28,000 in June, and the average hourly wage for those jobs was $34.97." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Sharp increase expected in number of nurse practitioners - According to amednews.com, (02July2012), "The nurse practitioner population will nearly double by 2025, according to an analysis published in the July Medical Care, the official journal of the medical care section of the American Public Health Assn." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. TTC breaks ground on nursing and science building - According to the Charleston Regional Business Journal, (27June2012), "Trident Technical College broke ground Monday on a $30 million nursing and science building on the college’s main campus. The building will house TTC’s three nursing programs and provide classroom and lab space for science classes." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for June 7 to June 14 2012

In the News

Study of 'Cream-of-the-Crop' Physicians Finds Males Paid $12,000 More a Year than Female Counterparts - According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, (12June2012), "In a study conducted by a Robert Wood Johnson scholar on physicians who in 2000-2003 received prestigious, early-career research grants from the National Institutes of Health where then surveyed in 2009 and 2010 and found that males in the sample were still paid $12,000 more a year than females." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. VA Announces Aggressive National Recruitment Effort to Hire Mental Health Professionals - According to the US department of Veteran Affairs, (11June2012), "The Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki recently announced the department would add approximately 1,600 mental health clinicians as well as nearly 300 support staff to its existing workforce to help meet the increased demand for mental health services. VHA anticipates the majority of hires will be selected within approximately six months and the most “hard-to-fill” positions filled by the end of the second quarter of FY 2013. VA has an existing workforce of 20,590 mental health staff that includes nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. FMU receives $75K from McLeod Health for Nursing Program - According to WBMF news, (07June2012), "McLeod Health has once again partnered with Francis Marion University to support the university's nursing program and presented a $75,000 gift to FMU." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for May 14 to May 22 2012

In the News

Medical School, Teaching Hospital Leaders Emphasize Collaboration, Transformation at AAMC Spring Meetings - According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, (May2012), "Leaders of America’s medical schools and teaching hospitals gathered to explore the landscape of a changing health care system focused on improving quality, lowering costs, and educating future physicians to work alongside colleagues in other health disciplines." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Local Colleges Say Nurse Training Programs Are Full, New Nursing School May Open - According to CBS 7 WSPA, (22May2012), "Anderson University received approval today from the South Carolina Board of Nursing to begin a nursing school. There's never an empty seat at the nursing school, and sometimes qualified applicants have to wait to get in to the program. The American Nurses Association estimates from 2008 to 2018, nursing will grow by nearly 600,000 jobs. The demand for nurses is on the rise because of the aging population." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Med School Enrollment Increasing, Schools Adapting to Address Physician Shortage - According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, (16May2012), "First-year medical school enrollment is expected to reach 21,376 by 2016, an increase of 29.6 percent since 2002. Combined first-year MD and DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) enrollment—which has already increased by 28 percent since 2002—is projected to reach 26,709, an increase of 37 percent, by 2016." TO READ MORE,CLICK HERE.

News for May 3rd - 10th 2012

In the News

HGTC: Spreading Smiles - According to Myrtle Beach Online, (09May2012), "Horry-Georgetown Technical College will opening the Robert E. Speir Healthcare Education Center next month. The opening of the $7.4 million health care building, scheduled for June 1, will usher in new opportunities not only for dental students, but also for low-income residents in need, including children, senior citizens and veterans." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Half of U.S. Counties Have No Ob-Gyn - According to US News and World Report (08May2012), "More than 9.5 million Americans live in areas without obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns); this scarcity is more prevalent in rural pockets of the country, and particularly in the Midwest and South. This situation may worsen as medical school graduates gravitate toward metropolitan areas, a new study indicates." TO READ MORE,CLICK HERE. Women entering med school declining since peak enrollment in 2003 - According to American Medical Association (May2012), The Association of American Medical Colleges found the number and proportion of female applicants to U.S. medical schools has decreased from a high of 50.8% in 2003 to 47.3% in 2011. TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for April 30 - May 3 2012

In the News

Health care law helps community health centers build, renovate facilities, serve more patients - According to US Department of Health and Human Services, (01May2012), "Grants from the Affordable Care Act will help build and expand health centers, create jobs, and expand access to an additional 860,000 patients." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Fed push: Recruit, retain rural doctors - According to Timesreporter.com, (01May2012), "A major concern among federal officials is recruiting and retaining primary-care physicians in rural areas." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for April 18 - April 25 2012

In the News

Pharmacists included in loan repayment program - According to the American Pharmacy Assoication, (24April2012), "Pharmacists are now included in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP), which gives grants to states to operate their own loan repayment programs for primary care providers in medically underserved areas." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Four-Year Degree Becoming A Must for Nursing Candidates- According to the Ledger.com, (22April2012), "Employers and nursing schools are working to meet a recommendation by the Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, that 80 percent of registered nurses have bachelor's degrees by 2020." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Nursing School Enrollment Up; Faculty and Facility Constraints Persist - According to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, (19April2012), "Nursing schools were forced to turn away more than 75,000 qualified applications, primarily because they lacked the teaching faculty and facilities." TO READ MORE,CLICK HERE.

News for April 10th -17th 2012

In the News

Health Care Jobs Will Grow Twice as Fast as General Economy, Study Says - According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, (17April2012), "By 2020, nearly one in nine jobs in the United States will be in the health care sector, according to new research from the Center for Health Workforce Studies. The largest job growth is expected among RNs, home health aides, and personal care aides." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. US Department of Labor launches Virtual Career Network to highlight job opportunities and training in health care - According to the US Department of Labor news release, (16April2012), "The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a new online tool that will allow current and prospective health care workers to explore more than 80 different occupations, identify local education and training programs, and tap into current job listings." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Healthcare Jobs Activity Surging on Social Media - According to Health Leaders Media, (13April2012), "A recent survey, finds that people employed in healthcare have increased their use of social media to look for jobs, apply for new positions and network with colleagues." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for April 3rd -11th 2012

In the News

Bamberg hospital to close April 30 - According to the Times and Democrat, (10April2012), "Bamberg Hospital will be closing, plans are on tap for an urgent care clinic, along with other services, to be operated by Barnwell County Hospital at the current Bamberg County Hospital located in Bamberg." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Doctors turning to assistants for primary care - According to the ctpost.com (10Arpil2012), "As the physician shortage worsens, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are increasingly asked to step in." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Health Care Hiring Boom Projected To Continue, Regardless Of Law - According to Kaiser Health News, (06April2012), "Health-care employment will continue to grow much faster than employment generally, with the number of jobs in home care and other ambulatory settings projected to jump more than 40 percent by 2020." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for March 29 to April 3 2012

In the News

Strong Demand - Technology is playing an increasing role in nursing practice and education - According to Advance for Nurses, (02April2012), "The market for nurses with BSNs and those advancing their education are strong. Highly educated and diverse nurses with BSN, master's and doctorate nursing degrees with skill beyond traditional functional discipline prove to be in demand." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. Student loan repayment program unlocks doors for FNP - According Nurse.com, (02April2012), "The National Health Service Corps. is offering fully trained family nurse practitioners and other primary care health professionals an initial, tax-free loan repayment award of up to $60,000 in exchange for two years of working in communities with a shortage of primary healthcare professionals." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. SC Jobless Rate Falls For Seventh Straight Month - According the Street, (30March2012), "Some of the biggest gains came in Health care and social assistance jobs that went up by 3,200." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.

News for March 20 to March 29 2012

In the News

USC medical school student could work in Florence - According the State, (28March2012), "Officials from Francis Marion University, McLeod Regional Medical Center and the Carolinas Hospital System are pondering a plan that would bring third- and fourth-year medical students from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine to study in Florence beginning in 2014." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE. ‘Medical home’ care takes off - According the State, (25March2012), "BlueCross is planning a medical home project in the Midlands that will involve eight of Palmetto Health’s physician practices. An estimated 3,000 patients at those practices with diabetes, congestive heart failure and/or high blood pressure will get the special attention referred to as a patient-centered medical home." TO READ MORE,CLICK HERE. FMU helps healthcare shortage, offers new nursing programs - According to WMBF News, (21March2012), "Francis Marion University plans to offer new science degrees in nursing and pharmaceutical studies to bring more practitioners to the rural areas of the Pee Dee." TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE.