Grady, Fresenius reach deal on dialysis

Grady, Fresenius reach deal on dialysis

Grady Memorial Hospital and Fresenius Medical Care have reached a basic agreement on providing dialysis services for 22 immigrants whose regular treatment ended last week. Details of the deal were still being worked out, a Grady spokesman said late Wednesday afternoon. A Fresenius spokeswoman confirmed in an email that an agreement had been struck. The…

Georgia takes lead in long-distance medical care

Georgia takes lead in long-distance medical care

The nurse’s offices at two elementary schools in South Georgia are on the cutting edge of innovation when it comes to delivering health care in rural areas of America. This fall, the students, faculty and staff returning to school in the small town of Nashville in Berrien County  have access to a full range of pediatric,…

Grady pick’s current hospital under fire

Grady pick’s current hospital under fire

The new CEO of Grady Memorial Hospital is coming from a Dallas facility that recently has been under intense federal scrutiny for patient safety problems. A federal agency, after an inspection in July, found conditions at Parkland Memorial Hospital that were an “immediate and serious threat’’ to patient health and safety. The Centers for Medicare…

Commentary: Making case for new hospital

Commentary: Making case for new hospital

The building of a new cancer treatment hospital in Newnan has generated talk of new jobs in a time of economic uncertainty. A controversial 2008 bill in the Georgia General Assembly created a loophole in the state’s certificate-of-need law, paving the way for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America’s new facility in Newnan. The legislation…

‘Overwhelming’ number of patients flock to free dental clinic

Woodstock — Mark Hudgins arrived at 5 a.m. Saturday and in ‘’a lot of pain.’’ Hudgins, 53, a construction worker from Canton, has been unemployed for several years, and has no insurance. The pain had been going on for a long time, he said, and then pointed to one of his upper teeth. He was among…

Dialysis deal for immigrants nears end

Dialysis deal for immigrants nears end

The agreement providing dialysis for immigrants who were former Grady patients expires at the end of August, and it’s unclear what will happen next. A year ago, Massachusetts-based Fresenius Medical Care agreed to treat 25 of the 38 end-stage renal disease patients – most of whom are illegal immigrants – at Grady’s expense, and treat…

New Commentary on hospice care, costs

New Commentary on hospice care, costs

J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, responds to Georgia Health News’ article about hospice  in a new GHN Commentary piece. Schumacher says that while Medicare spending on hospice is rising, the dollars are well spent.  Every time a Medicare beneficiary uses hospice, the program saves about $2,300,…

Bob Hauert and patient at hospice

Hospice problems raise concerns on oversight

Care not properly coordinated. Failure to assess quality of care and improve it. Not properly evaluating and supervising health aides’ work. Those are among the most frequent complaints cited by state regulators against hospice operators in Georgia. In one case last year, a Fayetteville hospice organization faced having its permit revoked after Georgia regulators flagged the…

Cancer Treatment Centers names local CEO

Cancer Treatment Centers names local CEO

Cancer Treatment Centers of America has named Kane Dawson as the new president and CEO of its hospital in Newnan, which is expected to open in September 2012. Dawson, 39, has been with the company since 2002, most recently serving as the chief operating officer at CTCA’s facility in Philadelphia. The Newnan facility will be…

The wisdom, longevity of a legendary doctor

With the death of a Brazilian woman last week, Besse Cooper of Monroe became the world’s oldest person, at 114 years old. Cooper’s new ranking prompted some connecting of dots on another supercentenarian — who also lives in the Peach State. Residing about 25 miles from Cooper’s nursing home is the ninth-oldest person in the world. That’s…