The continual combat over the state’s health facility licensure program has claimed another casualty. This time, it involves a board member of the state’s biggest hospital organization. Jim Davis, CEO of University Health Care System in Augusta, has resigned his post as chairman-elect and board member of the Georgia Hospital Association. Davis cited the conflict…
Georgia’s largest medical malpractice insurer aims to convert from a “mutual’’ company to a stock company, according to filings with the state insurance department. Atlanta-based MAG Mutual is a leading carrier in the Southeast for physician coverage, and has about half of the medical malpractice insurance market in Georgia. Mutual companies are owned by policyholders….
Last week, Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed Senate Bill 125, which would have authorized physicians in Georgia to delegate to physician assistants the authority to prescribe hydrocodone compound products. Deal cited the opioid epidemic as a reason for the veto, saying the legislation would be counter to Georgia’s efforts to halt that problem. State Rep. Jason…
Gov. Nathan Deal acted wisely last week in vetoing SB 125, which would have given physician assistants the right to independently prescribe hydrocodone. This dangerous opioid drug — which is used for pain relief in children, adolescents and adults — is at the heart of an increasing abuse-and-addiction epidemic. The Georgia Chapter of the American…
A proposal to loosen Georgia rules on multispecialty surgery centers went nowhere in this year’s General Assembly session. The quest for such a change shifted on Thursday to a new venue – the state’s main health care agency. But the board of the state Department of Community Health, on a 6-2 vote, rejected “initial adoption’’…
Among the bills Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed this week was Senate Bill 125, which would have authorized physicians to delegate their authority to prescribe hydrocodone compound products to physician assistants. Deal cited the growing opioid epidemic as a reason for the veto, saying the legislation would be counter to the state’s efforts to halt that…
Rural Georgians are once again bearing the brunt of myopic health care policy decisions coming from Atlanta. On Tuesday, just days after the Jenkins County Hospital closure announcement, a bill designed to restore delegated prescriptive authority to Georgia’s board-certified physician assistants (PAs) treating painful injuries and other medical emergencies was vetoed by Gov. Nathan Deal….
The demand for health care services is growing. So is the need for physicians and other professionals to deliver these services, especially with the aging of the Baby Boom generation. Jackson Healthcare, a health care staffing company, is expanding its Alpharetta headquarters to meet this surge. The company announced Thursday that its expansion will bring…
Every day, 91 Americans die from opioid overdoses. That adds up to more than 33,000 people in 2015, or four times as many such overdose deaths as in 1999. [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47O_t398H34[/youtube]When federal officials finish counting the deaths for more recent years, the number will be even higher. No wonder there’s widespread concern about how to prevent…
The final day of the Georgia General Assembly brought last-minute approval of some health care bills Thursday – along with disappointment over pieces of legislation that didn’t pass. The failures included the high-profile effort to halt “surprise’’ medical bills, and a proposal to require Georgia schools and day care centers to test their drinking fountains…