Stay in the know with Becker's Hospital Review's weekly roundup of the nation's biggest healthcare news. Here's what you need to know this week.
1. MedStar Washington patient death ruled homicide: 5 things to know
A 74-year-old patient at MedStar Washington Hospital Center died after an incident with security guards last fall. This week, the death was ruled a homicide, according to the Washington Post. On Sept. 29, 2015, James McBride left the Washington, D.C.-based hospital without signing discharge papers. Hospital officials said a nurse and security guard found Mr. McBride across the street from the hospital, returned him to the hospital and then handed him over to two security guards. According to a police report, the patient and guards were outside the hospital when Mr. McBride "became non-compliant and resisted and a struggle ensued." Mr. McBride was "taken to the ground" by two of the people, and a third "utilized hand controls to restrain" him, according to the Post. Two days later, he died. On Monday, the District of Columbia's medical examiner determined Mr. McBride's cause of death was "blunt force injuries" of the neck and ruled the death a homicide.
2. Video shows arrest of Florida woman who died after removal from hospital
Police dash-cam audio and video was released this week showing the arrest of a 57-year-old woman who died after being forcibly removed from a Florida hospital. In the video, the woman, Barbara Dawson, collapsed and lay next to a police officer's car in a parking lot for nearly 18 minutes before a physician readmitted her. Lawyers for the family of Ms. Dawson released the video. The family claims Calhoun Liberty Hospital in Blountstown, Fla., and police were negligent in Ms. Dawson's death, according to the Miami Herald. Calhoun Liberty CEO Ruth Attaway told the Miami Herald the hospital received a copy of the police video and is reviewing it.
3. House passes ACA repeal: 5 things to know
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Affordable Care Act repeal bill Wednesday as expected, sending it to President Barack Obama's desk. The reconciliation bill, called the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, passed 240-181, according to The Hill. If signed into law, the measure would repeal some of the central pillars of the healthcare reform law, including Medicaid expansion, federal subsidies for health insurance, a host of taxes and individual and employer mandates, according to The Hill. The repeal of Medicaid expansion and the federal subsidies would be delayed for two years so Republicans could implement an alternative plan, according to the report. The bill would also cut one year of federal funding to Planned Parenthood, and instead provide $235 million in funds to community health centers.
4. Aetna to leave America's Health Insurance Plans
Aetna, the third largest health insurer in the nation, is leaving America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's largest trade group, according to The Hill. "Aetna has decided not to renew our [America's Health Insurance Plans] membership for 2016," said Aetna spokeswoman Cynthia Michener. "We will continue to partner with groups that are working, as we are, toward expanding access to high-quality, affordable healthcare."
5. North Shore-LIJ Health System officially becomes Northwell Health
On Jan. 1, Great Neck, N.Y.-based North Shore-LIJ Health System officially rebranded itself as Northwell Health. The health system, which was formed 18 years ago through the merger of North Shore Health System and Long Island Jewish Medical Center, announced the plan to change its name in September. However, North Shore-LIJ began its rebranding process eight years ago, according to The Wall Street Journal. The main driver of the decision to change the system's name was to remove its regional identification.
6. Illinois hospital closes; OSF Healthcare converts building into urgent care center
St. Mary's Hospital in Streator, Ill., is no longer offering healthcare services, and the building will now be an urgent care center owned and operated by Peoria, Ill.-based OSF Healthcare System, according The Times. In September, St. Mary's Hospital, which is part of Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System, announced plans to shut down and transfer ownership of the hospital and its related facilities to OSF. A state panel approved the hospital closure in November. St. Mary's closed Monday, and OSF will initially use the former hospital building as an urgent care center.
7. Tenet completes joint venture with Baylor Scott & White to own 5 Texas hospitals
Baylor Scott & White Health and Tenet Healthcare, both based in Dallas, completed a joint venture to improve population health.Through the joint venture, the organizations will co-own the following five hospitals: Centennial Medical Center (Frisco), Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake (Dallas), Lake Pointe Medical Center (Rowlett), Texas Regional Medical Center at Sunnyvale (Texas) and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Garland (Texas).
8. Mayo Clinic sells data center to Epic for $46M
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic and Epic Systems have entered a $46 million sale-leaseback deal for the health system's 62,000 square-foot data center, reports Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. In a sale-leaseback deal, the asset owner sells the asset and then leases it from the new owner. In this case, Mayo is selling the data center to Epic and then plans to lease it for at least four years. Mayo has the option to continue the deal forever, according to the report.
9. HHS, USDA update nutritional guidelines to reduce obesity, chronic diseases
HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the "2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" — the 8th edition of the country's resource for evidence-based nutrition recommendations for the general public, policymakers and healthcare professionals. The guidelines reaffirm familiar recommendations such as consuming a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and shifting to healthier beverage choices. However, the 2015 edition also includes new suggestions for added sugars, sodium and cholesterol and new information on caffeine.
10. Lung transplant patient sues UPMC Presbyterian over fungal infection
A 70-year-old man who contracted a fungal infection after he underwent a double lung transplant at UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh is suing the hospital for negligence, claiming the infection was tied to a mold outbreak at the facility, according to a Tribune-Review report. The patient, Che DuVall, underwent the procedure Aug. 1 at UPMC Presbyterian and was diagnosed with a fungal infection Sept. 3, just days before the hospital closed its cardiothoracic intensive care unit, the Tribune-Review reports.
11. FDA moves to halt shipping from device manufacturer linked to patient deaths
The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to LivaNova, a London-based medical device manufacturer, stating the company does not provide adequate cleaning information to prevent bacteria from accumulating inside its heater-cooler machines, which were linked to deaths at WellSpan York (Pa.) Hospital in October and Penn State Hershey Medical Center in November. Between the two hospitals, 3,600 patients were notified that they may be at risk from infections due to the devices.