Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and Web.

Iowa News

Culver’s order on project labor agreements praised, criticized
Gov. Chet Culver this morning received a standing ovation at the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council convention and shook the hand of almost everyone in the room after signing an executive order that presumes state agencies will use project labor agreements whenever possible. But the move drew immediate criticism from Republicans and non-union construction companies. (IowaPolitics)

Study: Family planning helps state save money
The study, done on behalf of the Iowa Initiative, found that for every $1 the government spends on family planning, it saves nearly $4 in the first year of an avoided pregnancy. It saves more than $15 over the first five years, the study found. The study was done by researchers from the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. (Des Moines Register)

Community pulls together to offer shelter to stranded travelers
As snow and 40-mph winds pummeled the city of Britt last week, many travelers and commuters found themselves unable to leave the city limits as highways closed and whiteout conditions made it impossible to drive. But no one was left in the cold as the harsh winter storm beared down on the city Jan. 25. (Britt News-Tribune)

Without health care reform, Iowa loses
Without reform, the disparity in the amount of money coming to Iowa for Medicare will continue to be among the worst in the nation. It will make attracting physicians to care for the elderly and in rural areas even more difficult, adding to Iowa’s existing physician shortage. Worse yet, without reform, Medicare likely will be cut further, putting the financial burden on providers and even patients. (Des Moines Register)

U.S. News

Democrats change health care tack
With their sweeping health-care bill on hold, House Democrats plan to revive a sliver of the legislation as soon as next week that would repeal an antitrust exemption for insurance companies. The move underscores growing doubts on Capitol Hill that Democrats can pass their ambitious plan to expand health insurance to more than 30 million Americans. (Wall Street Journal)

Stumping for jobs plan, Obama pushes health bill
President Obama hit the road again Tuesday to promote the new job-creation program he described as his No. 1 priority, but he refused to abandon his embattled health care legislation, vowing to “punch it through” resistance in Congress. (New York Times)

Republicans find loophole in budget ploy to push health care
As it turns out, Senate Democrats may not be able to force health care legislation through the chamber on a simple majority vote. Republicans say they have found a loophole in the budget reconciliation process that could allow them to offer an indefinite number of amendments. (The Hill)

Hospital mergers loom as U.S. overhaul fails centers
The nation’s largest publicly traded hospital chains are stalking medical centers that have been hurt by the cost of charity care and unpaid bills in a recession, and are no longer confident stalled health legislation will add 30 million newly insured customers, said Sheryl Skolnick, an analyst at CRT Capital Group LLC in Stamford, Connecticut. (Bloomberg)

The top 10 barriers to EHR implementation
In a class on Leadership Strategies for Information Technology in Healthcare at the Harvard School of Public Health, students, including administrators, clinicians, CIOs, CMOs and policymakers, developed lists of barriers to electronic health record implementation in their organizations. (Healthcare IT News)

Doctors sue to stop unsupervised nurse anesthetists from administering anesthesia
Surgical patients are being put at risk because a new California regulation allows nurse anesthetists to administer anesthesia without the supervision of a physician, claims a lawsuit filed against California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger by two large physician groups Tuesday. (HealthLeaders Media)

First of Haitian earthquake victims arrive at Atlanta hospitials
Five Haitian earthquake victims, including an 18-month-old with brain injuries, were airlifted Tuesday night to Dobbins Air Force Base for treatment at area hospitals. As many as 45 more patients are expected to arrive by week’s end. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)