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

Iowa News

Scott County mental health service cuts less deep than expected
A revised budget from the Iowa Department of Human Services will save Scott County from slashing four programs and $1.36 million from its mental health and developmental disabilities budget. The Scott County Board of Supervisors heard the news Tuesday that the DHS budget won’t have any further cuts and will stay at the same funding level as last year. In fiscal year 2010, Scott County received $13.9 million in state revenue. (Quad-City Times)

Harkin announces nearly $4 million for improvements to Van Buren County Hospital
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that a loan of $3,871,000 and grant of $100,000 have been awarded to the hospital in Keosauqua for the expansion and rehabilitation of the existing facilities. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Community Facility Program. (IowaPolitics)

Program discounts eye surgery for soldiers
Thanks to Sight for Soldiers, a new program organized by the Iowa Academy of Ophthalmology, soldiers are able to receive laser eye surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics at an almost 50 percent discount. (University of Iowa Daily Iowan)

Allamakee County health rankings reveal success upon which to build
A new report from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute ranks Allamakee County 20th out of Iowa’s 99 counties in Health Outcomes, the primary ranking used to rank the overall health of counties. The County Health Rankings were developed through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (Waukon Standard)

Hospital could up tax asking 48%
“The important thing,” said Crawford County Memorial Hospital Chief Financial Officer Nancy Carlson, “in the last five or six years we have kept our tax asking very flat.” She contrasted the tax revenue with community services provided by the hospital: “When we talk about community benefit, it’s the things we offer to the community free or at reduced price.” (Denison Bulletin & Review)

New moms benefit from Hein’s care
Marilyn Hein has worked as a nurse for 45 years, most recently as the breast-feeding educator at Broadlawns Medical Center. In that role, she’s helped increase the breast-feeding rate for new mothers and formed a new monthly breast-feeding support group. (Des Moines Register)

U.S. News

Grassley pushes back
The pushback against President Obama’s overtures to Republicans is under way. Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, who was cited in Mr. Obama’s letter to Congressional leaders on Tuesday, has issued a statement that’s more of a billy club than an olive branch. (New York Times)

In final push, Obama urges ‘up-or-down’ vote on health
“I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform,” Mr. Obama said in a brief 15-minute speech in the East Room of the White House. He called on Democratic leaders of both chambers to schedule a vote in the next few weeks, adding, “From now until then, I will do everything in my power to make the case for reform.”  (New York Times)

Lawmakers expand investigation into health insurance rate hikes
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has summoned the chiefs of WellPoint, UnitedHealth Group, Humana and Aetna to testify about denying claims for policyholders with preexisting conditions. (Los Angeles Times)

Nurse shot inside Connecticut hospital
The 34-year-old nurse at Danbury Hospital who was shot by a patient Tuesday remains hospitalized, police said. He has been identified as Andrew Hull, a former marine and an assistant nurse manager at the hospital. Hospital officials said he was shot after throwing his body in front of another employee. (Hartford Courant)

Deadline for e-health rollout may do more harm than help
Hospitals and physicians in the U.S. have until 2015 to deploy comprehensive electronic health records and the accompanying technology to meet federal guidelines and qualify for billions of dollars in reimbursements. But some health care experts are concerned that the quality of e-health systems might be at risk because of unrealistic deadlines and confusion about what to do first. (BusinessWeek)

Hospital breaks new ground in luxury
A salon for couples’ massages with private shower. Life-coaching sessions in low-lit rooms with cushy chairs. A lineup of services to make clients’ skin appear younger and their bodies thinner. This isn’t a retreat resort. It’s the new face of luxury at the nonprofit Virtua Health system’s recently opened Health and Wellness Center. (Philadelphia Inquirer)