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

Iowa News:

Prompt medical attention equals excellent prognosis for stroke survivor
March 8, 2010 was the day Duane Ott could have died.  That is had Ott, clinical engineering director for Mercy Medical Center — Sioux City, not sought medical attention when he did. (Sioux City Journal)

Belmond Medical Center Groundbreaking
The Belmond Medical Center will soon have many changes.  The groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation and expansion project today is marking the start of construction. (KIMT)

Mercy begins work on ER expansion
Construction is under way on a $17 million expansion of the Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa emergency department, hospital officials said. A new 25,493-square-foot  single-story structure is planned — double the size of the current emergency department.  (Mason City Globe Gazette)

U.S. News

Healthcare law backers plan counteroffensive
After months of being pummeled by Republican attacks on the new healthcare law, the Obama administration and its allies are striking back in an attempt to stem public disaffection with the health overhaul ahead of the November election. (Los Angeles Times)

85,000 lost health insurance in Sacramento area, UCLA study finds
Researchers issued yet another grim statistic Monday on the toll of the recession: 2 million additional Californians – 85,000 of them in the capital region – lost their health care coverage during the recent economic slide. (Sacremento Bee)

Sebelius could face health-reg fight
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius could find herself pitted between top Democrats on Capitol Hill and state insurance commissioners over a key section of the health care overhaul. Sebelius is waiting for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to suggest rules surrounding how much insurance companies must spend on medical costs versus administrative expenses or profits. The report, expected in weeks, isn’t likely to be as strict on insurers as top Democrats have hoped. (Politico.com)

Can Concierge Medicine for the Few Benefit the Many?
Earlier this summer a friend revealed that for the last nine years she has been a patient in a concierge, or boutique, primary care practice. For $350 each month, she is guaranteed around-the-clock access to her doctor, appointments within 24 hours of calling, longer office visits and the kind of personalized attention and care coordination she felt was missing with all her previous doctors.