Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1115575
63 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY ProPublica reporter with no MD named 'Top Doctor' By Alyssa Rege V eteran ProPublica reporter Marshall Allen has spent more than a decade investigating the healthcare industry and how health sys- tems measure the quality of physicians. Because of his job as a journalist and lack of medical degree or any professional health degree, he said he was sur- prised when he received a call last year from an or- ganization that sought to present him with a "Top Doctor" award. Mr. Allen said in a piece for ProPublica published Feb. 28 that he received a call from a representative at Top Doctor Awards, who said Mr. Allen had been nominated by his peers and patients for the award. He informed the representative that he was a jour- nalist but was still interested in receiving the award. e representative told him he was still eligible and asked him to pay a nominal $289 fee for the award. However, the price later dropped to $99. "e plaque commemorates your achievements and more importantly communicates the achievements to your patients," the representative reportedly told Mr. Allen during the phone call. Mr. Allen wrote that such awards are oen herald- ed by physicians and used as proof of their medical prowess. Many patients also use such awards, which they assume are backed by thorough vetting, to de- termine which physicians they will seek out for care. He said the experience made him curious about oth- er organizations that praise "top doctors" and then charge them to market the honor. e owners of such companies who chose to speak with Mr. Allen emphasized their company's legitimacy. One organi- zation said that they don't claim the physicians who receive the award are "the best," but instead say they are "'among the best, and ones we have screened carefully," oen by checking eligible individuals' medical licenses, board certification, education and disciplinary history — all information easily avail- able online, Mr. Allen said. Mr. Allen said he was able to get in touch with a New York City-based sports medicine physician who received the same award he did. e physician said he was not surprised Top Doctor Awards hon- ored him because he was "sort of in that echelon or class." However, when Mr. Allen informed him he had also received the recognition, the physician re- portedly changed his tone, stating that Mr. Allen's award is "pretty strong evidence that [the award is] not legitimate," and that his assistant "might have … just sent in a check." n HCA becomes majority owner in leading US nursing school By Alyssa Rege H CA Healthcare is now the majority stakeholder in the parent com- pany of one of the nation's leading nursing schools, the Nashville, Tenn.-based for-profit hospital operator announced March 14. The 185-hospital system will be a majority stakeholder in the Louisville, Ky.-based Galen College of Nursing, a private enterprise that offers on- line degree programs in addition to the programs across its five campus- es. No changes to the college's leadership will be made. The goal of the partnership is to provide better access to nursing ed- ucation and career development for nurses to improve patient care. Officials said the collaboration will offer additional career develop- ment opportunities to HCA's 94,000 registered nurses and will allow the Galen College of Nursing to establish programs at HCA's affiliat- ed hospitals nationwide. HCA is one of the largest nurse employers in the nation and already owns two nursing schools and five advanced nursing simulation train- ing centers. The system also began investing up to $300 million in more benefits for employees, including additional career develop- ment opportunities for nurses. "Nurses are the lifeblood of our organization, and we've been intentional about investing in nursing so they can be successful and provide the best possible patient care. Galen has an excellent reputation in nursing education, and we look forward to working with them to advance their mission and expand their programs to more of our markets," HCA CEO Sam Hazen said in a statement. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. The terms of the part- nership were not disclosed. n Kansas physician gets life in prison for selling opioids for cash By Ayla Ellison A Kansas physician was sentenced to life in prison on March 8 after he was convicted of selling opioid prescriptions to patients with- out a legitimate medical reason, according to the Wichita Eagle. The sentencing came after Steven R. Henson, MD, was convicted of several federal charges in October, including illegally distributing pain medication. A federal investigation revealed patients would pay Dr. Henson $300 in cash for pain medication prescriptions. At the sentencing hearing, Judge J. Thomas Marten said Dr. Henson "abused his position of trust as a licensed physician," according to the report. One man died after overdosing on drugs Dr. Henson pre- scribed him. The count relating to the man's death resulted in Dr. Hen- son's life sentence. "I want this case to send a message to physicians and the healthcare community," U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a statement to the Wichita Eagle. "Unlawfully distributing opioids and other controlled substances is a federal crime that could end a medical career and send an offender to prison." n