Man Threatening Violence Arrested Outside UnitedHealth Corporate HQ
"There is currently no indication that the individual had specific grievances against UnitedHealthcare,” Minnetonka, Minnesota, spokesman Andy Wittenborg said in a statement. Meanwhile, millions of dollars are being spent by health care systems to increase their security in the wake of heightened workplace violence.
AP:
Months After CEO's Killing, An Intruder Is Arrested Near UnitedHealthcare Headquarters In Minnesota
A man was arrested near UnitedHealthcare’s headquarters in Minnesota after threatening violence, months after the company’s CEO was killed, authorities said Monday. The man was spotted around 11 a.m. in a parking lot outside of the UnitedHealthcare corporate campus in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka. City spokesman Andy Wittenborg said the man contacted the FBI’s field office in Minneapolis once he arrived, and an FBI negotiator made contact with him by phone. (Karnowski, 4/15)
Modern Healthcare:
Hospital Violence Costs Scripps, Cone Health Millions In Security
Health systems are spending millions of dollars ramping up security measures at their facilities to protect patients and staff. Many systems are hiring more officers, implementing weapons detection screenings and updating communication protocols. Executives said these efforts are a response to an uptick in workplace violence over the past several years, ranging from assaults on staff members to sexually aggressive comments and shootings. (Hudson, 4/14)
More health industry news —
Fierce Healthcare:
UnitedHealth Group, Amedisys Will Head To Mediation With DOJ
The Department of Justice will head to mediation with UnitedHealth Group and Amedisys April 18 as part of an ongoing antitrust lawsuit. Both companies are attempting to finalize a $3.3 billion merger, which was challenged under the Biden administration Nov. 12 for allegedly threatening competition in the home health and hospice industry. Now, mediation will occur Aug. 18, as signed by Magistrate Judge Susan Gauvey on April 10. (Minemyer and Tong, 4/14)
Modern Healthcare:
Hospitals File New DSH Payment Lawsuits Against HHS
A growing number of hospitals are working to bolster providers’ legal fight to increase Medicare reimbursement for treating low-income patients. Nearly 150 hospitals filed three lawsuits last week alleging the Health and Human Services Department's Provider Reimbursement Review Board wrongfully denied appeals to boost Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments, which are meant to support providers that treat many low-income patients. (Kacik, 4/14)
On health care personnel —
CBS News:
Crozer CEO To Step Down Amid Potential Shutdown Of Pennsylvania Health System
Amid a potential shutdown, the CEO of the Crozer Health system in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, is stepping down. In an email to employees on Monday, Crozer CEO Tony Esposito announced that he will step down on Friday after five and a half years as the CEO. "It has been an honor to serve alongside this talented team, and I want to thank each of you for the dedication that you bring to caring for our patients and the Delaware County community day in and day out," Esposito wrote in the email in part. (Holden and Ignudo, 4/14)
CBS News:
Over 200 Hennepin County Physicians Certified As First To Unionize In Minnesota
Around 250 doctors at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) have been certified as the first unionized resident and fellow physicians in Minnesota, according to union officials. The physicians are represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents, a local of the Service Employees International Union (CIR/SEIU), who said the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services made the certification on April 3. (Lentz, 4/14)
Fierce Healthcare:
Doc Compensation Rose 3.6% In 2024—But These Specialties Got Even More
Average physician pay rose 3.6% between 2023 and 2024, from $363,000 to $376,000—about in line with recent years but well behind increases from before the pandemic. That’s according to Medscape’s latest physician compensation report, which also highlighted particularly narrow increases in year-over-year compensation for primary care docs (1.4%, from $277,000 to $281,000) and specialists (1%, from $394,000 to $398,000). (Muoio, 4/14)
The Boston Globe:
Assault Allegations Against Former Brigham Doctor Prompt New Legislation To Protect Patients
Last April, Rory McCarthy and her mother walked into their state representative’s monthly office hours and asked if there was a private room where they could talk. Over the next hour, McCarthy, 31, relayed a startling story about her former rheumatologist, Dr. Derrick Todd. McCarthy told her representative, Marblehead Democrat Jennifer Armini, about the early morning appointment he scheduled for her at an unusually quiet time at the hospital, the long and disturbing pelvic exam, and how she just froze during it and didn’t know what to do. All three women ended up in tears. (Kowalczyk, 4/15)
Becker's Hospital Review:
Miscommunication Tied To 1 In 10 Hospital Patient Safety Events: Study
At least 10% of patient safety events stem from poor communication among healthcare workers, patients and caregivers, according to a meta-analysis published April 14 in Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers at the University of Leicester reviewed 46 studies examining whether communication failures contributed to safety events — including adverse events, near misses, medical errors and medication errors. The studies involved data from 67,639 patients across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America. (Twenter, 4/14)
