It’s too early to tell whether the controversial federal health overhaul package will help or hurt the Cleveland Clinic, but CEO Toby Cosgrove says the new law will increase health costs throughout the United States.

Toby Cosgrove, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, worries that comparative effectiveness research will stifle medical innovation. I don’t think that’s likely.

Highlights of the important and the interesting from the world of healthcare:45 percent of hospital employees “discontent” with work: In a survey of 235,000 hospital employees, 45 percent described themselves as “distanced from or discontent with their current work.” The numbers come from consultants Press Gainey Associates. So what’s with all that discontent? It’s those [...]

AtriCure Inc. (NASDAQ: ATRC) has received regulatory clearance to begin U.S. sales of its AtriClip device, which protects against blood clots during certain heart procedures.The news sent AtriCure’s stock soaring 17 percent to $6.13 in early after-hours trading.The company plans an initial launch of the device later this month, with a full commercial release [...]

Updated 2:14 p.m.Already an outspoken advocate for healthy living as a means to cut healthcare costs, Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Delos “Toby” Cosgrove is getting behind a company that enables people to shop for care.The Clinic has made an untold investment in California information technology company Castlight Health Inc. to push transparency in healthcare [...]

Updated 8:10 p.m., May 10, 2010.Atricure Inc. (NASDAQ: ATRC), the maker of cardiac surgical ablation systems, has received a conditional nod from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a hybrid procedure to treat patients with persistent forms of atrial fibrillation.The hybrid procedure “represents a key growth platform” for [...]

The Cleveland Clinic plans to spend a whopping $848 million on renovations and construction of its health system this year, in addition to looking for more ways to expand nationally and internationally, Dr. Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, the Clinic’s president and chief executive, said during his State of the Clinic speech Thursday morning. The spending plans come at a time when the Clinic is beginning to feel the effects of the recession.

Dr. Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, chief executive of the Cleveland Clinic, talked with Fortune’s Geoff Colvin about why healthcare reform won’t lower America’s medical costs, his decision not to hire smokers, suddenly becoming a CEO after 30 years as a surgeon, and much more.

Despite several challenges in 2009–like a Department of Justice investigation and related whistle-blower lawsuit–AtriCure Inc. advanced toward profitability, added regulator approvals for its cardiac surgical ablation systems and developed new avenues of growth.

AtriCure Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $3.76 million to settle claims that it promoted its surgical ablation devices for unapproved uses and participated in medical insurance fraud.