Highlights of the important and the interesting from the world of healthcare:
The biggest nursing strike in U.S. history? It could be coming to Minnesota. Fourteen nonprofit hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region could face a June 1 strike by 12,000 nurses depending on the outcome of a May 19 strike vote by the Minnesota Nurses Union. At issue is the hospitals’ plan to cut pension benefits and change work rules. Each side has taken to Facebook to air its position. The threat of a strike is likely bad news all around, as recent research suggests that hospital deaths and readmissions increase during nursing strikes.
I believe the robots are our future: Or maybe not. The da Vinci, a $1.4 million surgical robot that has four remote-controlled arms and a sophisticated camera, has been linked to several injuries at a New Hampshire hospital. The robot is another example of the “medical arms race,” a prominent hospital CEO says. “Technologies are being adopted and becoming widespread based on the marketing prowess of equipment makers and suppliers, not necessarily on the public good.”
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Hospitals mum on charity care? Too many nonprofit hospitals fail to adequately publicize their charity-care programs, according to (pdf) a report by two advocacy groups, the Access Project and Community Catalyst. The majority of the hospitals surveyed mentioned the availability of free or discounted care on their websites, or when contacted by phone, but fewer than half provided application forms and only about one-quarter included information on requirements to qualify for such care.
ESPN-style surgery coverage? That’s what one new online network, called MDiTV, aims to provide. The startup is looking to feature three- and four-minute news segments, plus long-format programming, such as the Charlie Rose-inspired “Second Opinion” program, hosted by MDiTV founder and CEO Robert Lazzara, a cardiac surgeon.
BIO loves Maryland: The Biotechnology Industry Organization has named Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley its Governor of the Year. “His funding and support of biotech tax credits is a model for federal legislation that supports critical early-stage capital formation,” the organization says.
Investing in eye disease: William Link of Versant Ventures is an aggressive investor in what peHUB calls “eyeball tech,” or the ophthalmic field. Link spoke with the blog about the investment opportunities that the eye-disease field presents. Sample quote: “A number of companies have been working on intriguing technology to get drugs to the eye. One of my most exciting projects is Neurotech, it’s based in Rhode Island close to Brown University. It’s a tiny tube that can be implanted in the back of the eye through a tiny incision and inside it are human cells that are genetically engineered to deliver a specific protein that can deliver a medicine and be productive for years.”
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Dealflow Update: French radiotherapy company Nanobiotix raised $11 million; British diagnostics company Oxford Immunotech raised $26 million; North Carolina Health IT firm Secure EDI raised $40 million; and North Carolina medical device company TearScience raised $44 million.
Photo from flickr user Roger Blackwell
