November 2nd, 2011

Doctors were coached on diagnoses, ex-staff say

Prime Healthcare Services has a reputation for buying financially troubled hospitals and turning them around, winning awards and reporting profits in the tens of millions. But a more troubling trend has emerged, according to an investigation by California Watch. Prime hospitals report that the Medicare patients they see are far sicker than those at neighboring hospitals. Does the chain attract the toughest cases, or are the hospitals exaggerating their patient conditions?

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  1. healthycal reblogged this from californiawatch and added:
    changes patients’ diagnoses...receive higher medicare reimbursements
  2. californiawatch posted this
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@CaliforniaWatch

California Watch, the largest investigative journalism team operating in the state, was launched in 2009 by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Investigative Reporting. Areas of coverage include education, health and welfare, public safety, the environment and the influence of money on the political and regulatory process.

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