In Brief: Dignity Health Sells Lab Business; CMA Sponsors Bills To Address Physician Shortage

Dignity Health Sells Lab Business

San Francisco-based hospital operator Dignity Health has come to terms to sell its laboratory outreach business – that portion of its volume performed for purposes outside of the hospital setting – to New Jersey-based Quest Diagnostics.

The sale to the for-profit Quest involves the lab business for the non-profit Dignity in California and Nevada. Dignity's laboratory volumes were not immediately available, nor were the terms of the transaction.

"This agreement will provide patients and physicians with continued access to high-quality, cost effective diagnostic information services through Quest Diagnostics," said Lloyd Dean, Dignity's chief executive officr. "Quest's specialization in diagnostic information services will enable this important service line to remain competitive while also allowing Dignity Health to invest more strategically in acute and ambulatory clinical care."

Quest, which is the nation's largest laboratory business, has set its sites on acquiring the laboratory businesses of hospitals, officials said. Late last year, it acquired the laboratory business of the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center. Sources have suggested it may announce another acquisition involving a Southern California-based hospital chain in the near future.

CMA Sponsors Physician Workforce Bills

The California Medical Association has introduced a package of bills at its annual legislative conference intended to address the state's chronic nursing shortage.

The five bills would provide more financial support to the fledgling medical school at the campus of UC Riverside, create additional residency slots in communities considered to be underserved by physicians, and expand a state program that provides loan forgiveness in exchange for practicing in an underserved community for three years.

“Every Californian deserves access to quality healthcare, which means having physicians available in our communities," said Assemblyman Richard Pan, D-Elk Grove, who is also a practicing docto. M.D. "California physicians have to complete four years of medical school after college, three to over seven years of residency training caring for patients under supervisio.  In the process, many students and residents accumulate over $100,000 of debt. This package of bills will lower barriers for those physicians who wish to practice in underserved communities.”

Kaiser Introduces Breastfeeding Toolkit

Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente has released a breastfeeding toolkit that can be used in the hospital setting, officials said.

The toolkit, which includes best practices, videos and strategies, is intended to increase the number of women who breastfeed their newborns. Breast-fed children tend to have fewer allergies and other health conditions as they get older, studies indicate.

The breastfeeding toolkit was developed in tandem with the Partnership for a Healthier America, and is located at http://kpcmi.org/how-we-work/breastfeeding-support/.

“At Kaiser Permanente, we are committed to giving every baby the healthiest start possible,” said Jed Weissberg, M.D., a Kaiser senior vice president who oversees hospital quality. “We believe a healthy beginning with breastfeeding sets the stage for the total health of our patients and communities.”