Healthcare Quality Services is looking to add to our roster for specialty specific reviewers! We are currently searching for physicians specializing in urology, otolaryngologyOBGYN and orthopedics.... Read More >>

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) July 15 reported the first case of female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus, in which a New York woman apparently transmitted the virus to a male sexual partner after returning from an area with active Zika transmission.... Read More >>

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Utah health officials are investigating a case of Zika virus in a family contact who cared for an individual who died in late June from unknown causes. The decedent had been infected with Zika after traveling to an area with the virus and had a uniquely high amount of Zika virus in the blood. ... Read More >>

Connection information for the July 26, 2016 webcasts on how MACRA changes how physicians are paid.... Read More >>

In addition to being a national leader in recruiting for health care employment, Merritt Hawkins is also a major contributor to the data that helps us understand the health care employment environment. Merritt Hawkins recently completed its national survey on physician access, which they summarized in this video. The survey rates each state according to the ease in which patients can access physicians, measuring it using 33 bench marks.... Read More >>

The Department of Health (DOH) is in the beginning stage of rulemaking for elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) certificate of need regulations. According to the rulemaking statement, as a result of rulemaking petitions, DOH is considering reducing institutional and individual volume standards for safe and effective elective PCI.... Read More >>

WSHA recently submitted comments on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service’s (CMS’s) proposed rule regarding physician payment under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). The act replaces the current sustainable growth rates formula governing physician payment with a new structure that will adjust physician payments based on how well they attained quality measures. The act has special provisions for approved alternative payment models.... Read More >>

While Seattle is one of America’s most progressive cities, members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender queer/questioning (LGBTQ) can still be subject to crimes and discrimination. To offer support to members of the community feeling harassed or in danger, UW Medicine recently became a member of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) Safe Place program and converted all its single-stall bathrooms to gender-neutral.... Read More >>

Recent member news from the July 14, 2016 Weekly Report.... Read More >>

Healthier Washington in collaboration with the Washington Health Care Authority and UW Center for Health Workforce Studies is conducting a 10-20 minute online survey every four months about your experiences and emerging workforce demand trends. The survey is being conducted by the Health Workforce Sentinel Network. The Sentinel Network was created to help Washington State prepare for and respond to changes in the health workforce.... Read More >>