text:
package org.apache.hadoop.hive.ql.udf;

import org.apache.hadoop.io.BytesWritable;
import org.apache.hadoop.io.Text;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
import org.junit.Test;

/**
 * TestUDFBase64.
 */
public class TestUDFBase64 {
  @Test
  public void testBase64Conversion(){
    byte[] bytes = "string".getBytes();
    // Let's make sure we only read the relevant part of the writable in case of reuse
    byte[] longBytes = "longer string".getBytes();
    BytesWritable writable = new BytesWritable(longBytes);
    writable.set(bytes, 0, bytes.length);
    UDFBase64 udf = new UDFBase64();
    Text text = udf.evaluate(writable);
    String base64String = text.toString();
    assertEquals("c3RyaW5n", base64String);
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
In what was described as a physical game of football, the Kiama Quarriers Division 3 women's team have beaten Oak Flats 3-2 in the South Coast Football competition grand final at Shellharbour's Myimbarr Sports Fields on Sunday. The game remained scoreless until only 10 minutes before the final whistle, when Kiama scored to make it 1-0. With about a minute remaining on the clock, Oak Flats levelled the score to make it 1-all. Captain and club president Hayleigh Beringer said it felt like the longest game of her life. "It felt like it went forever, they're a really tough side," she said. "We fought hard, the girls dug deep and everybody lifted, it was amazing. "It felt like a really physical game, a lot of people went down with injuries." The game went then went into extra time. "We played harder and we got another goal back just on half time in extra time," Beringer said. "That was amazing and we thought, 'yep we've done it now' and then we scored again just after half time, the girls just continued to lift. "Just after we scored, Oak Flats scored again and I though 'oh no, here we go again', each time the other team scored we would lift and fight harder, but it was our day. "For me it's been a long time coming, Kiama has constantly been in the finals and we haven't won a grand final in a long time, the whole day was just amazing." Beringer said two Kiama players' performances stood out on the field. "Emma-Kate Dewhurst played the best game of the season, she was amazing, and Angela Graham, she scored two of our three goals," she said. Remarkably, this is the first season the team has played together, and along with the Men's Over 35s side, was one of two teams from the Quarriers to make the grand final. "We have a great team, at the start of the year the aim was to make the finals, we had high hopes, but it was an amazing effort to make the grand final in our first year together," Beringer said. "The team has gelled really well, we've got great support from the club and great coaches – everything has come together. "There's a good mixture of experience in our team."
https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/37uSWs3eyNM24fqefKJaatC/a3630d9f-f2a7-4439-aa3b-434fab4c7f66.JPG/r0_249_2448_1632_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
Kiama Quarriers taste grand final glory
Hayley Warden
ALL SMILES: Captain Hayleigh Beringer and coach Neil Spence are elated after the Kiama Quarriers take out the Division 3 women's South Coast Football grand final.
In what was described as a physical game of football, the Kiama Quarriers Division 3 women's team have beaten Oak Flats 3-2 in the South Coast Football competition grand final at Shellharbour's Myimbarr Sports Fields on Sunday.
The game remained scoreless until only 10 minutes before the final whistle, when Kiama scored to make it 1-0. With about a minute remaining on the clock, Oak Flats levelled the score to make it 1-all.
Captain and club president Hayleigh Beringer said it felt like the longest game of her life.
"It felt like it went forever, they're a really tough side," she said.
"We fought hard, the girls dug deep and everybody lifted, it was amazing.
"It felt like a really physical game, a lot of people went down with injuries."
The game went then went into extra time.
"We played harder and we got another goal back just on half time in extra time," Beringer said.
"That was amazing and we thought, 'yep we've done it now' and then we scored again just after half time, the girls just continued to lift.
"Just after we scored, Oak Flats scored again and I though 'oh no, here we go again', each time the other team scored we would lift and fight harder, but it was our day.
"For me it's been a long time coming, Kiama has constantly been in the finals and we haven't won a grand final in a long time, the whole day was just amazing."
Beringer said two Kiama players' performances stood out on the field.
"Emma-Kate Dewhurst played the best game of the season, she was amazing, and Angela Graham, she scored two of our three goals," she said.
Remarkably, this is the first season the team has played together, and along with the Men's Over 35s side, was one of two teams from the Quarriers to make the grand final.
"We have a great team, at the start of the year the aim was to make the finals, we had high hopes, but it was an amazing effort to make the grand final in our first year together," Beringer said.
"The team has gelled really well, we've got great support from the club and great coaches – everything has come together.
"There's a good mixture of experience in our team."
Kiama Quarriers Division 3 women's team list
Hayleigh Beringer
Melissa Breuker
Lauren Bullivant
Jessica Cignarella
Emma-Kate Dewhurst
Clare Dunbar
Rebecca Fist
Sofia Fridell
Melissa Liebrand
Carolynn Mackenzie
Nicole Miljevic
Nerissa Peterson
Meg Russell
Shannon Sandford
Jenna Shiaxiates
Jeyda Shiaxiates
Tamara Went
Discuss "Kiama Quarriers taste grand final glory"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This book presents in detail a subject that is familiar mainly to interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons. Interventional vascular radiology with minimally invasive approaches is considered a revolution in the treatment of varioius vascular diseases and entities.
The purpose of this book is to presentt o the general surgeon the working anatomy of those areas of the human bodywhich are within his/her special discipline. The book is essentially the anatomy of the procedures of the general surgeon.
Batrinos is a book on how you may learn Greek if you know English, based on the pronunciation of the Greek-born words.
This book is intended to give the physician and the Upper Extremity surgeon an in-depth analysis on diagnosis and management of surgical infections in the entire upper limb. It deals with the pathophysiology, bacteriology, diagnosis of musculoskeletal infections, the use of local antibiotics, epidemiology of Upper Limb Infections as well as general principles of management.
This book provides an a panoramic view of this new and complete field of multiple abdominal organ transplantation that will be valuable for students and specialists alike.
Lucan focuses on the power of (self) deception and one's systematic misrecognition of reality. Because one lacks innate being and wants to eradicate this internalization of othernes.
This useful reference addresses all aspects of prostate cancer including the important issue of detection, spread of disease, and subsequent treatment.
Regional Oncotherapies is intended to give the practicing surgeon and oncologists or trainee an in-depth analysis of the technical aspects, their indications, contraindications, and complications of all interventional techniques procedures in oncotherapy.
Vascular and endovascular procedures may fail. Re-do interventions tend to be lengthy and difficult and are associated with an increased risk of complications. The aim of this book is to provide the specialist and the trainee with an update on the vascular and endovascular options that are available to help patients whose previous interventions have not worked.


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Devil's Due Wants you to Talk Bernie to Me!
Posted on April 19, 2019 by Graphic Policy Team
After making international headlines with its superhero comic about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Chicago's Devil's Due Comics has announced a sequel is now available for pre-order. Talk Bernie To Me!: The Bernie Sanders Special and AOC Surprise is a one-off commemorative comic celebrating two-time Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, featuring contributions from several acclaimed and award-winning writers/artists. (Variant covers are also available.)
In addition to depicting the Vermont Senator as a full-fledged superhero, Talk Bernie To Me! will be chock full of short-form Bernie comics, Trump and GOP skewering, plus satirical games and puzzles. The comic is slated for a July 3, 2019 release (in both physical and digital form), and by popular demand will include additional AOC content. Pre-orders can be made at BernieComic.com, with a portion of all sales going to the ACLU and RaicesTexas.org, which provides free and low-cost legal services to under-served immigrant children, families, and refugees.
Talk Bernie to Me! features contributions from Josh Baylock, Tim Seeley, Hoyt Silva, Marguerite Dabaie, K. Lynn Smith, CW Cooke, Aly Faye, Christa Cassano, Paul Buhle, Kit Caoagas, Gary Dumm, Laura Dumm, Nick Accardi, Sam Wells, Liz McArthur, Jason Goungor, Sherard Jackson, Peter Rostovsky, and Joel Herrera. It's set for release July 3, 2019.
The announcement comes mere weeks after Devil's Due announced its Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez And The Freshman Force comic (available here as of May 15), and ten years after the debut of its wildly-popular Barack the Barbarian graphic novel series. All three titles are the brainchild of artist and Devil's Due Publisher Josh Blaylock, working in tandem with an all-star group of talent.
tagged with aly faye, bernie sanders, christa cassano, comic books, Comics, cw cooke, devil's due comics, gary dumm, hoyt silva, jason goungor, joel herrera, josh baylock, k. lynn smith, kit caoagas, laura dumm, liz mcarthur, marguerite dabaie, nick accardi, paul buhle, peter rostovsky, sam wells, sherard jackson, talk bernie to me, talk bernie to me!: the bernie sanders special and aoc surprise, tim seeley


As a dedicated Brooklyn Criminal Attorney, I am most often asked the differences between a felony offense and a misdemeanor. In New York, there are basically three or four levels of charges. The most serious charges are felonies. From there, it goes down to misdemeanors, violations, ordinances, and then traffic offenses. The most important distinction between a felony and a misdemeanor is if you can do more than one year in jail, it would be a felony, if you can't do more than a year in jail, it would be a misdemeanor or some lesser offense.
That's the major distinction legally. However, for you and me, it's a very big difference because if you're facing a felony charge you'll be prosecuted in the supreme court, and the consequences are obviously much more severe, much more serious. If you're facing a misdemeanor charge, you could have a criminal record if you're ultimately convicted of that charge by plea or by trial. If you're facing any of those charges in the state of New York, please give me a call.
Are you facing a felony or misdemeanor charge in NYC? Contact experienced Brooklyn Criminal Attorney Carl Spector for 30 years of legal defense.


text:
calories in ricotta
ricotta nutrition facts
protein in ricotta
carbs in ricotta
fat in ricotta
sugar in ricotta
potassium in ricotta
saturated fat in ricotta
cholesterol in ricotta
magnesium in ricotta
iron in ricotta
fiber in ricotta
calcium in ricotta
zinc in ricotta
vitamin a in ricotta
vitamin c in ricotta
vitamin d in ricotta
vitamin k in ricotta
vitamin b12 in ricotta
vitamin b6 in ricotta
folic acid in ricotta
riboflavin in ricotta
phosphorus in ricotta
niacin in ricotta
thiamine in ricotta
Home / Nutrition / Sodium / ricotta
Amount of Sodium in Ricotta
Welcome to the nutritional sodium content in 3 different types of ricotta, ranging from 288 mg to 84 mg per 100g. The basic type of ricotta is Cheese, ricotta, whole milk, where the amount of sodium in 100g is 84 mg.
84 mg of sodium per 100g, from Cheese, ricotta, whole milk corresponds to 5% of the sodium RDA. For a typical serving size of 1 cup (or 246 g) the amount of Sodium is 206.64 mg. This corresponds to an RDA percentage of 13%.
Cheese, ricotta, whole milk - Nutritional Content and Chart
The full nutrition content, RDA percentages and levels for Cheese, ricotta, whole milk should be considered along with the sodium content. This food profile is part of our list of food and drinks under the general group Dairy and Egg Products.Other important and sodium related nutrients are Potassium, Calories, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate. For this 100g serving in your diet, the amount of Potassium is 105 mg (2% RDA), the amount of Calories is 174 kcal (9% RDA), the amount of Protein is 11.26 g (20% RDA), the amount of Fat is 12.98 g (20% RDA) and the amount of Carbohydrate is 3.04 g (2% RDA). The nutritional content and facts for 100g, which includes Potassium, Calories, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate is shown in the RDA chart below as percentages of the recommended daily allowance along with the sodium levels in ricotta.
Our proprietary nutritional density score gives a nutritional value out of 100 based on 9 different vitamins, minerals and macro nutrients. Cheese, ricotta, whole milk has a nutritional value score of 14 out of 100.Comparing the sodium content and the nutritional density in 100g for Cheese, ricotta, whole milk; We class this as a medium to low sodium content item.In terms of overall nutritional value we class this as an item with a medium nutritional density value.
100 calories of cheese, ricotta, whole milk is a serving size of 0.57 g, and the amount of Sodium is 48.28 mg (2.87% RDA). Other important and related nutrients and macronutrients such as Protein, in 100 Calories are as follows; Potassium 60.34 mg (1.15% RDA), Protein 6.47 g (11.49% RDA), Fat 7.46 g (11.49% RDA), Carbohydrate 1.75 g (1.15% RDA). This is shown in the sodium RDA percentage chart below, based on 100 Calories, along with the other important nutrients and macro nutrients.
For the food Cheese, ricotta, whole milk the typical serving size is 1 cup (or 246 g) which contains 206.64 mg of Sodium. The sodium percentage of the recommended daily value for this serving is 13 %.
To give 100% of the RDA, 7.7 servings of the typical serving size 1 cup (or 246 g) give the complete RDA. In terms of the gram weight and total content for this serving the Potassium content is 258.3 mg, the Calories content is 428.04 kcal, the Protein content is 27.7 g, the Fat content is 31.93 g and the Carbohydrate content is 7.48 g. The percentages are shown below in the sodium chart, for the typical serving of sodium and the related and important nutritional values.
Macronutrients in Cheese, ricotta, whole milk
The amount of protein, fat and carbs from this food described above is measured in grams per 100g and grams in a typical serving size (in this case 1 cup or 246 g), although it is also useful to give the number of calories from protein, fat and carbohydrate which are the most important macronutrients. For this serving in your diet here are the macronutrient calories. From protein the number of calories is 118.3 (kcal).The number of calories from Fat is 280.7 (kcal).The total calories from carbohydrate is 28.9 (kcal).
Milligrams of sodium in ricotta (per 100g)
This list of 3 types of ricotta, is brought to you by www.dietandfitnesstoday.com and ranges from PREGO Pasta, Heart Smart- Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce, ready-to-serve through to Cheese, ricotta, whole milk where all food items are ranked by the content or amount per 100g. The nutritional sodium content can be scaled by the amount in grams, oz or typical serving sizes. Simply click on a food item or beverage from the list at the bottom of the page to give a full dietary nutritional breakdown to answer the question how much sodium in ricotta.
The list below gives the total sodium content in the 3 items from the general description 'ricotta' each of which show the sodium amount as well as Potassium, Calories, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate. Below, is the top 3 food items shown in the sodium chart. This gives a quick and easy dietary comparison for the different items, where each item is listed at the bottom of the page with a nutritional summary.
The corresponding nutritional value for ricotta based on our density score out of 100 (ranked by the amount of sodium per 100g) is shown in the below nutritional density chart.
The corresponding Calories for ricotta ranked by the amount of sodium per 100g is shown below in the ricotta calories chart.
Average Content for ricotta
The average (or more correctly the arithmetic mean) amount of sodium contained in 100g of ricotta, based on the list below of 3 different items under the general description of ricotta, is 165.67 mg of sodium. This average value corresponds to 10.35 % of the recommended dietary allowance (or RDA) in your diet. The averages for the different nutrients are as follows; the average amount of Potassium is 186.00 mg, the average amount of Calories is 128.00 kcal, the average amount of Protein is 8.35 g, the average amount of Fat is 7.63 g and the average amount of Carbohydrate is g.
The median value of Sodium is found in Cheese, ricotta, part skim milk which in 100g contains 125 mg of Sodium. This corresponds to 8 % of the recommended daily allowance. For this serving the amount of Potassium is 125 mg, the amount of Calories is 138 kcal, the amount of Protein is 11.39 g, the amount of Fat is 7.91 g and the amount of Carbohydrate is 5.14 g.
Using the list below for the 3 different ricotta nutrition entries in our database, the highest amount of sodium is found in PREGO Pasta, Heart Smart- Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce, ready-to-serve which contains 288 mg of sodium per 100g. The associated percentage of RDA is 18 %. For this 100g serving the Potassium content is 328 mg, the Calories content is 72 kcal, the Protein content is 2.4 g, the Fat content is 2 g, the Carbohydrate content is 10.4 g.
The lowest amount of sodium in 100g is in Cheese, ricotta, whole milk which contains 84 mg. This gives as percentage of the recommended daily allowance 5 % of the RDA. For this 100g serving the amount of Potassium is 105 mg, the amount of Calories is 174 kcal, the amount of Protein is 11.26 g, the amount of Fat is 12.98 g, the amount of Carbohydrate is 3.04 g.
Please remember that the above gives an accurate value in 100g for high sodium foods in your diet. For example 100g of Cheese, ricotta, whole milk contains 84 mg of sodium. However, there are other factors to consider when you are assessing your nutritional requirements. You should also take into account portion sizes when you are considering the sodium nutritional content.
The food with the highest sodium content per typical serving is PREGO Pasta, Heart Smart- Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce, ready-to-serve which contains 360 mg in 1 serving 1/2 cup (or 125 g). The percentage of the recommended daily value for this serving is 23 %. For this serving the Potassium content is 410 mg, the Calories content is 90 kcal, the Protein content is 3 g, the Fat content is 2.5 g and the Carbohydrate content is 13 g.
Ricotta List, sodium Content per 100g
1. PREGO Pasta, Heart Smart- Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce, ready-to-serve - Sodium
288 mg (18%) 328 mg (7%) 72 kcal (4%) 10.4 g (8%) 2 g (3%) 2.4 g (4%)
Typical Serving size of 1 serving 1/2 cup (or 125g):
360 mg (23%) 410 mg (9%) 90 kcal (5%) 13 g (10%) 2.5 g (4%) 3 g (5%)
2. Cheese, ricotta, part skim milk - Sodium
Nutritional Value : 15 / 100 food group - Dairy and Egg Products
125 mg (8%) 125 mg (3%) 138 kcal (7%) 5.14 g (4%) 7.91 g (12%) 11.39 g (20%)
307.5 mg (19%) 307.5 mg (7%) 339.48 kcal (17%) 12.64 g (10%) 19.46 g (30%) 28.02 g (50%)
Other serving sizes .5 cup (or 124g):
155 mg (10%) 155 mg (3%) 171.12 kcal (9%) 6.37 g (5%) 9.81 g (15%) 14.12 g (25%)
3. Cheese, ricotta, whole milk - Sodium
84 mg (5%) 105 mg (2%) 174 kcal (9%) 3.04 g (2%) 12.98 g (20%) 11.26 g (20%)
206.64 mg (13%) 258.3 mg (5%) 428.04 kcal (21%) 7.48 g (6%) 31.93 g (49%) 27.7 g (49%)


Jefferson County Ciderworks - Fairfield, Iowa - Tune into our Vibe!
Iowa hard cider company with flavored and unflavored hard ciders. We hand-press our apples, from branch to bottle.
Tap room is open to the public to sample the fruits of our labors as well as many craft and micro-beers from around the world.
Open Friday through Sunday. Follow us on Facebook for updates and events.


text:
July, 2018 Issue of Becker's Hospital Review
Super User - Thursday, August 9th, 2018 Print	| Email
July 2018 Issue of Beckers Hospital Review
For-profit hospital operator M&A update: 13 latest deals involving CHS, Tenet, HCA and LifePoint
Four of the largest for-profit hospital operators have each entered into several transactions this year. Some of the companies are selling off facilities to strengthen their hospital portfolios, while others are exploring ways to expand their reach. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
NYC Health + Hospitals embarks on inaugural physician recruitment initiative
New York City-based NYC Health + Hospitals seeks to fill 75 new and open primary care physician positions through a new recruitment campaign. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
FBI wants everyone to reboot their routers to avoid Russian-linked malware
The FBI issued a warning May 25 that Russian hackers infected hundreds of thousands of home and office routers with malware, which could collect user information or shut down network access, according to Reuters. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Epic managers, consultants and trainers share 10 tips for a successful go-live
Epic installations require months of prep work before a go-live, and even with plenty of training hours, organizations can still face unforeseen challenges during and after the implementation, according to a blog post by Arron Fu on uniprint.net. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CFO / FINANCE
Cleveland Clinic looks to rein in costs as Q1 operating income dips 22%
Cleveland Clinic ended the first quarter of 2018 with operating income of $47.6 million, down 22 percent from $60.7 million in the same period a year earlier, according to bondholder documents. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Pennsylvania hospital accused of overbilling state by $9M
Bethlehem, Pa.-based St. Luke's University Health Network filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Lancaster (Pa.) General Hospital on May 22, alleging Lancaster General submitted hundreds of inaccurate and overstated claims to the state's Extraordinary Expense Fund, which compensates hospitals for their charity care. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Aetna whistle-blower put on leave after accusing CVS Caremark of $1B billing scheme
Aenta's former chief Medicare actuary was placed on administrative leave after filing a whistle-blower lawsuit alleging pharmacy benefits manager CVS Caremark overbilled Medicaid and Medicare for prescription drugs, according to The Columbus Dispatch. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CBO: Trump's 2019 budget will reduce federal healthcare spending by $1.3T
A $1.3 trillion reduction in healthcare spending under President Donald Trump's 2019 budget will help shrink the federal debt and deficit over the next decade, according to a May 2018 analysis from the Congressional Budget. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Senator calls for federal investigation into Missouri hospital's billing practices
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has asked HHS to examine questionable billing practices and a possible kickback scheme operated by Putnam County Memorial Hospital, a 15-bed hospital in Unionville, Mo. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
23-hospital system enters $14M settlement with feds over improper physician payments
Mercy Health, a 23-hospital system based in Cincinnati, agreed to pay the federal government $14.25 million to resolve allegations the system violated the False Claims Act, according to the Department of Justice. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Partners HealthCare, 1.2M-member health plan considering merger
Boston-based Partners HealthCare and Wellesley, Mass.-based health insurer Harvard Pilgrim Health Care are negotiating a possible merger behind closed doors, The Boston Globe reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Northwestern, Centegra seek to finalize 10-hospital merger
Chicago-based Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and Crystal Lake, Ill.-based Centegra Health System could close their merger deal by Sept. 1, according to a recent filing with the Illinois Facilities & Services Review Board. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Advocate Children's, NorthShore University HealthSystem to partner: 3 takeaways
Oak Lawn, Ill.-based Advocate Children's Hospital and Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem announced their intent to form a strategic partnership to expand pediatric care statewide May 16. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Blue Cross denied appeal in suit alleging it sank $40M hospital deal
In April, a federal judge denied Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island's motion for summary judgment in an antitrust suit filed by Boston-based Steward Health Care. Last week, the judge denied the insurer's request to immediately appeal the April ruling, meaning BCBS of Rhode Island will have to face the antitrust suit, according to Law360. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
104-bed Alabama hospital to close
RMC Jacksonville (Ala.), the city's only hospital, will shutter June 30, with its property gifted to nearby Jacksonville State University, according to AL.com. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Banner Health's net income plunges 55% in Q1
Banner Health, a 28-hospital nonprofit system based in Phoenix, saw its operating income rise in the first quarter of 2018, but the system's net income plummeted year over year. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Alaska hospital faces closure over $964k telecommunications bill
Cordova (Alaska) Community Medical Center, a 23-bed critical access hospital, may close due to cuts to a federal program that subsidizes the hospital's telecommunications costs, according to KTVA. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
8 things to know about Sutter Health's legal battles over prices
An antitrust lawsuit against Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health over prices could have a national effect, according to a Kaiser Health News report published by the LA Times. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Vanderbilt University Medical Center points to Epic rollout for 60% drop in operating income
Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center saw revenues increase in the first nine months of fiscal year 2018, but the hospital ended the period with lower operating income. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
$1.6B in Medicare payment cuts likely to cripple struggling hospitals, S&P says
Medicare payment cuts under the 340B Drug Pricing Program pose a potential financial threat to nonprofit hospitals serving vulnerable patients, according to a report from S&P Global Ratings. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Dartmouth-Hitchcock records $58.1M turnaround in operating results
Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth-Hitchcock saw operating results improve in the first nine months of fiscal year 2018 after implementing a cost-reduction plan. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Houston surgical hospital abruptly closes after discovering accounting errors
Houston-based U.S. Pain and Spine Hospital closed unexpectedly this week, leaving 63 employees without jobs, according to KTRK-TV. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Rising ER prices, more high severity cases spurred greater healthcare spending: 7 takeaways
Among the commercially insured, national emergency room use remained unchanged from 2009 to 2016, but ER price hikes and greater use of high-severity codes resulted in more ER spending, according to updated data from the Health Care Cost Institute. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Medicare readmission rates vary widely among BPCI Advanced conditions: 4 takeaways
The 90-day Medicare readmission rates for certain conditions in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced Model are as high as 43 percent and as low as 7 percent, according to a new analysis from health care consultant Avalere. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Walmart names its latest bundled payment partner: New England Baptist Hospital
Walmart selected Boston-based New England Baptist Hospital, which specializes in orthopedic care, as a center of excellence for Walmart employees needing hip and knee replacement procedures.CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
17 of 120 hospitals couldn't provide price for hip replacement in 2012. That number more than tripled to 53 in 2016
Sixty-plus state healthcare pricing websites existed in 2012.CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Massachusetts businesses unite to cut healthcare costs: 6 things to know
A group of Massachusetts employers have formed a coalition with the goal of reducing healthcare costs by $100 million over two years, according to a WBUR report. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
New Hampshire officials, hospitals arrange 7-year deal over uncompensated care: 5 things to know
New Hampshire officials and the state's hospitals have worked out a deal on uncompensated care payments, according to a Concord Monitor report. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Cone Health, Randolph Health merger is off
Randolph Health, a 145-bed facility in Asheboro, N.C., and Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health no longer plan to merge. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Utah TV station raises donations to pay off $2.5M worth of medical debt
A charity campaign launched by KUTV, a Salt Lake City television station, will help pay off medical debt owed by hundreds of people in Utah. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Healthcare antitrust enforcement remains a top priority for DOJ
The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division is still laser-focused on rooting out anticompetitive practices in the healthcare industry, according to remarks from Barry Nigro, deputy assistant attorney general, at an American Bar Association conference May 17 in Arlington, Va. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
St. Luke's Health Care swings to black in Q1
Duluth, Minn.-based St. Luke's Health Care recorded net income of $6.6 million in the three months ended March 31, turning around a $98,000 deficit recorded in the same period a year prior. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CHS divests 3 Tennessee hospitals
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems sold three hospitals in Tennessee to Jackson-based West Tennessee Healthcare on June 1. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Bellin Health Systems nixes deal with Michigan system: 4 notes
Green Bay, Wis.-based Bellin Health Systems and Iron Mountain, Mich.-based Dickinson County Healthcare System terminated their asset purchase agreement May 21, according to TV NBC 6.CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
5 reasons fed-up physicians are dropping their health insurance
No one knows the pitfalls of going without health insurance better than the physicians who treat uninsured patients, but some of those very doctors are so frustrated with America's healthcare system that they're abandoning their own insurance coverage, according to a Bloomberg report. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
UnitedHealth CEO: 150M members will be in value-based care arrangements by 2025
UnitedHealth Group expects to provide 150 million members health insurance through value-based arrangements by 2025, the company's CEO David Wichmann said May 31 at Bernstein's 34th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
5 things to know about Kaiser's health plan
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, which comprises 39 hospitals across the U.S., operates a successful health plan — a venture few providers have found prosperity in. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Private equity firm KKR inks $9.9B deal for Envision: 4 things to know
New York City-based private equity firm KKR & Co. has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Envision Healthcare, a Nashville, Tenn.-based physician services provider, in an all-cash transaction for approximately $9.9 billion, including the assumption of debt. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Essentia Health plans $800M expansion
Duluth, Minn.-based Essentia Health will invest $800 million to build a consolidated medical campus in Duluth, which will include a replacement hospital and outpatient surgery center, according to the Star Tribune. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
World's 10 most expensive places to be hospitalized
Monaco is one of the most expensive places in the world for an uninsured person to be in the hospital for one day, according to research cited in an article on au.finance.yahoo.com. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Oscar Health quietly built its own claims processor to simplify physician payments
Health insurance startup Oscar Health said it finally has the claims processing infrastructure to provide clearer physician payments — and turn a profit, according to CNBC. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Louisiana health officials send Medicaid termination warnings to 37k beneficiaries
The Louisiana Health Department sent letters to 37,000 Medicaid recipients May 10 warning they are at risk of losing coverage because of the proposed budget cuts, reports Nola.com CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CEO / STRATEGY
Tenet, Detroit Medical Center to sever ties with 300 physicians
Detroit Medical Center, part of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, will end its longtime affiliation with Troy, Mich.-based Wayne State University Physician Group on May 15 when the current contract for clinical and administrative services expires.CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CEO, CFO of Missouri hospital resign over inappropriate reimbursements
The CEO and CFO of Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in Maryland Heights, Mo., have resigned after the hospital board discovered the executives violated the hospital's paid time off policy, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Klasko only healthcare exec among Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business for 2018
Stephen Klasko, MD, president and CEO of Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health, was the only hospital executive to be named among Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business for 2018. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
New York hospital reportedly pays CEO $660k to 'disappear'
The former CEO of Syracuse-based SUNY Upstate Medical University reportedly entered into an agreement with the hospital to resign and continue earning his chief executive $660,500 annual salary for one year, according to syracuse.com. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
San Francisco nurses demonstrate at hospital renamed after Mark Zuckerberg
A group of nurses seeks to have the Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center renamed in the wake of recent privacy scandals surrounding Facebook, according to The New York Times. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Kindred, Massachusetts General Hospital to lay off 152 workers
Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare and Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital will lay off 152 workers later this year with the closure of Clark House Nursing Center at Fox Hill Village in Westwood, Mass., which the two organizations jointly own, according to the Boston Business Journal. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Whistle-blower: Steward Health Care restricted referrals, compromised care to keep patients in network
A physician filed a whistle-blower lawsuit against Boston-based Steward Health Care, alleging the health system put significant personal pressure on him and other physicians to refer patients only to Steward hospitals and specialists, according to The Boston Globe. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Ex-employees sue shuttered Texas hospital for abrupt closure
Two former Webster, Texas-based Bay Area Regional Medical Center employees filed a class-action lawsuit against the hospital and its parent company May 7, claiming the institutions violated the law by failing to provide sufficient notice of the hospital's closure, which occured May 10. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Tenet continues leadership shakeup by appointing 2 new board directors
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare announced May 29 the company appointed two new independent directors to its board. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Erlanger CEO sued by physician claiming he ignored discrimination issues for 5 years
A longtime Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System physician filed an amended complaint against President and CEO Kevin Spiegel May 14, claiming Mr. Spiegel and other administrators were aware of discrimination issues at the hospital but did not act, according to the Times Free Press. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Market share trumps operational efficiency for teaching hospitals, study finds
Many hospital leaders focus their time and energy on optimizing operational efficiency, but they may be better served focusing on enhancing their market share as a way to improve financial performance, according to a study published by Taylor & Francis. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
HCA, Geisinger CMOs among MedPAC's new members
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission appointed five new members May 29 and reappointed a current member. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
More executives may face timed, standardized tests in job interviews
Gauging an applicant's preparedness for the rigors of an executive-level position can be difficult, and many firms are turning to standardized competency exams for help, according to The Atlantic. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
6 ways hospitals can improve the workplace for female physicians
With a looming physician shortage and a rising number of women entering medical schools, hospitals will need to plan ways to recruit, hire and engage new physicians — particularly women, according to a report from Jordan Search Consultants. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
5 ways CEOs can improve their chances for success
All CEOs want to lead their organizations to short-term success and long-term sustainability, but there are five key factors that determine a leader's success, according to a new study from the Boston Consulting group. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Best place for interns? Kaiser Permanente, poll shows
Internships offer critical workplace experience for students and those starting their careers, but not all internships are created equal, according to a recent study from job search website Indeed.com. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Physicians at CHI St. Alexius Williston join Bismarck colleagues in call for Fargo leadership change
Physicians at CHI St. Alexius Williston (N.D.) Medical Center have joined colleagues at CHI St. Alexius Bismarck (N.D.) Medical Center in calls for a leadership shakeup in CHI's Fargo Division, according to The Bismarck Tribune. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
What barbershops can teach hospitals about healthcare delivery
Hospitals and providers can learn a thing or two about healthcare delivery from unlikely community sources, Aaron E. Carroll, MD, associate dean for research mentoring at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and a New York Times contributor, writes in a recent op-ed. The first place healthcare officials should look for guidance? Barbershops. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CEO pay, performance rarely align
Though company boards attempt to attract high-performing CEOs with high salaries and hope to determine compensation based on results, the performance of many high-level CEOs does not correlate with their salary, according to The Wall Street Journal. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
40 healthcare companies in the 2018 Fortune 500
Fortune released its 64th annual list of the 500 most profitable American companies May 21, with 40 healthcare companies making the cut. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
5 components of great workplace culture
Organizational leaders may think offering employee perks or flexible work schedules is the key to cultivating a positive workplace culture, but there are actually a number of more fundamental building blocks they must first address, according to the Harvard Business Review. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Healthcare job growth continues; hospitals add 6.2K jobs in May
Healthcare added 28,900 jobs in May, with hospitals contributing 6,200 to that total, according to the latest jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
25 hospitals, health systems among 'America's Best Employers' 2018
Forbes named Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine and Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic among the top U.S. companies in its annual "America's Best Employers" list for 2018. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Supreme Court says employers can force workers to use arbitration: 7 things to know
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of employers May 21 in a case involving workplace arbitration contracts. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
12 healthcare jobs with most growth since 2007
The healthcare industry boasts 12 of the jobs across all industries that saw the most growth from 2007-17, with home health aides having the highest growth rate, according to online job finder platform CareerBuilder. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Nurse awarded $28M in retaliation suit against Brigham and Women's Hospital
A jury awarded a Haitian-American nurse $28 million May 23 in a lawsuit against Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital alleging discrimination and retaliation, according to The Boston Globe. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CIO / HEALTH IT
Cerner fraudster dies in custody hours after conviction
Hours after a federal jury convicted Suresh Mitta for his role in an elaborate fraud scheme that involved selling fake MRI equipment to Dallas Medical Center, he died in U.S. Marshals custody, Dallas News reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
KLAS: Which health IT consulting firms exceed hospitals' expectations?
Fifty-nine percent of provider organizations indicate the IT assessment and strategic planning firm they worked with exceeded their expectations, according to a KLAS Research report released in May. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Meditech posts 4% rise in revenue for Q1 2018: 4 things to know
Meditech filed its earnings results for the first quarter of 2018 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission April 30. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
IBM lays off at least 40 Watson Health employees, reports say
IBM laid off an undisclosed number of employees from its Watson Health group, with at least 40 workers cut from its Cleveland office, according to cleveland.com. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Health IT consulting firm touts success of Mayo Clinic's completed Epic go-live
Mayo Clinic's main campus in Rochester, Minn., successfully completed one of the nation's largest Epic EHR implementations to date, according to a news release emailed to Becker's Hospital Review May 23 by HCI Group, a health IT consulting and technology solutions firm that aided Mayo Clinic in the go-live. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Meet Epic's newly registered lobbying firm, Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas
Epic registered with a new lobbying firm, Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas, according to a disclosure registered in April and reported May 15 by Politico Morning eHealth newsletter. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Nurses rank Cerner No. 1: 7 survey findings on nurses' EHR satisfaction
Nurses ranked Cerner the top inpatient EHR for the third year in a row in Black Book Research's annual nursing satisfaction surveys. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Contractors bash firm hired to help with Mayo's Epic implementation
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic contracted with a health IT consulting firm to provide expert Epic trainers who would help with its massive EHR overhaul. However, a number of the temporary employees have left the project, citing mismanaged assignments, housing troubles and harsh treatment from the firm, HCI Group, according to Minnesota Public Radio. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
DOD's EHR isn't 'operationally suitable,' Pentagon report finds
The Department of Defense hoped to complete its $4.3 billion EHR modernization project by 2022, but an April 30 report evaluating of the system's first pilot sites shows the EHR is "neither operationally effective nor operationally suitable." CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Cerner president blames unnamed competitor for 'fake news' about DOD's EHR rollout
In a shareholders meeting one day after Cerner signed a $10 billion, 10-year deal to be the Veterans Affairs Department's new EHR vendor, Cerner President Zane Burke suggested reports that disparaged its work for the U.S. Defense Department were "fake news" that may have involved "one of our competitors," The Kansas City Star reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
23andMe sues Ancestry.com: 5 things to know
23andMe, the second largest direct-to-consumer genetic testing company, filed a lawsuit against its top competitor in a California federal district court May 11. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
ONC's latest challenge offers $80k prize to making EHR safety reporting easier
The latest challenge from HHS' ONC — dubbed Easy EHR Issue Reporting Challenge — asks developers to build tools that help end users easily report potential health IT safety issues. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Epic, Cerner maintain largest EMR market share among small hospitals
Epic and Cerner dominated the EMR market for small acute-care hospitals in 2017, according to a KLAS Research report released in May. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
VA, Cerner strike $10B, 10-year deal on EHR overhaul
The U.S. Veterans Affairs Department finalized a contract with Cerner May 17, awarding the EHR vendor $10 billion over the next 10 years to put the VA on the same records system as the U.S. Defense Department. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
IBM bans employees from using flash drives, SD cards: 4 things to know
IBM released an advisory to employees worldwide banning the use of removable storage devices, The Register reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
The 4 types of AI Google says it won't develop
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has outlined seven principles guiding the company's work related to artificial intelligence. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
'Stigmatizing' language in EHRs may negatively affect patient care for years
Including nonessential, "stigmatizing" notes in a patient's health record may lead them to receive inadequate care in the future, according to a study out of Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
1 in 3 healthcare organizations have suffered a cyberattack, 1 in 10 paid ransom: 6 things to know
The vast majority (77 percent) of healthcare IT professionals are very concerned about a cyberattack striking their organization, according to a recent survey commissioned by Imperva, a cybersecurity firm. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Physicians were burnt out long before EHRs, according to this 2002 report
Even before EHRs became physicians' No. 1 frustration, physicians were just as burnt out as they are today, according to a comparison of contemporary studies with one from The Kaiser Family Foundation in 2002. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
7k patients file HIPAA violations in the past 5 years: 5 things to know
There have been almost 7,100 patient and employee complaints of HIPAA violations in the past five years, which have forced organizations to change their operations and pay substantial fines, according to an analysis by Health Information Privacy/Security Alert. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Sanford Health to offer genetic tests in primary care clinics
Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health will soon offer a new type of laboratory test at its primary care clinics, according to The Bismarck Tribune. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Data breach may have affected 500k+ patients, LifeBridge Health says
Baltimore, Md.-based LifeBridge Health notified more than 500,000 patients last week that their personal information may have been compromised during a privacy breach in September 2016. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Minnesota mental health facility pays ransom to restore 6.5k patients' data
Rochester, Minn.-based Associates in Psychiatry and Psychology discovered March 31 ts files had been locked with a variant of ransomware that also disabled affected computers' system restore functions and reformatted the network storage device where the practice kept local backups. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Geisinger to integrate DNA sequencing into routine clinical care
Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger plans to extend its genomics efforts beyond research and into routine clinical care, Geisinger President and CEO David T. Feinberg, MD, announced May 6 during the HLTH Conference in Las Vegas. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
For first time, AI beats experienced dermatologists in detecting skin cancer
An international team of researchers say they have developed an artificial intelligence system that diagnoses skin cancer more accurately than trained dermatologists. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Intermountain expands precision genomics DNA test to all providers
Providers across Intermountain Healthcare now have access to RxMatch, the Salt Lake City-based health system's precision genomics service. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Global telemedicine market to hit $48.8B by 2023
The global telemedicine market is expected to experience rapid growth over the next five years, according to a P&S Market Research report. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Emory Healthcare teams up with Australian hospital on remote ICU
Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare will continue to offer its patients remote intensive care unit services as part of a telehealth partnership with Royal Perth Hospital in Australia. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
SamSam strikes Indiana physician practice's computer network
South Bend, Ind.-based Allied Physicians of Michiana is recovering from a May 17 ransomware attack involving the SamSam variant. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
EpicMD launches new mobile platform
EpicMD introduced Carie, a third-generation mobile telehealth platform. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Why Google renamed its research division 'Google AI'
Google rebranded its Google Research division to "Google AI" in a move to reflect the company's growing focus on artificial intelligence research. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CMO / CARE DELIVERY
New York City physician sues former patient for $1M over negative Yelp review
Joon Song, MD, an OB-GYN in New York City, has filed a $1 million lawsuit against a former patient who posted negative reviews of the physician online, according to CBS New York. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CMS gives 213 hospitals 5 stars for patient experience
CMS updated its Hospital Compare website April 25, revealing new HCAHPS summary star ratings for 3,466 hospitals, with 213 hospitals earning five stars, according to a notification from the Advisory Board. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Porter Adventist surgeon calls off spine surgery after discovering dirty instruments
A patient at Denver-based Porter Adventist Hospital says a surgeon halted his spine surgery partway through the procedure after finding an unknown contaminant on several surgical instruments, reports 9News. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Physician assistants organization considers revamping profession's title
Members of the American Academy of Physician Assistants have called on the organization to investigate the feasibility of changing the discipline's professional title, the AAPA said in a statement released May 22. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Direct primary care group files for bankruptcy after abruptly closing clinics
Seattle-based Qliance Medical Group of Washington and Qliance Management filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy May 17, nearly a year after Qliance closed its primary care clinics, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Anesthesiology group files restraining order against Atrium Health, system's new service provider
Charlotte, N.C.-based Southeast Anesthesiology Consultants filed a temporary restraining order and injunction against Charlotte-based Atrium Health and its new anesthesiology provider in North Carolina Business Court May 11, claiming the health system and its new provider are attempting to recruit physicians from SAC. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Kaiser Permanente to invest $2M in gun-violence research
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente will put $2 million toward gun-violence research within the health system, The Washington Post reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
4 ways nurses can fight alarm fatigue
The American Association of Critical Care Nurses recently released a practice alert to help hospitals manage the clinical alarms that notify providers when patients' conditions change. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Inspection report faults Boston Children's for medication errors linked to patient death
In 2017, three patients suffered from medication errors at Boston Children's Hospital, including one patient who waited 14 hours for an antibiotic and later died, according to a state and federal inspection report cited by The Boston Globe. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
FDA greenlights first nonopioid drug for opioid withdrawal
The FDA approved Lucemyra, the first nonopioid treatment for adults managing opioid withdrawal symptoms, the agency announced May 16. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Researchers are working on tech to monitor handwashing in hospitals 24/7
Physicians and computer scientists are installing depth sensors and various monitors in hospital hallways, near patients' bedsides and in operating rooms to monitor staff 24/7 and improve hand hygiene compliance, The Wall Street Journal reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
AAMC: DO school enrollment up 163% since 2002
First-year medical school enrollment has increased 29 percent since the 2002-03 school year, according to a recent report released by the Association of American Medical Colleges. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Congress 'too scared to take on the AMA' in fighting opioid crisis, senator says
As legislators search for ways to curb the opioid crisis, advocates for further restricting the drugs claim the American Medical Association is lobbying against several CDC recommendations and that members of Congress are afraid to take on the lobby, The Daily Beast reports. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Kaiser to invest $200M in community efforts to reduce homelessness
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente is committing up to $200 million to address housing stability, homelessness and other community needs, the health system announced May 18. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Georgia health system to pay $4.1M settlement over thousands of unaccounted opioids
Springfield, Ga.-based Effingham Health System has agreed to pay $4.1 million to resolve allegations that it failed to provide procedures to protect against theft and loss of controlled substances, leading to opioid diversion, according to a statement released from the health system May 16. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Nearly 9 in 10 physicians feel unable to address chronic care patients' needs, study finds
Most primary care physicians said they do not have the necessary time or tools to address the needs of patients with multiple chronic conditions — leaving those patients to face health-related social and behavioral issues alone, according to research conducted by Quest Diagnostics. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
A physician strategy that changed 5 times in 8 years left one health system losing $100M+ annually: 7 ideas to prevent this at your organization
When rationale for hiring physicians is a moving target, health systems find themselves employing seas of physicians with hundreds of millions of dollars in annual losses. The way around this dilemma? Leaders with Navigant Consulting propose a few ideas in Harvard Business Review. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Infection prevention programs may need up to 66% more staffing than current levels
A study, published in American Journal of Infection Control, examines a nonprofit health system's approach at quantifying the actual number of infection preventionists and support staff needed for a successful infection prevention program. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CMS investigating Florida hospital where surgeons left needle in baby's heart
CMS has opened an investigation into St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital days after the state's healthcare agency cited the hospital for not reporting two medical errors in which needles were left in patients' hearts after surgery, according to the Tampa Bay Times. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Why airlines hope physicians aren't on board during medical emergencies
Physicians and other clinicians are called upon to help passengers during in-flight medical emergencies, but airlines often prefer the guidance of on-the-ground consultants in order to avoid diversions, according to Bloomberg. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Report: Majority of physicians trending toward independent, physician-led group practice
While hospital-employed physician rates climbed to 32.6 percent in 2016, physicians are seemingly transitioning back to independent practice — 72 percent of physicians identified as practitioners at independent or physician-led group practices in 2017, according to a recent Black Book Market Research report. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Penn State Health to acquire 112-member cardiology group
Hershey, Pa.-based Penn State Health revealed plans May 3 to acquire Berks Cardiologists, which maintains locations in Wyomissing, Pa., and Pottsville, Pa. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Decline in number of African-American male physicians called a crisis
The proportion of male African-American medical school graduates reached 57 percent in 1986, but the rate had dropped to 35 percent by 2015, according to the science journal Nature. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
What matters most to patients about their primary care physician: 10 findings
Forty-one percent of patients identified the quality of care they receive as the most important factor in selecting a primary care physician, according to recent report by business management and consulting firm McKinsey & Co. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Online physician review websites may be offering distorted data
A study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, found data from online third-party physician review websites may be misleading for patients. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
U of Buffalo medical school reintroduces radiology residency program after 12 years
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved the University of Buffalo (N.Y.) Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences' plan to reintroduce a medical residency program in radiology, according to Buffalo Business First. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
UHS CEO Alan B. Miller on how George Washington influenced his leadership style
When King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services was founded in 1979 by Alan B. Miller, it had six employees and one telephone. Now, thanks to the paramount leadership of Mr. Miller, it has expanded into one of the nation's largest for-profit hospital operators with more than 83,000 employees providing care across 350 behavioral health and acute care facilities. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Innovative care models are new catalysts to transforming healthcare
To keep our communities healthy, the healthcare industry continues to drive toward a value-based system that provides care when, where and how it is needed. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
5 strategies that will define mergers of the future
Mergers are the defining characteristic of the contemporary healthcare landscape, but the mergers of today bear little resemblance to ones in decades past. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
The lone creative CEO in healthcare wants company: Dr. Stephen Klasko on the industry's underrated skill
Stephen Klasko, MD, president and CEO of Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health was the only hospital executive named among Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business for 2018, which he attributes to a fundamental problem in the healthcare leadership pipeline. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Technology is the best prescription for advancing rural care
As urbanization has dramatically altered the demographics of our national landscape, the health and well-being of many rural Americans have suffered significantly from poor access to much-needed care. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Michael Dowling: How a 'Shark Tank' approach can help organizations find the next big healthcare innovation
Every health care organization relies on its senior leaders for ideas that will help set them apart from their competitors, but it's often the people on the front lines of clinical care, research or day-to-day operations who are the true innovators. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Corner Office: Dana-Farber CEO Dr. Laurie Glimcher on the issues facing academic medical centers and the joys of being a physician-scientist
Laurie Glimcher, MD, has dedicated her life to both medial research and clinical care, which uniquely positions her to lead an institution such as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE


The video was reportedly circulated on social media a day after the couple's 12-year wedding anniversary.
First Lady Melania was caught on camera smiling, nodding and clapping at US President Donald Trump's inauguration on 20 January. But, her smile was suddenly wiped off her face when the president turned around, said something to her and then turned away.
"It's my prayer that God will bless you, your family, your administration and may He bless America," North Carolina Rev. Franklin Graham can be heard saying in the video as Trump's third wife beams with joy when he looks over his shoulder at her.
According to New York Daily News, the video was circulated on social media a day after the presidential couple's 12-year wedding anniversary. The video led to a #freeMelania hashtag appearing on social media.
Initially, when the video first started doing the rounds on social media, it was assumed that the clip might have been doctored. But, multiple reports have claimed that the video is indeed authentic as other clips from different angles also show Melania's smile turn into a sad frown when Trump turns away after saying something to her. However, from the video it cannot be made out as to what Trump said to his third wife.
"It really feels like he is holding her hostage," one Twitter user wrote. "She's probably thrilled he's going to be in DC 98% of the time! I would lol" another said.
"He said, 'stop laughing at my hair,'" one user wrote, while another said, "If you're not careful I'll deport your a**."


Jade City is in trouble. Nefarious mastermind The Head Mother has dispatched his minion Memphis Snake to terrorize and wrest control of the struggling metropolis' drug cartel. Meanwhile the mayor is on the take and a vigilante named Retribution is killing off the pushers. Can old school hero Herald M.F. Jones save a city assaulted from all sides by new school havoc and despair? Only Durham's own Howard L. Craft and LG Pig can tell you how it goes down. Dig?
Learn about the story's creation here.


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You are here: Home » Re-Percussions: Our African Odyssey
Re-Percussions: Our African Odyssey
Re-Percussions: Our African Odyssey is the story of the steelpan, which evolved from the drum, which African slaves brought, and is today a completely different orchestral instrument. It was taken by Trinidadians to the Festival of Black Arts in 1977, held in Lagos, Nigeria, when it enthralled a young boy, Bowie Sonie Bowei. He never forgot and 25 years later Bowie has dedicated his lift to propagating the steelpan in Nigeria. But it's not so easy: first he has to learn the difficult craft of making the instrument, and then penetrate the indifference of the society. The solution he opts for is to target the children, but can he succeed?
Re-Percussions will be screening at the Digicel IMAX, Port of Spain from 26th January 2016 until the 4th February 2016. The film will also broadcast on CTV on 27th January 2016 in Trinidad and Tobago.
The DVD of the film is also now available to purchase from our shop, in addtion to PAN! Our Music Odyssey DVD and special edition box set.
With the financial contribution of the European Union (European Development Fund) and the assistance of the ACP Group of States.


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Painting, converting, army-building and other hobby stuff from a nerd in Nottingham.
You could argue that the fairly basic Ashen Circle Marines here don't deserve such a grand quote at the start of their blog post. You might be right!
From a personal perspective, though, I think I've dramatically shifted where I'm standing in the painting of these models. My outlook has changed. I was looking out across an evil land, packed with daemons (in the form of piles of unpainted miniatures) and it felt very intimidating. Could I conquer this challenge, could I slay the daemons? Well, in conquering these 10 models and adding them to the 'Painted in 2018' column, I think I've dramatically shifted my perspective. I don't feel the daemons weighing me down right now - I feel like a painting god!
Well, a minor deity at least! These are the first miniatures I've fully painted since the middle of 2014, you see (I checked, it really has been that long. Ouch!). It's over three years since I've completed a hobby project - a very long time for someone who has been into miniatures for almost 30 years.
Getting these done and finished is a pretty important step for me because of that. I'd started to worry I might not finish painting anything again. Like, ever! And I feared that I might not find it fun if I tried.
I know that these Marines aren't perfect, but I found my way with them. Perhaps more importantly, as I hit the final stages (working with washes, pigments and Tamiya Clear Red and Smoke to add my most precious grime and gore effects) I found the fun in a big way. It was actually a little bit emotional.
A big part of painting a model is that you've gotta believe. Thanks to completing these guys, I really do!
It feels like the mojo's coming back. The training wheels are off, the bike's heading down the hill with some stability. I'm excited for the next project!
I feel you, man. While I've certainly painted the odd model here and there over the past couple of years, it's been quite a while since I did a whole squad of anything. So many unfinished, or unstarted, projects. Half way through a squad of dryads at the mo though, so hopefully 2018 will be more productive.
Your weathering is on point! That dust effect looks great. I tried a similar thing a few years ago with limited results, but your's looks perfect.
AoS28 - Developing a Nurgle horror show!
It's all Heroquest's fault and I've not grown out of it since, despite a lot of people advising me to do so. But, what do they know? They've never superglued their hand to a Hellcannon or chopped down to the bone during a head swap conversion, I've lived those dreams! I mostly paint GW stuff, but I'm a fan of all sorts of ranges and games. This blog is where I'll share all of my hobby adventures. I'll talk about other stuff I do too perhaps, like reading, playing video and board games, cooking, exploring, etc.


Ubisoft and developer Ubisoft Montreal have unveiled a new medieval-themed third-person multiplayer game titled For Honor. The multiplayer-based game involves players battling against each other in medieval-themed arenas with era-appropriate weaponry to match.
Here's your first look at Ubisoft's For Honor!
No release date has been set as of yet, but the game will be hitting PC and consoles with a beta starting somewhere this year.


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La autodeterminación informativa es un derecho fundamental derivado del derecho a la privacidad, que se concreta en la facultad de toda persona para ejercer control sobre la información personal que le concierne, contenida en registros públicos o privados, especialmente -pero no exclusivamente- los almacenados en medios informáticos. El derecho sustantivo a la autodeterminación informativa se ve complementado, en el plano procesal, por el llamado recurso de habeas data.

Regulación por país

América

Argentina
En la República Argentina, está regulado por el artículo 43 de la Constitución, la Ley Nº 25.326 y el Decreto 1558/01.

Chile
En Chile esta materia se regula por la Ley 19.628, sobre protección a la vida privada. A diferencia de España y Argentina, no existe organismo de control para velar por el cumplimiento de esta legislación. Existe un sistema de registro de bases de datos públicas dispuesto por el Decreto 779 del Ministerio de Justicia de Chile, de 11 de noviembre de 2000.

Costa Rica
En Costa Rica, la Ley de Protección de la Persona Frente al Tratamiento de sus Datos Personales (ley n.° 8968), publicada el 5 de septiembre de 2011 en La Gaceta, es la encargada de proteger los datos personales. Además, establece las faltas y sanciones en esta materia.
La Agencia de Protección de Datos de los habitantes (Prodhab), es el órgano adscrito al Ministerio de Justicia y Paz, encargado de velar por el cumplimiento en materia de protección de datos.

México
En México, el INAI es la institución encargada de regular el acceso a la información, con base en la Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de Particulares.

Europa

España
En España está regulado en el artículo 18 de la Constitución Española y desarrollado en la Ley Orgánica 3/2018 de Protección de Datos Personales y garantía de los derechos digitales.

Además, existe un organismo encargado de velar por el cumplimiento de la legislación sobre protección de datos y controlar su aplicación, en especial en lo relativo a los derechos de información, acceso, rectificación, oposición y cancelación de datos. Este organismo es la Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD), un Ente de Derecho Público con personalidad jurídica propia y plena capacidad pública y privada, adscrito al Ministerio de Justicia, pero que actúa con independencia de las Administraciones Públicas en el ejercicio de sus funciones. En la web de la AEPD, , puede consultarse la normativa vigente, las sentencias de los tribunales, las resoluciones e informes de la Agencia, y demás documentos de interés en la materia, los ficheros inscritos, etc.

Esta normativa ha de acompasarse con la Ley de Transparencia y la existencia del Consejo de Transparencia y Buen Gobierno.

Véase también
Derecho informático
Ley Orgánica de Protección de Datos de Carácter Personal de España

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Blog "Datos Personales: Privacidad y Protección"
Foro de Habeas Data - habeasdata.org
Protección de datos personales en Chile
 Revista latinoamericana de Protección de Datos Personales

Derechos humanos
Derecho informático

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home All issues Volume 629 (September 2019) A&A, 629 (2019) A147 Abstract
Volume 629, September 2019
Stellar atmospheres
Multi-waveband detection of quasi-periodic pulsations in a stellar flare on EK Draconis observed by XMM-Newton
A.-M. Broomhall1,2,3, A. E. L. Thomas4,1, C. E. Pugh1,3, J. P. Pye5 and S. R. Rosen5,6
1 Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
2 Institute of Advanced Study, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7HS, UK
3 Centre for Habitability, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7HS, UK
e-mail: a-m.broomhall@warwick.ac.uk
4 School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
5 University of Leicester, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
6 XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre, ESA, Villafranca del Castillo, Apartado 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain
Accepted: 8 August 2019
Context. Quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) are time variations in the energy emission during a flare that are observed on both the Sun and other stars and thus have the potential to link the physics of solar and stellar flares.
Aims. We characterise the QPPs detected in an X-ray flare on the solar analogue, EK Draconis, which was observed by XMM-Newton.
Methods. We used wavelet and autocorrelation techniques to identify the QPPs in a detrended version of the flare. We also fitted a model to the flare based on an exponential decay combined with a decaying sinusoid. The flare is examined in multiple energy bands.
Results. A statistically significant QPP is observed in the X-ray energy band of 0.2–12.0 keV with a periodicity of 76 ± 2 min. When this energy band is split, a statistically significant QPP is observed in the low-energy band (0.2–1.0 keV) with a periodicity of 73 ± 2 min and in the high-energy band (1.0–12.0 keV) with a periodicity of 82 ± 2 min. When fitting a model to the time series the phases of the signals are also found to be significantly different in the two energy bands (with a difference of 1.8 ± 0.2 rad) and the high-energy band is found to lead the low-energy band. Furthermore, the first peak in the cross-correlation between the detrended residuals of the low- and high-energy bands is offset from zero by more than 3σ (4.1 ± 1.3 min). Both energy bands produce statistically significant regions in the wavelet spectrum, whose periods are consistent with those listed above. However, the peaks are broad in both the wavelet and global power spectra, with the wavelet showing evidence for a drift in period with time, and the difference in period obtained is not significant. The offset in the first peak in the cross-correlation of the detrended residuals of two non-congruent energy bands (0.5−1.0 keV and 4.5−12.0 keV) is found to be even larger (10 ± 2 min). However, the signal-to-noise in the higher of these two energy-bands, covering the range 4.5−12.0 keV, is low.
Conclusions. The presence of QPPs similar to those observed on the Sun, and other stars, suggests that the physics of flares on this young solar analogue is similar to the physics of solar flares. It is possible that the differences in the QPPs detected in the two energy bands are seen because each band observes a different plasma structure. However, the phase difference, which differs more significantly between the two energy bands than the period, could also be explained in terms of the Neupert effect. This suggests that QPPs are caused by the modulation of the propagation speeds of charged particles.
Key words: methods: data analysis / stars: activity / stars: flare / stars: solar-type / X-rays: stars
© ESO 2019
Significance testing for quasi-periodic pulsations in solar and stellar flares
Properties of quasi-periodic pulsations in solar flares from a single active region
The origin of quasi-periodicities during circular ribbon flares
Multi-mode quasi-periodic pulsations in a solar flare
Double peak quasi-periodic pulsations in a circular-ribbon flare


On January 2, 1951, WWII Veteran Donald Grantham founded Grantham University to provide war veterans with an opportunity to continue their education in an affordable and flexible way. Sixty-six years later, Donald Grantham's legacy continues. Higher education has changed significantly since 1951, and Grantham has embraced the change.
We decided to chat with Robert Kelchen, an expert in higher education policy and author of the Kelchen on Education blog, to share his thoughts on some of these changes.
Grantham University: What are some of the major changes we have seen in higher education?
Robert Kelchen: In the last several decades, there have been several major changes in higher education. The first big change is an increasingly diverse student body. The "traditional" college student, who moves away from home right after high school to attend college, is increasingly in the minority as more students return to college as adults, attend multiple colleges or take classes on a part-time basis. Students now have the ability to attend classes during weekends, evenings and online on their schedule.
GU: What has been the cause or motivators behind these changes?
RK: Some kind of postsecondary education is becoming mandatory for adults who want a good chance at a middle-class lifestyle. Forty or fifty years ago, young adults could get a solid job without going to college, but that is no longer the case for many people. This has helped contribute to the growth in college enrollment over the past few decades.
GU: Is there a shift from a traditional brick-and-mortar education to online learning?
RK: There has been a slow shift from traditional education to online education … about half of all students take at least one class online, even though most students still take at least one in-person class as well.
GU: What are your thoughts about the reported decrease in overall student enrollment in America?
RK: College enrollments, particularly among adult students, have fallen off over the past few years after spiking during the Great Recession. When the job market improves, more adults choose to work instead of going back to school. That is what is happening right now.
GU: What are some ways to potentially stop this downward trend?
RK: Making higher education more flexible could help reduce this downward trend, although it is unlikely to fully stop it. If students can proceed at their own pace, they may be willing to balance work and school where that may be more difficult in a traditional program.
GU: Is there a benefit to focused degree programs instead of an education that requires general liberal arts courses?
RK: Focused degree programs come with both pros and cons. These programs can help get students into the labor market faster with skills that employers want right now. However, focused programs may not help students gain the critical thinking or analytic skills for their next several jobs or for moving up the ladder.
GU: In what direction do you think higher education is headed?
RK: Most colleges will keep working to make higher education more flexible for students. The idea of competency-based education, in which students can move at their own pace instead of the traditional semester schedule, is becoming more common. Students will also bundle credits from a growing number of colleges or other sources to make up a degree.
As a leader in online and military-friendly education, Grantham demonstrates that a digital platform can cultivate a community that values the betterment of each student's life through education and service. A flexible course schedule and an abundance of readily available online resources allows students to complete their education at their own pace. For the busy adult learner, this is incredibly important.


Sheffield is the perfect place to go canoeing or kayaking. Rivers, canals and lakes around the city are all easily accessible and offer a whole range of different opportunities to get out on the water.
Don't worry if you have no previous paddling experience: help is at hand in the form of canoe clubs and centres, which can offer sessions with fully qualified coaches. These venues will also be able to provide you with all the specialist kit you need to get you on the water safely. As well as their main outdoor venues, most clubs will also have access to swimming pool sessions as well, allowing you to practice your skills when it might be a bit too cold to do so outdoors.
Based on the River Don at Oughtibridge and Hillsborough Leisure Centre.
Based on River Don at Kelham Island and Upperthorpe Healthy Living Centre.
Based at Crookes Valley Park Lake and Goodwin Sports Centre.
Based on the River Don at Oughtibridge (Wednesdays) and King Edward's, Clarkehouse Rd.
And if you have your own equipment, you have a whole world of opportunities available to you. Canoes and kayaks are easily transportable on almost any vehicle, so you can explore waterways all over the country. There is even a dedicated circular canoe trail through the city centre on the River Don and Sheffield Tinsley Canal.
There are also opportunities to try different competitive disciplines of the sport in Sheffield. Sheffield Canoe Club have a canoe slalom course set up at their base on the River Don at Oughtibridge where as well as training regularly they even host regional and national competitions. Both university canoe clubs are extremely strong in the fast and exciting team sport of canoe polo and there is a proud history of this sport in the city as the first ever Canoe Polo World Championships were held at Ponds Forge in 1994.
So what are you waiting for? Explore The Outdoor City's waterways.


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St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Bachelor of Business Economics B.A
Statement of Intent, reference letter, Detailed CV, Academic transcripts,
Sep Jan May
Min IELTS overall: 6.5 (Min Reading: 6.0, Min Writing: 6.0, Min Listening: 6.0, Min Speaking: 6.0)
26,442 CAD
Aug Sep Jan
Brock University has committed over $4,000,000 to our awards programs for 2018-19. International students pursuing undergraduate studies at Brock are eligible to receive awards and are subject to international tuition rates.
Business economists provide analyses and recommendations to policy makers in both the private and public sectors. The program seeks to develop the skills and knowledge required for such tasks. Possible fields of employment include financial analysis, market research and managerial positions in the private and public sectors.
Business Economics offers a four-year program of study leading to an Honours BBE degree designed for students who wish to combine the study of economics and business. There are two streams: Financial Economics for those who wish to combine economics with finance and Consumer Economics for those who wish to combine economics with marketing. Students must declare their stream by the end of Year 2.
The Business Economics Co-op program combines academic and work terms over a period of four and one-half academic years. Students spend two years in an academic setting studying the functional areas of business economics prior to taking the first work placement. In addition to the current fees for courses in academic study terms, students are assessed an annual administrative fee (see the Schedule of Fees).
Brock University is one of Canada's top post-secondary institutions. Located in historic Niagara region, Brock offers all the benefits of a young and modern university in a safe, community-minded city with beautiful natural surroundings.
With more than 19,000 students in seven diverse Faculties, Brock University offers an academic experience that's second to none. Our degree programs are designed with your future in mind. We focus on your career with co-op and service learning options that provide maximum exposure to your chosen field of study.
Brock University is located in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula, home of natural beauty, amazing history, and world-famous attractions. Explore and enjoy wine country, arts, sports, recreational trails, festivals and more, only an hour from Toronto and just across the border from Buffalo.
In the late 1950s, there was growing public discussion about how Niagara should have its own university. Its residents wanted young people to get a good education without having to leave the area.
The grassroots sentiment became a movement when, in November 1957, the Allanburg Women's Institute asked the Ontario government to "favourably consider the placing of a university in the Niagara Peninsula."
Momentum grew. By fall 1962, the Brock Founders Committee was incorporated. It received approval to create a new university, then developed an administrative and academic plan. Then it began raising money.
After years of meetings and fundraising, Brock opened in September 1964. It had 127 students who attended class in a refurbished refrigeration factory at the foot of the Niagara Escarpment in St. Catharines. In 1966, the landmark Schmon Tower was completed, and faculties began moving "up the hill" to the University's permanent home atop the Niagara Escarpment.
For the next 30 years, Brock sent thousands of graduates on to successful careers. It built a name for its personal quality of teaching afforded by attentive faculty and controlled class sizes. As the new millennium dawned, enrolment soared. Brock transformed from an undergraduate institute to a comprehensive university with flourishing research, graduate and doctoral programs.
The campus steadily expanded to keep pace with the demand for a Brock education. It's a pattern that continues with the construction of world-class research labs, a landmark fine arts complex and an international centre.
Brock serves its community as a cultural, academic and recreational centre, bringing excellent facilities to the people who created the University all those years ago. We are committed to building our community and to fostering an environment that serves students and neighbours.
HSC with minimum 75% or GPA 3.75 or above From Science or Business background
Complete Higher Secondary education with minimum 75% From Science or Business background
A-Levels with overall 75%. Grade 12 Advanced Maths with minimum grade of 65%


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How Much Longer Will Baseball Stadiums Be For Baseball Fans?
Ginny Searle
Filed to:fans
Photo: Jim McIsaac (Getty)
MLB's attendance, you might have heard, was down last year, around four percent by season's end. The league's front office, represented by anthropomorphized wet blanket Rob Manfred, has operated under the assumption that pace of play is the issue, arguing that "putting the best entertainment product on the field" would bring attendance back up. There are of course other ways to explain such a drop in attendance, but those are topics Manfred doesn't really want to broach in public. One issue is that more teams than ever are more willing than ever to put a non-competitive product on the field. Another is that MLB teams across the country have ensured that the actual experience of attending a baseball game is increasingly laden with hassle and expense.
The most recent example of a team squeezing fans from every angle possible can be found in the Washington Nationals' bag ban. Joining in the American tradition of impeding ease of access to public spaces through feckless security theater, the Nats announced that backpacks will no longer be allowed in the stadium. "The bag policy was created for the safety of all our guests," explained the team in a statement, ignoring the fact that there is scant evidence that such security measures actually make anyone safer. What is certain, though, is that the Nats' bag ban will inconvenience fans while separating them from more of their money.
The Nationals waited more than a month after announcing the ban to reveal that they had partnered with D.C-based startup Binbox to "make 500 medium- and large-sized storage lockers available" in which to store bags that won't be allowed in the stadium. Binbox, in the laudable startup tradition of providing an already existing service but in a more complicated and expensive fashion, offers a baffling pricing scheme of "$2 per hour, charged in six-minute increments." Also, payments have to be processed through an app called Stripe, so now fans can look forward to downloading a useless app they'll never otherwise need and stressing out over each pitching change that threatens to extend the game by another six minutes. Dumber still is the fact that, according to the Washington Post, backpacks will need to be searched by a security staffer before they can be placed in the Binbox, which should make you wonder why a bag that's been deemed safe by security is somehow still too dangerous to bring into the stadium.
The Nationals' bag ban may not seem like a huge deal on its own—the Cardinals quietly implemented a similar rule in 2017, after all—but the cash grab here is brazen, and it's just the latest in a slew of developments that promise to make MLB stadiums less hospitable to the very fans they are meant to entertain.
The average cost of an MLB ticket rose to $32.99 in 2019, a 48-percent increase since 2006, far outstripping the 25.4-percent inflation rate over the same period. The Dodgers, after charging $60 for gate parking during the World Series last year, hiked in-season gate rates to start at $25. The Nationals, in addition to the bag ban, do not offer a parking option cheaper than $20, and that one is four-fifths of a mile from the stadium—it will cost $48 to park in one of the lots directly across from Nationals Park, plus a $6 fee to purchase either pass online. Third-party parking options exist, but most involve walking distances that are simply unfeasible for many, particularly families. Meanwhile, stadium concession prices have risen to insulting levels, even considering the minuscule decrease to the average cost for a beer ($5.97), hot dog ($4.95), and soda ($4.60) in the 2019 season, per Team Marketing Report.
The use of personal seat licenses (PSLs), a nasty practice pioneered by the NFL wherein a fan pays a fee for the privilege of then purchasing season tickets, has also been quietly implemented by the Diamondbacks, Twins, Padres, Giants, and Cardinals in recent years. Fan derision kept the Rangers from instituting PSLs at their new ballpark that will be opening next year, but there was no saving them from a heavy increase in season ticket prices. One 25-year season ticket holder told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that his per-game ticket price will be increasing from $25 to $200 when the new stadium opens.
Teams love to talk about how new and renovated stadiums will greatly improve the fan experience, but the primary purpose of such improvements is always to extract more money from fans. Each new season brings another set of teams adding premium fan clubs to their stadiums, which are enclosed spaces separated from the regular concourses and seating areas that are only accessible to fans who have purchased a certain tier of ticket. These areas, which teams can sell the lucrative naming rights to, are meant to offer fans an elevated experience, complete with fine-dining options and craft cocktails. The Chicago Cubs are set to open three such clubs this season, and the Indians are set to complete renovations on their stadium (in part funded with $2.9 million of public funds collected from a "sin tax" on alcohol and cigarettes for repairs to Progressive Field), which include a luxury "Club Lounge" only accessible to season ticket holders, who will pay at least $62.75 per game for the privilege of watching the game on "two arrays of nine 75-inch TVs."
Perhaps there are fans out there who want to go to a baseball game and spend the afternoon watching the game in a replacement-level sports bar while munching on a $15 bison burger or easy-bake dessert, but the more obvious answer to the question of why these clubs are becoming so prevalent is that they allow teams to bake higher costs into ticket prices. For example, let's say you buy a ticket to see the Mets play at their home stadium. You may not even realize until reading the fine print that your $65.00 ticket includes access to the Foxwoods Club. You never really asked for or wanted access to the Foxwoods Club, but now you have it, and so in the fourth inning you decide to walk over and see what it's about. What you will find is a large room that that looks like an airport bar and contains all the charm of a mall food court. You'll be able to buy sushi in there, which you can enjoy while watching the Mets lose on a television screen affixed to a pole near one of the trash cans. If you're disappointed by the concessions offered in this exclusive and luxurious sector of the stadium, it's probably because the Mets' executive chef is busy brainstorming their latest batch of disgusting and overpriced stunt food, which won't be designed to be enjoyed by fans, but to be talked about and promoted by shills in the media. Eventually, you'll return to your seat, forced to wonder if a brief trip to the Foxwoods Club was worth the increase in the ticket price that you probably didn't even realize you were paying.
If onerous security measures, overpriced tickets, and mediocre in-stadium sports bars presently define the experience of going to a baseball game, then the Rays are ready to show us yet another inconvenience that may help define the future. The Rays announced earlier this year that their stadium will be going completely cashless this season. Arguments for doing so tend to be forwarded on the premise that it makes purchasing items inside the stadium more secure, faster, and easier for customers. Rays Vice President of Strategy and Development, William Walsh, argued the change "will increase speed of service and reduce lines throughout the ballpark." Even if we accept that the angry beep of the card reader and fumbling movements of newly-minted Apple Pay users will make lines move faster, it's impossible to ignore the piece of the plan that comes dangerously close to straight-up scamming. Fans who still want to be able to use cash inside the stadium will have to use their dollars to purchase a Rays gift card, available in $10 or $20 increments only. This is a policy that near-expressly indicates a hope on management's behalf that fans will either leave a balance on their card and have to come back to use it again, or scramble to spend extra money that they hadn't originally planned on spending as the game comes to an end.
An article in Venues Now, which includes numerous quotes from Walsh, posits two factors beyond transaction speed that may have played a role in the Rays' decision: going cashless "also reduces employee theft, according to teams and vendors" (the article gives no proof for this bold claim), and "digital technology enables teams and concessionaires to gain more information about their customers to improve their experience and generate incremental revenue through upsells and promotions." The promise of shorter concession lines is a great selling point to pitch to fans, but just as is the case with the proliferation of premium clubs, the real motivations behind the change have little to do with making fans happier. The Rays want their fans to spend more money while thinking less about how much they are spending, and they want the data necessary to upsell them in the future. It seems the practice will catch on: The home arena of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC announced and adopted the policy shortly after the Rays did, and now the Mariners will have "cashless pay points" throughout their newly branded park this season.
These sorts of changes and additions to the gameday experience may not be things that will routinely ruin anyone's day at the ballpark, but they each exist as points in the same constellation that, when examined in its totality, reveals the overall experience of going to an MLB game to have been getting increasingly and subtly worse. Let's imagine a family of four trying to go to a baseball game a few years from now. Opening Day, 2021: four tickets cost $132 on average in 2019, so let's say this family paid $150 per ticket. Kids have little legs, so they will need to park close: add another $50. After struggling to bring up their e-tickets on a single phone at the gate (the team recently phased out all paper tickets), our family will be informed their backpack is a no-go, and they'll have to spend $20 to rent a Binbox. Finally, after making it into the stadium, it's time to buy food. Hot dogs and peanuts for four, plus beer and sodas for two each will likely crest $40, and that's assuming the parents are okay with cans of cheap frat-party beer. (For a pour of the local microbrew, it will be more like $15 each. We'll say the conscientious parents share one.) Our imagined family had better have their credit card, too, or else they'll need to load their cash onto a gift card before buying anything in the stadium. Maybe they will be lucky enough to have access to the State Farm-Geico Rewards Club, which the e-ticketing app will remind them of along with directions to the team store. After meandering through the State Farm-Geico Rewards Club so as not to feel like they have missed out on any perks available to them, the parents limit their children to the choice of one $25 stunt food to split. When our family returns to their seats with their Mac and Cheese Pizza Nachos just after missing a home run, they will have already spent a small fortune. If they decide not to attend another game for the rest of the season, it's unlikely that pace of play will be a determining factor.
Ichiro Forever
Does MLB Care If No One Cares?
Let's Check In To See How Some MLB Teams Are Treating Their Minor-League Players


With a population of less than 200, you wouldn't think that Crown King, AZ, would be much of a tourist destination. However, with its unique prospecting- town past and current ghost-town status, it has a unique draw to Arizona visitors as well as our staff here at Sand Highway RV Rentals. Here's why.
In the late 1800s, Crown King became a settlement for prospectors looking to hit it rich mining. Several profitable mines were opened, with more than $2 million in gold extracted. However, prospectors found trouble in trying to get their loot through the mountains. Prospector turned on prospector, and soon enough the town dried up.
Today, you can still visit the ol' General Store that's been standing there since 1904. Grab yourself a snack, or go spend some time at the local Ora Belle Saloon. If you've never been to an authentic ghost town with a unique history, we recommend that you visit at least once.
However, we do offer a word of caution: The roads to Crown King are pretty rough. Local authorities recommend "four wheel drive, high-clearance vehicles to get into town." Many visitors also choose to drive an ATV.
Crown King has become a mecca for many off-road enthusiasts visiting the Sonoran Desert or Prescott National Forest. In case you'd like to enjoy some off-road pursuits while in the area, Sand Highway RV Rentals can hook you up with a UTV or ATV. You can enjoy exploring this unique terrain right outside Phoenix. While you may or may not choose to stay in or near Crown King, you'll at least need to plan a day trip to check out the local sites.
Want to know more about Crown King or our ATV rentals? Contact our staff here at Sand Highway anytime at (602) 730-4505, or you can book online at your convenience. Sand Highway RV Rentals is located in Sun City, AZ, conveniently located for anyone in the greater Phoenix area.