Northside Hospital, Gwinnett Medical Merger May Cost Patients
90.1 WABE (Atlanta NPR) – Sept. 14
Northside Hospital in Sandy Springs, Georgia, is planning to merge with Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Lee Echols, a spokesman with Northside, says the merger is not about becoming a bigger system. He says the hospitals want to offer patients more options and create more jobs. “The cost of care is affected by many factors, but we believe that combining the strengths of Northside and Gwinnett Medical will ultimately be of great benefit to patients and their families,” Echols says. University of Alabama economics professor Kevin Pflum says there has been a big increase in hospital mergers over the last two decades ─ and especially in the last five years. “There’s always this long-term struggle between insurers to figure out how to enhance their market power, and this is just another outcome of that struggle to enhance their bottom-line,” Pflum says.
What People Earn: 10 Birmingham jobs that are getting the shaft
Birmingham Business Journal – Sept. 14
In our most recent Cover Story, the BBJ took an in-depth look at pay in Birmingham for hundreds of jobs. One of the most interesting stats we uncovered is which jobs earn considerably more – or less – than the national average for their fields. So, who’s getting the shaft in Birmingham? According to the data, it’s lawmakers and teachers. Samuel Addy, director and research economist at the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama, told the BBJ that the quality of these fields in Alabama is a direct result of low funding. “With these fields, you get what you pay for,” Addy said. “With politicians – like with education – it just shows how the state values these workers.”
Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame to honor three new members
Crimson White – Sept. 15
The Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame will honor three new members on October 2 at 11:30 a.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel. Edith Fraser, John Houston and Harriett Means will join a list of individuals who dedicated their lives to social work and developing communities for the betterment of others. Houston and Means are both alumni of the University, earning a masters and Ph.D., respectively. Fraser is a former professor at Alabama A&M University. “It’s an honor, and quite frankly, a surprise too,” Houston said. “I didn’t expect it. I spent 40 some-odd years in the field, and I guess I was like, you’ve done your thing you can go on and retire.” All the honorees have done extensive work in their field. Houston served as the commissioner for the Alabama Department of Mental Health from 2005-2011 and advocated for Child Protective Services for many years. Fraser, in addition to being a professor at Alabama A&M and Oakwood University, is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers and has presented on a variety of social issues such as domestic violence, child abuse and AIDS.
Maryland father to bicycle to UA to watch a football game for his deceased daughter
WMGT-NBC (Macon, Ga.) – Sept. 15
A Maryland father won’t get to see his daughter graduate. She died last year from skin cancer. He’s bicycling across the southeast to raise awareness of this growing disease. Rocky Wagonhurst is riding with his daughter Claire. She battled cancer for three years. Eventually it moved to her brain. Claire died last October during her senior year of high school, just days after she learned she was accepted to Georgia Southern University and the University of Alabama to study interior design. He’s taking the 630 mile ride from Charleston, SC where Claire hoped to own an interior design business to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where Rocky promised to go to a football game with his daughter. Rocky’s last stop is in Tuscaloosa, so the family can watch the Alabama versus Ole Miss football game.