Health

HEALTH • Fall 2016 5 for annual breast cancer screening for all women over age 40, and for high-risk women starting at age 25. Cigna changed its policy based on recent guidance from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, according to a release from Marlborough's Hologic. UMass Memorial region's most profitable hospital in 2015 WORCESTER — All but two of the acute-care hospitals in Central Massachusetts were profitable last year, pushing the overall margin for the region to fourth best out of the seven regions in the state, according to a report by the Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis. Athol Hospital and UMass Memorial-Clinton Hospital were the only in the region to lose money for the year, according to the report. This was a strong showing for Central Massachusetts in light of an overall decline statewide. In the region, UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, with $60 mil- lion (total margin 3.91 percent) turned the highest profit. UMass Memorial first to offer new imaging technology WORCESTER — UMass Memorial Medical Center became the first hos- pital in the nation to receive a porta- ble X-ray machine for arms and legs that locks in place and uses lower doses of radiation than a traditional machine. The $80,000 X-ray's dual flat panel monitors with high-resolu- tion imaging technology allows sur- geons to look at small bones in much greater detail, making it easier to spot things like small fractures or tumors. It will be used by orthopedic and emergency physicians and sur- geons. AG's office cracks down on unlicensed Framingham clinic FRAMINGHAM — Two Florida companies have been ordered to pay $17 million for deceptively market- ing and billing for medications and services at an unlicensed medical clinic in Framingham, Attorney Hospitals cite progress on costs The Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA) said health care spending in the Commonwealth is headed in the right direction follow- ing a report in September measuring total health care expenditures. According to the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA), spending increased 3.9 percent in 2015, exceeding a cost control bench- mark of 3.6 percent set by the 2012 state cost containment law, but down from a growth rate of 4.2 percent in 2014. Decreased spending growth is a sign that hospitals are making progress on controlling costs by switching to new care delivery and payment models, according the MHA, which noted that growth in total medical expenses from hospital inpatient and physician services - 1.5 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively - was significantly lower than the growth in overall medical expenses statewide. MetroWest Medical, Beth Israel partnership approved A clinical affiliation agreement between Framingham-based MetroWest Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston was unanimously approved by the state Health Policy Commission in September. The two organizations will work together to enhance services including primary care, oncology, surgery and obstetrics and gynecology, according to the hospitals. The two hospital networks will also link medical record systems. According to Beth Israel president and CEO Jeffrey Hulbert, the Health Policy Commission's cost and impact review found the affiliation has the potential to improve health care delivery, access and quality. The agreement also covers the Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel, which includes more than 1,200 Harvard Medical School faculty members. UMass exploring Clinton, Leominster hospitals merger WORCESTER — UMass Memorial Health Care, the region's largest health system, said it is exploring a potential merger between its two { Health Care Briefs } hospitals in North Central Massachusetts, with the announce- ment coming after one of those hos- pitals experienced $1.2 million in losses last year. Debora Spano, a UMass Memorial spokeswoman, said that the health system is exploring a merger between UMass Memorial - HealthAlliance Hospital in Leominster and UMass Memorial - Clinton Hospital in Clinton that would capitalize on growth at HealthAlliance Hospital and on Clinton Hospital's convenient access to care and high rates of patient sat- isfaction. Cigna first U.S. insurer to cover Hologic's 3-D breast exam MARLBOROUGH — Hologic's 3-D mammography exam will now be covered for all of Cigna's mem- bers, making it the first national insurer to cover the procedure. The insurer will now cover the procedure Continued on Page 6 New England Center for Children opens $11M autism center The New England Center for Children, a renowned autism education and treatment center in Southborough, celebrated the opening of a 33,000-square-foot addition in September. The three-story building on the westbound side of Route 9 will house research, professional development and technology for the center, allowing it to continue to train its workforce, improve its technology and develop best practices. Funded by a capital campaign, the new building is named the John and Diane Kim Autism Institute, after the lead donors of the project. P H O T O / N A T H A N F I S K E

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