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Healthcare lawsuits and settlements made major headlines in 2017. Becker's Hospital Review published an article shedding light on 11 noteworthy lawsuits and settlements from last year. From a former head of IT accused of stealing $800k from California health clinics, to prosecutors charging four physicians in a $146 million healthcare fraud scheme, lawsuits and settlements were a huge industry storyline across the U.S. The litigation frequency should alarm hospital leaders who don't have systems in place that log activity to ensure compliance.
More key trends from 2017, as we ring in the new year. Forbes released an article highlighting the three biggest healthcare stories of 2017, selected for their social, political and business impact -- and their potential to drive future change. One of the biggest stories of 2017 was major-merger volume. Anthem and Cigna, UnitedHealth's multiple acquisitions, and the massive proposed purchase of Aetna by CVS, which will change the care delivery landscape. Think you can guess the other two trends?
Bitcoin continues to make hospital executives wary. Early in 2016, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles paid $17,000 in bitcoin to hackers to regain access to its IT systems. Also, in the middle of 2017, hackers demanded $300 in bitcoin from every organization hit by the WannaCry ransomware. Modern HealthCare reveals the continuous worry of Bitcoin in the healthcare industry -- and whether hospitals should be using it at all.