Today's Healthcare Buzz: Caretaker Robots, Outsourcing Updates and More

By Angela Atkinson Posted October 26, 2011 07:00 Comments

Here’s your daily dose of healthcare news buzz from around the web, brought to you by Scrubs & Suits.

In case you missed it:

Yesterday, we reported on how organized crime might be partially to blame for drug shortages in the United States. Apparently, pharmaceutical thefts are more profitable than even bank robberies. Click here to get the full story.

In other healthcare news:

Tech Crunch blogger Serkan Toto reports on a cute little healthcare robot called RIBA II. He’s even got a video of the little guy in action. RIBA II is a Japanese “caretaker” robot which is able to lift people off the floor and onto a bed. Click here to learn more.
A Wake Forest University School of Law blogger reports that Blue Cross CEO Brad Wilson believes that the new healthcare reform law provides broader access to healthcare services, but it doesn’t reduce cost. Click here to find out why Wilson says that the US pays more attention to healthcare than any other nation, but gets less in return.
Jane Dudley covers an update on the healthcare appeals process in Virginia over at Bearing Drift. Dudley shares a letter from Virginia’s Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli, that explains where the appeals stand and what might be coming next. Click here to read the letter.
At The Customer Collective, Matt Smith talks about outsourcing and how it affects various industries, including healthcare. Smith says that while tech companies are holding off on hiring because of economic fears, the healthcare sector is moving toward building IT teams and in some cases reversing course on IT outsourcing strategies. Click here to get the full scoop.
Over at Big Gov Care, blogger James Vicini discusses the Obama healthcare law and the issues that are pending before the Supreme Court. Click here to get details and Vicini’s take on the subject.