In This Issue In or Out? "Outsourcing services is not a luxury for IDNs," says Tom Strudl, director of resource control, Nebraska Medica Center (Omaha, Neb.). It's a smart business move, "Anyone can make anything [he] wants." Read More... Spending the Right Way Tomi Ryba has served as chief operating officer of UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, Calif., since 2002, when she joined the hospital system. Her responsibilities include overseeing the ambulatory area (which attends to 750,000 visits each year), clinical support services, human resources and all service lines. Read More... Trust-Worthy People often associate trust funds exclusively with the ultra-wealthy. However, a well designed and properly funded trust can be an effective financial tool for many, no matter the size of an investor's estate. Read More... Surveying the Field With the presidential primary election approaching, it may be useful to examine what the leading contenders have to say about healthcare. This article will examine the reform proposals of a leading Democratic candidate - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. In a future article, we will look at the proposals of a leading Republican candidate. Read More... In the Loop It was the dead of winter in the middle of a very cold snap. As we approached departure time, judging by all the activity outside the plane, we weren't likely to leave on time. In a few minutes the captain announced, "You can see a lot of activity on our left wing. This is a maintenance crew trying to replace a defective fuel pump. Read More... Healthcare News and Notes We cover several Healthcare stories and reports. Read More... Major Market Spotlight We review the Hartford, C.T. MSA, including geographical coverage, population demographics, top IDNs, hospitals, Long Term Care / Skilled Nursing, and news. Read More... Operating News We summarize 27 news articles regarding hospital operations. Read More...