Ellen Jean Hirst

Genetic testing surge brings some answers, more questions

June 15, 2018 at 10:39 p.m.

As Sivan Schondorf walked into her geneticist's office she immediately noticed her sympathetic smile, a warning sign the prognosis wasn't good. "We're going to tell you right away that you're...

Hospitals and insurance companies aren't meeting consumer expectations when it comes to billing, according to a study released Thursday.

Health care billing not meeting consumer expectations

June 16, 2018 at 10:46 p.m.

As consumers increasingly pay out of pocket for health care, hospitals and insurance companies aren't meeting consumer expectations when it comes to billing, according to a study released Thursday. The...

Abbott’s pregnancy test for emergencies wins U.S. approval

June 17, 2018 at 9:06 a.m.

Abbott Laboratories has received regulatory approval for a hand-held blood-based pregnancy test to be used during emergencies, the company said Thursday. The test, approved by the FDA last week, is...

Hospira earnings rise 11 percent with Pfizer deal pending

June 16, 2018 at 10:53 p.m.

Injectable drugs company Hospira reported first-quarter 2015 results Tuesday that beat expectations. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer offered to buy the Lake Forest company in February for about $15.23 billion. Here's a...

Harmful bacteria, antibiotics found in frozen shrimp

April 6, 2019 at 12:06 a.m.

Random tests of frozen shrimp collected from around the country showed harmful bacteria, the nonprofit consumer advocacy group Consumer Reports said Monday. Sixty percent of the raw samples tested positive...

Abbott's earnings per share grew to $1.51 for the first quarter of 2015.

Abbott first quarter earnings boosted to $2.29B by divestitures

June 16, 2018 at 12:39 a.m.

Health care products and pharmaceuticals company Abbott Laboratories reported first-quarter 2015 results Wednesday marked by two big sales that boosted earnings while beating sales growth. A snapshot of the quarter,...

Illinois Hospital Association, Metro Chicago Healthcare Council to merge

June 16, 2018 at 12:17 a.m.

The Illinois Hospital Association said Wednesday it plans to merge with the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, a hospital advocacy group. The two groups' memberships largely overlap. The merger will combine...

In his last year as head of Walgreen, Greg Wasson received compensation totaling $16.73 million.

Walgreen’s former CEO got 23 percent hike in compensation in final year

June 16, 2018 at 1:03 a.m.

In his final year as CEO of Walgreen, Greg Wasson reaped total compensation of $16.73 million, $3.08 million more than in 2013. Most of the 23 percent increase came in...

Jackson Park Hospital was among the Chicago-area hospitals that received the lowest possible score in a new Medicare rating system.

Few Chicago-area hospitals shine in government’s new patient star ratings

August 19, 2019 at 12:15 a.m.

The federal government has adopted a new patient satisfaction metric to rate the nation's hospitals, awarding each institution one to five stars after synthesizing the responses to consumer surveys. In...

Walgreens wants to be seen as global company, CEO says

June 16, 2018 at 12:50 a.m.

Analysts and investors should no longer think of Walgreens as only a U.S. company, acting CEO Stefano Pessina told analysts Thursday. "I understand that it is very tempting to still...

All Stories