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As the national healthcare debate continues, what if instead of cutting Medicaid eligibility and capping spending, as the legislation approved by the House of Representatives would do, we were discussing innovations that would make the healthcare system more effective and affordable?

Tougher EPA rules on incinerating medical waste have hospitals grappling with how to manage their garbage. Outsourcing is one possibility, but that will involve higher costs, too. "There will be cost, but it will be nominal. We think it will be less than 5% of current operating costs," says Steven Groenke, vice president of medical-waste processor Curtis Bay Energy.

With an expanded and overhauled Form 990, hospitals will find themselves digging up and reporting lots more details about executive pay and perks, governance policies, and how much subsidized care they provide. "We look at this as the first step," says the IRS' Theresa Pattara, left, who was project manager for the form's retooling.

Winning an award as prestigious as the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award is usually excellent news. For two recent victors, however, their wins were overshadowed by questions over past business practices and possible conflicts of interest, in particular at alliance Premier. (At right, a Premier employee conducts client training).

The AHA last week added its two cents to the transparency debate, approving a policy that supports a patient's right to know pricing. James Springfield, left, CEO of Valley Baptist Health System, who backs the AHA's policy, says the changes come at a time when "the public is clamoring ... to learn more about the mystical world of healthcare.

Because hospitals have wildly divergent policies on reporting how much charity care they deliver, some fear the standards are so lax that they won't be able to defend their tax exemptions in court. Charity-care data are "all over the map," says Susan Sherry, left, deputy director of Community Catalyst.

A new contract between the Greater New York Hospital Association and Premier marks the next step in the evolution of GPOs. An entourage from the GNYHA, Premier and Giuliani Partners, at left, attended the contract signing.

The growing sex abuse scandal plaguing the Roman Catholic Church has spread to many facets of the secular world, and the healthcare community is also coping with the crisis. At least six hospital chaplains have been relieved of their duties because past allegations of abuse came to light. Catholic healthcare officials are concerned that a few alleged abusers could tarnish the image of chaplains.

Legions of lawyers, consultants and accountants are pulling in the big bucks helping providers stay on the right side of government regulations. Compliance is the trendiest buzzword in healthcare today, and it's creating some lucrative business opportunities. Compliance officers, like Roy Snell (left) of University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation, ride herd to make sure healthcare companies stay within the lines.