Phil Thrush, a pediatric cardiologist at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, dressed as the "Star Wars" character to tell his patient—and "Star Wars" fan—that a transplant had become available, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Illinois, New York, and Rhode Island.
- Illinois: Austin Eggleston, a 15-year-old born with a heart defect, had spent four months at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, when Chewbacca arrived with good news: A transplant was available. Austin's pediatric cardiologist, Phil Thrush, had previously told Austin, a "Star Wars" fan, that Thrush would deliver good news dressed as the character. The transplant operation was successful, and Austin could go home in a month, according to CBS News. When he grows up, Austin said he wants to be a pediatric cardiologist (Reynolds, CBS News, 3/21).
- New York: The VA Western New York Healthcare System has finished a $3.6 million renovation at its Buffalo site. The facility can now provide occupational and physical therapy, power mobility evaluations, electromyography, and rehab medicine evaluations. With the addition, the system will provide inpatient and outpatient care for roughly 30,000 veterans annually (Drury, Buffalo Business First, 3/21).
- Rhode Island: CVS Health has picked former Ely Lily CFO Derica Rice to become the next president of CVS Caremark, CVS' pharmacy benefits management division. Rice will succeed Jonathan Roberts, who was promoted to COO of CVS Health. Rice will start in the role March 30 (Paavola, Becker's Hospital Review, 3/21).
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