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Morning Briefing

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Thursday, Jun 15 2023

Full Issue

Morgue Manager At Harvard Med School Accused Of Body Part Thefts

News outlets cover a shocking accusation leveled at a morgue manager at Harvard Medical School and his wife. The pair are accused of stealing body parts, including heads and brains, and selling them as part of a nationwide network. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch calls out medical debt in the U.S.

A manager of Harvard Medical School's morgue and his wife are accused of stealing human body parts 鈥 among them heads, brains, skin and bones 鈥 from donated cadavers and selling them, according to a federal indictment. Cedric Lodge, 55, was identified as the morgue manager in a federal indictment filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Lodge and five others, including his wife, Denise Lodge, 63, are facing charges of conspiracy and transport of stolen goods. (Jarmanning, 6/14)

According to Harvard Medical School, Lodge鈥檚 responsibilities included 鈥減reparing for and intaking anatomical donors鈥 bodies, coordinating embalming, overseeing the storage and movement of cadavers to and from teaching labs, and, when studies were complete, preparing remains to be transported to and from the external crematorium and, when appropriate, for burial.鈥 He did not manage other employees, according to the school鈥檚 media relations team. (Porter, 6/14)

In other health care industry news 鈥

吃瓜不打烊: International Rights Group Calls Out US For Allowing Hospitals To Push Millions Into Debt聽

Human Rights Watch, the nonprofit that for decades has called attention to the victims of war, famine, and political repression around the world, is taking aim at U.S. hospitals for pushing millions of American patients into debt. In a new report, published June 15, the group calls for stronger government action to protect Americans from aggressive billing and debt collection by nonprofit hospitals, which Human Rights Watch said are systematically undermining patients鈥 human rights. (Levey, 6/15)

Students, staff and faculty at the Johns Hopkins University as well as patients at the related medical system may have had sensitive information exposed following a recent cybersecurity attack on widely used software, according to the institution. A data breach May 31 involving MOVEit, a file transfer software, impacted both the private research university as well as Johns Hopkins Medicine, the university and medical system said in a letter. (Belson, 6/14)

Every medical device has its own unique code, allowing manufacturers to keep track of their products once they enter the market. But while these codes are critical for recalling faulty devices or issuing updates, they rarely make their way into health records. (Lawrence, 6/14)

Tackling environmental, social and governance issues in the healthcare industry requires a long-term view that can often be overshadowed by daily operations. Health system executives at this week's Modern Healthcare鈥檚 ESG: The Implementation Imperative Summit聽addressed strategies to reduce carbon emissions, vetting suppliers based on their carbon footprints and incorporating sustainable governance structures, among other topics. Here are five takeaways. (Kacik, 6/14)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
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