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Substituting registered nurses with lower-wage staff in hospital care linked to poor outcomes

A new study published in Medical Care today showed that substituting registered nurses (RN) with lower-wage staff (e.g. licensed practical nurses, unlicensed assistive personnel) in hospital care is linked with more deaths, readmissions, longer hospital stays, poorer patient satisfaction, and higher costs of care.

10 Jun 2024

Nursing homes are left in the dark as more utilities cut power to prevent wildfires

When powerful wind gusts created threatening wildfire conditions one day near Boulder, Colorado, the state's largest utility cut power to 52,000 homes and businesses — including Frasier, an assisted living and skilled nursing facility.

10 Jun 2024

Access to neurologist care linked to better ALS patient survival and quality of life

ALS patients received better care if they were treated by a neurologist, a new study published in PLOS One has found.

7 Jun 2024

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Nursing home staffing rules prompt pushback

It's not surprising that the nursing home industry is filing lawsuits to block new Biden administration rules requiring minimum staffing at facilities that accept federal dollars.

6 Jun 2024

U.S. cardiovascular disease costs set to skyrocket by 2050, new study reveals

New research forecasts that the economic burden of cardiovascular disease and stroke in the U.S. will nearly quadruple by 2050, highlighting the urgent need for preventive measures.

5 Jun 2024

Poll reveals many older Americans unaware of vital aging support programs

Older Americans may be missing out on a wide range of programs and services that could help them meet their needs or assist their aging loved ones, a new poll suggests.

5 Jun 2024

Studies underscore the relationship between narcolepsy and cardiovascular disease

Two new studies to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting show that narcolepsy is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and adverse cardiac events.

4 Jun 2024

Study: Fewer than one-quarter of heart attack patients receive dietary counseling in the aftermath

Although diet is the leading contributor to premature death from heart disease in the United States, fewer than one-quarter of people who undergo major heart events receive dietary counseling in the aftermath, a study finds.

4 Jun 2024

Two diabetes medications more beneficial in preventing major cardiovascular events

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) and SGLT-2 inhibitors lower the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attacks and severe liver complications compared to other diabetes treatments, according to data being presented Sunday at ENDO 2024, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Boston, Mass.

3 Jun 2024

$Hip fracture surgery may reduce mortality for dementia patients compared to non-surgical methods$

Hip fracture surgery may reduce mortality for dementia patients compared to non-surgical methods

The decision to undergo surgery can be complicated for people living with dementia, not only due to limited decision-making capabilities, but also because participation in rehabilitation afterward is imperative to surgery success.

3 Jun 2024

Study challenges use of in-hospital mortality as sepsis quality metric for safety-net hospitals

Sepsis is a leading cause of death and disability and a key target of state and federal quality measures for hospitals.

31 May 2024

Weakening credit scores and rising delinquency may be warning signs of undiagnosed memory disorders

In the years prior to an Alzheimer's disease or other memory disorder diagnosis, credit scores begin to weaken and payment delinquency begins to increase, concludes new research led by Georgetown University.

31 May 2024

Study: 13% of older adults diagnosed with traumatic brain injury

Some 13% of older adults are diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a study by UC San Francisco and the San Francisco VA Health Care System

31 May 2024

Study examines the cost-effectiveness of a targeted immunotherapy for lung cancer

Many countries with national healthcare systems or payers such as insurance companies use cost-effectiveness analyses to decide whether to cover new medicines, balancing treatment costs with potential health benefits.

30 May 2024

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Waiting for SCOTUS

June means it's time for the Supreme Court to render rulings on the biggest and most controversial cases of the term.

30 May 2024

An obscure drug discount program stifles use of federal lifeline by rural hospitals

Facing ongoing concerns about rural hospital closures, Capitol Hill lawmakers have introduced a spate of proposals to fix a federal program created to keep lifesaving services in small towns nationwide.

30 May 2024

Study finds kidney complications following heart failure hospitalization

In a study of Medicare beneficiaries, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital found that one year after hospitalization for heart failure, 6 percent of patients had progressed to dialysis.

29 May 2024

Decline in family physicians’ outpatient Medicare procedures amid aging demographic trends

Family physicians perform a wide range of procedures outside the hospital and tend to be office based. Examples may include surgical procedures such as excisions, suturing, and joint injections.

28 May 2024

Inflation Reduction Act boosts shingles vaccine uptake by 46% for Medicare Part D recipients

Among the aims of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is reducing health care costs for older adults by eliminating cost sharing for certain drugs and vaccines covered by Medicare Part D.

23 May 2024

Physician-pharmacy integration not associated with change in the care of cancer patients

Integration of pharmacies with physician practices, where on-site pharmacies open at physician practice locations, is a growing trend in cancer treatment.

23 May 2024

Medicare News and Research

Substituting registered nurses with lower-wage staff in hospital care linked to poor outcomes

Nursing homes are left in the dark as more utilities cut power to prevent wildfires

Access to neurologist care linked to better ALS patient survival and quality of life

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Nursing home staffing rules prompt pushback

U.S. cardiovascular disease costs set to skyrocket by 2050, new study reveals

Poll reveals many older Americans unaware of vital aging support programs

Studies underscore the relationship between narcolepsy and cardiovascular disease

Study: Fewer than one-quarter of heart attack patients receive dietary counseling in the aftermath

Two diabetes medications more beneficial in preventing major cardiovascular events

Hip fracture surgery may reduce mortality for dementia patients compared to non-surgical methods

Study challenges use of in-hospital mortality as sepsis quality metric for safety-net hospitals

Weakening credit scores and rising delinquency may be warning signs of undiagnosed memory disorders

Study: 13% of older adults diagnosed with traumatic brain injury

Study examines the cost-effectiveness of a targeted immunotherapy for lung cancer

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Waiting for SCOTUS

An obscure drug discount program stifles use of federal lifeline by rural hospitals

Study finds kidney complications following heart failure hospitalization

Decline in family physicians’ outpatient Medicare procedures amid aging demographic trends

Inflation Reduction Act boosts shingles vaccine uptake by 46% for Medicare Part D recipients

Physician-pharmacy integration not associated with change in the care of cancer patients

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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