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Fla. Republicans want flexibility; facing shortfall, Idaho looks to volunteers; Mass. dental audit reveals millions in wasted funds

Florida Republican leaders made a clear statement during a special legislative session Tuesday: They want to overhaul the Medicaid program and don't want the federal government tying their hands. But that might ignore Washington realities. Congress this year required states to increase the number of people eligible for Medicaid in the future — the opposite of giving Florida more flexibility to run the program.

19 Nov 2010

Americans' confidence in health care system lower than other industrialized counties, study finds

"Despite having the most expensive healthcare system in the industrialized world, Americans tend to have the least confidence that their system will provide them the most-effective care compared to residents of 10 other industrialized nations, a Commonwealth Fund survey has found. A survey of nearly 20,000 people in the U.S. and 10 other industrialized nations has found that U.S. consumers reported the highest level of confusing complexity of their health insurance plans, and the highest level of concern that they would not be able to afford their healthcare coverage" (Carlson, 11/18).

19 Nov 2010

Ontario physicians produce positive results using EMRs

Ontario physicians using Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are reporting that EMRs enable them to improve patient care and operate more efficient practices.

18 Nov 2010

Back pain sufferers get quicker diagnosis and treatment when examined by Nurse Practitioner

Results of a Toronto Western Hospital study show that patients suffering back pain get quicker diagnosis and treatment when a Nurse Practitioner conducts the first examination. Traditionally, patients face long and anxiety-ridden wait times - up to 52 weeks - before an initial examination by a spine surgeon. Results from the year long TWH study showed wait times for patients examined by a Nurse Practitioner were significantly shorter, ranging from 10 to 21 weeks.

18 Nov 2010

Colo. nurse practitioners struggle for recognition, reimbursement; Mass. struggles with health care access

The Denver Post: "When nurse practitioner Mary Lou Hendrix opened her own high-risk-pregnancy practice in Evergreen and Cherry Creek last spring after more than 25 years of providing such care in physicians' offices, she was well-prepared for the medical challenges she would face. But she was not ready for the still-unresolved nightmare of trying to get recognized and reimbursed by insurance companies.

18 Nov 2010

CDC data: Adults remain unvaccinated against preventable infectious illnesses

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that adults remain largely unvaccinated against preventable infectious illnesses.

18 Nov 2010

US has highest out-of-pocket costs and most complex health insurance

A new 11-country survey from The Commonwealth Fund finds that adults in the United States are far more likely than those in 10 other industrialized nations to go without health care because of costs, have trouble paying medical bills, encounter high medical bills even when insured, and have disputes with their insurers or discover insurance wouldn't pay as they expected. According to the report, the findings highlight the need for Affordable Care Act reforms that will ensure access to health care, protect people from medical debt, and simplify health insurance.

18 Nov 2010

Cholera case confirmed in Dominican Republic; Haitian protestors blame U.N. peacekeeping troops for cholera outbreak

Officials on Tuesday said they had confirmed the first case of cholera in Haiti's neighbor, the Dominican Republic, the Associated Press/Forbes reports

18 Nov 2010

Doctor groups urge Congress to grant temporary reprieve from Medicare payment cuts

Doctors' groups are stepping up their pressure on lawmakers to approve another temporary reprieve from Medicare payments cuts scheduled to go into effect next month.

18 Nov 2010

Low back pain care initiated with chiropractic doctor saves 40% on health care costs

A new study finds that low back pain care initiated with a doctor of chiropractic (DC) saves 40% on health care costs when compared with care initiated through a medical doctor (MD), the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) announced today. The study, featuring data from 85,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield beneficiaries, concludes that insurance companies that restrict access to chiropractors for low back pain treatment may inadvertently pay more for care than they would if they removed such restrictions.

17 Nov 2010

8 states get better grade on 2010 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card

Eight states earned a better grade on the 2010 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card and 32 others and the District of Columbia saw their preterm birth rates improve.

17 Nov 2010

Food allergies may lead to 'kissing' allergies

Even brushing your teeth or waiting hours after eating may not prevent some partners of people with food and medicine allergies from triggering an allergic reaction through a kiss, according to allergists at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Phoenix, Nov.11-16.

17 Nov 2010

Annual EUROECHO Congress to showcase development in ultrasound diagnostics for cardiovascular disease

The European Association of Echocardiography expects to welcome over 3,000 international delegates to its annual EUROECHO Congress, to be held this year in Copenhagen between 8 and 11 December 2010.

17 Nov 2010

Maine has most improved health care quality; Kansas needs more dentists

Maine Public Broadcasting Network News: "Nationwide, Maine is most improved when it comes to health care quality, according to 2009 statistics from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In one year, Maine jumped from 12th place to fourth best in categories ranging from cancer to patient safety, from maternal and child health to long-term care.

17 Nov 2010

Researchers explore interplay between pain and anxiety

Disability from chronic pain in adolescents can be exacerbated by high levels of anxiety, according to research reported The Journal of Pain, the peer review publication of the American Pain Society.

17 Nov 2010

Changes to flexible spending accounts; High co-pays prompt abandoned prescriptions

Minnesota Public Radio: "[T]he federal health care reform law is cutting back on what [flexible spending] accounts will cover and how much workers can put into them. … These two changes are designed to raise more tax revenue to help pay for insuring another 32 million Americans beginning in 2014.

16 Nov 2010

Color of tablet appears to be integral component for OTC product

According to recent research the color, shape, taste and even name of a tablet or pill can have an effect on how patients feel about their medication. Choose an appropriate combination and the placebo effect gives the pill a boost, improves outcomes and might even reduce side effects. Now, researchers at the University of Bombay, New Mumbai, India, have surveyed users of over-the-counter (OTC) medication to find out just how much the color of a tablet influences patient choice.

16 Nov 2010

Size of hippocampus may be linked to early dementia

The size of the part of the brain known as the hippocampus may be linked to future dementia, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

16 Nov 2010

New 3M Littmann auscultation device can transfer digitally captured patient sounds

With new technology announced today by 3M, a doctor in Minnesota can in real-time detect a murmur in the heart of a child in rural Arizona. Through the new 3M Littmann Scope-to-Scope Tele-Auscultation System, clinicians can transfer digitally captured patient sounds in real-time, from one stethoscope to another, no matter the distance.

16 Nov 2010

Employees will see changes in 2011 health benefits

"Workers who have received their annual enrollment packets for insurance benefits" should expect slight changes to their plans this year due to the health care overhaul. Most employees can expect to pay more next year, due in part to the 1 to 2 percent increase in insurance costs brought about by the law.

16 Nov 2010

Doctor News and Research

Fla. Republicans want flexibility; facing shortfall, Idaho looks to volunteers; Mass. dental audit reveals millions in wasted funds

Americans' confidence in health care system lower than other industrialized counties, study finds

Ontario physicians produce positive results using EMRs

Back pain sufferers get quicker diagnosis and treatment when examined by Nurse Practitioner

Colo. nurse practitioners struggle for recognition, reimbursement; Mass. struggles with health care access

CDC data: Adults remain unvaccinated against preventable infectious illnesses

US has highest out-of-pocket costs and most complex health insurance

Cholera case confirmed in Dominican Republic; Haitian protestors blame U.N. peacekeeping troops for cholera outbreak

Doctor groups urge Congress to grant temporary reprieve from Medicare payment cuts

Low back pain care initiated with chiropractic doctor saves 40% on health care costs

8 states get better grade on 2010 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card

Food allergies may lead to 'kissing' allergies

Annual EUROECHO Congress to showcase development in ultrasound diagnostics for cardiovascular disease

Maine has most improved health care quality; Kansas needs more dentists

Researchers explore interplay between pain and anxiety

Changes to flexible spending accounts; High co-pays prompt abandoned prescriptions

Color of tablet appears to be integral component for OTC product

Size of hippocampus may be linked to early dementia

New 3M Littmann auscultation device can transfer digitally captured patient sounds

Employees will see changes in 2011 health benefits

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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