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One of health care's remaining frontiers: Health information exchange

The Peoria Journal Star highlights a problem the health care industry has been slow to confront: Exchanging health information. "In the computer age, the ability to share health information would appear to be the least of the reform challenges facing the nation's medical industry. 'But different hospitals don't speak to each other.

5 Aug 2010

Andy Griffith Medicare ad prompts showdown with GOP

Veteran television star Andy Griffith appeared in a new commercial for Medicare that promotes health law changes the administration says should help seniors, such as free wellness visits and lower drug costs, U.S. News & World Report writes. "The commercial, launched on the 45th anniversary of Medicare last week, is part of a public education campaign about changes to Medicare benefits. Retirees' knowledge about the health reform law's impact on Medicare remains mixed.

5 Aug 2010

Roche inaugurates National Infusion Site Awareness Week to promote diabetis management

Roche Diabetes Care, makers of the ACCU-CHEK portfolio of diabetes management products and services, is pleased to announce the inaugural National Infusion Site Awareness Week, Aug. 30-Sept. 5. Roche made the announcement during the 37th annual American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) conference to highlight the important role that certified diabetes educators and other health care professionals play in promoting better site management for the 400,000 people in the United States with Type 1 diabetes who use an insulin pump.

5 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 4, 2010

Today's health policy headlines include reports about yesterday's Missouri vote on a ballot measure to challenge the health reform law and the latest on today's likely Senate consideration of Medicaid assistance for states.

4 Aug 2010

Number of Cyberchondriacs increase to 175 million: 2010 Harris Poll

The latest Harris Poll, measuring how many people use the Internet to look for information about health topics, finds that the numbers continue to increase. The Harris Poll first used the word Cyberchondriacs to describe these people in 1998, when just over 50 million American adults had ever gone online to look for health information. By 2005, that number had risen to 117 million. In the new poll, the number of Cyberchondriacs has jumped to 175 million from 154 million last year, possibly as a result of the health care reform debate.

4 Aug 2010

Advocacy intervention does not improve depressive symptoms among abused Chinese women: Study

Among Chinese women who are survivors of intimate partner violence, an advocacy intervention that included empowerment sessions and telephone support from social workers did not result in a clinically meaningful improvement in depressive symptoms, according to a study in the August 4 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights.

4 Aug 2010

Patients taking memantine show improvement in cognitive function, Merz analyses shows

In September 2009, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care concluded that no benefit has been proven for memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. An assessment now presented of 2 previously unpublished studies and new analyses by the manufacturer Merz do not change this conclusion. However, IQWiG describes the deficits of the newly provided analyses and specifically illustrates how the analyses would have to be presented in order to be considered in a benefit assessment.

4 Aug 2010

New law to increase employment-based coverage for children

A recent law that requires group health plans and insurers to make dependent coverage available for children until they attain the age of 26 will increase employment-based coverage by estimates ranging from 680,000 to 2.12 million individuals, according to recently released regulations.

4 Aug 2010

MCOL releases new Accountable Care Learning Kit CD-ROM

MCOL, a leading publisher of health care business information announces the release of the new Accountable Care Learning Kit CD-ROM.

4 Aug 2010

Report examines effects of traumatic events on mental health status of adults in Central African Republic

More than three-quarters of adults in the Central African Republic report witnessing or personally experiencing traumatic events during the most recent wave of violence, and more than half meet criteria for depression or anxiety, according to a report in the August 4 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights.

4 Aug 2010

MOM Project increases access to maternal health care services for internally displaced woman

A community-based maternal health delivery strategy known as the MOM Project dramatically increased access to maternal health care services for internally displaced woman in eastern Burma, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Among the findings, the study showed a ten-fold increase in the proportion of women assisted at delivery by workers skilled in providing emergency obstetric care, including preventing and treating hemorrhage, injectable antibiotics and anticonvulsants, and community-based blood transfusion.

4 Aug 2010

NYT: Rep. Ryan's 'sweeping agenda' includes revising Medicare

The New York Times profiles Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and details the rising Republican star's positions on health care and social programs, among other things. Under his controversial "Roadmap for America's Future" plan, Ryan would eliminate the federal debt over 50 years through major changes to Medicare and Social Security.

4 Aug 2010

WHO provides medicines, related health supplies to flood-affected areas in Pakistan

The worst floods on record in Pakistan are placing the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk, with a high threat of waterborne disease outbreaks and immense damage to health facilities. WHO is coordinating the response of health partners and supporting Pakistani authorities by sending medicines and related health supplies capable of treating more than 200 000 people to the affected areas in the northwestern region of the country.

4 Aug 2010

Powered by Medicare Advantage, Humana profits jump 21% in second quarter

The Louisville, Ky., health insurer both "increased its Medicare Advantage membership," "benefited from patients' recent lower demand for health-care services" and also "sought to get out in front of an anticipated effect of the federal health-care overhaul, taking a charge related to new requirements for its medical-loss ratio," in attaining 21 percent profits, The Wall Street Journal reports.

4 Aug 2010

Mass. towns find savings in municipal-based health insurance plans; Conn. hospitals' earnings improve; Free dental clinic in Virginia

"Fourteen cities and towns that have moved their employees, retirees, and elected officials from their own municipal-based health care insurance plans into the state's much larger, more flexible system collectively saved more than $30 million their first year in the program, according to a new report. … The study relies on self-reported fiscal data on the communities' first year in the Group Insurance Commission, the state health care program, which covers some 300,000 state employees, retirees, and elected officials" (Murphy, 8/3).

4 Aug 2010

Judge gives the go-ahead to Virginia's health overhaul challenge

In a ruling issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson refused to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Virginia challenging a key aspect of the health care overhaul. The next round of arguments in this case is scheduled for October.

4 Aug 2010

Study analyzes prevalence of pediatric patient-safety events at hospitals

Hospital-acquired infections are the leading cause of potentially preventable mortality among pediatric patients, according to a study of pediatric patient-safety incidents issued today by HealthGrades, the leading independent health care ratings organization.

4 Aug 2010

GTCR, Dale Wolf partner to create Jessamine Healthcare

GTCR, one of the nation's leading private equity firms, today announced it has entered into a partnership with Dale Wolf to form Jessamine Healthcare, Inc. The new company, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, will focus on acquiring companies in the healthcare payor and outsourced payor services industries.

4 Aug 2010

GE and Intel create new health IT venture focused on home-based care

General Electric Co. and Intel Corp. announced Monday they will create a company to provide new medical technologies for the elderly and chronically ill.

4 Aug 2010

CRICO/RMF achieves highest level of accreditation

CRICO/RMF has been awarded the highest level of accreditation, "Accreditation with Commendation," as a provider of Continuing Medical Education for physicians. This six-year accreditation is the result of an extensive (re)survey by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education in which CRICO/RMF demonstrated compliance in all 22 of its criteria.

4 Aug 2010