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First Edition: November 18, 2011

In today's health policy headlines, reports indicate that the super committee continues to face difficulties and may not make its fast-approaching deadline.

18 Nov 2011

Pollution threatens health of Chinese population, UNEP report says

"The pollution that has accompanied China's spectacular rate of economic growth will have dire health consequences for its population, the United Nations has warned in a report," the International Business Times reports.

18 Nov 2011

Efforts to end AIDS could also reduce TB burden with proper funding

In response to Michael Gerson's November 11 column in which he said the end of AIDS is possible because of combination prevention and treatment innovations, David Bryden, the Stop TB advocacy officer at RESULTS, writes in a Washington Post letter to the editor, "Another benefit of [HIV] treatment is that it sharply reduces deaths from tuberculosis [TB], which is the primary killer of people living with HIV/AIDS."

18 Nov 2011

Bridging the gap between global health NGOs and local governments

In a post on Global Health Hub, blogger and medical student Abraar Karan examines the roles of global health non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local government in the countries where they work with regard to development initiatives.

18 Nov 2011

Sheffield research finds people willing to pay extra for greener spaces with greater tree coverage

Research from the University of Sheffield has found that people are willing to pay up to -29.91 per month, or around -360.00 per year, for greener urban spaces.

18 Nov 2011

Insurers seek health law exemption for plans sold to Americans overseas

Four health insurers led by Cigna Corp. have asked the Obama administration to exempt medical plans they sell to Americans overseas from the 2010 health law, saying a denial may imperil about 1,100 U.S. jobs.

18 Nov 2011

New Jersey HITEC reaches 5,000 primary care providers member milestone

The New Jersey Health Information Technology Extension Center (NJ-HITEC) announced today that it has reached the 5,000 primary care providers member milestone in support of the healthcare evolution to transition to patient Electronic Health Records (EHRs).

18 Nov 2011

Press Ganey recognizes The Methodist Hospital with patient satisfaction award

The Methodist Hospital in Houston is one of three academic medical centers in the country to win a top patient satisfaction award from Press Ganey, a national consulting firm focused on improving health care performance.

18 Nov 2011

First-ever World Prematurity Day honors 13M infants born too soon worldwide

The nation's preterm birth rate slipped under 12 percent for the first time in nearly a decade, the fourth consecutive year it declined, potentially sparing tens of thousands of babies the serious health consequences of an early birth.

18 Nov 2011

Benefits of transparency in the workplace for transsexual individuals

Transsexual individuals who identify themselves as such in the workplace are more likely to have greater satisfaction and commitment to their job than transsexuals who do not, according to a new study from Rice University and Pennsylvania State University.

18 Nov 2011

The AJMS launches new series on 'Pathophysiology in Medicine'

As scientific research delves into the processes underlying human disease, doctors are challenged to integrate these new discoveries into patient care. To help bridge the gap between basic science research and clinical practice, a new series on "Pathophysiology in Medicine" begins this month in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (The AJMS), official journal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation.

18 Nov 2011

Workplace perceptions about EMS safety may be reality

Poor perceptions about workplace safety culture among emergency medical services (EMS) workers is associated with negative patient and provider safety outcomes -- the first time such a link has been shown in the pre-hospital setting, according to a study by University of Pittsburgh researchers that now appears online in Prehospital Emergency Care and is scheduled to be published in the January-March print edition.

18 Nov 2011

Survey finds health care costs a key issue in presidential campaign

Healthcare and the national deficit tied as the second-most important issue after job creation in the 2012 U.S. presidential election, a new survey said. Forty-two percent of the 1,000 adults nationwide surveyed by PwC's Health Research Institute said they would prefer lower healthcare costs over an economic rebound. Nearly half said they made the decision to not seek healthcare or pay for medication at least once in the past year because of how much that care cost.

18 Nov 2011

ACAAI president available to comment on School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act

Dr. Stanley Fineman, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, (ACAAI) is available to comment on the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, a federal bill introduced today that will help make epinephrine available in schools for the immediate treatment of anaphylactic reactions to food or other allergens.

18 Nov 2011

Case challenging vets' mental health care goes back to appeals court

A federal appeals court on Wednesday put on hold its ruling that ordered a dramatic overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system, because it wants to reconsider the earlier decision.

18 Nov 2011

Important clues to prevention and management of delirium are being ignored

Important clues to the prevention and management of delirium, a condition affecting an estimated 7 million hospitalized Americans, are being ignored, according to a study from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine.

18 Nov 2011

Study: Health insurance premiums soar in all 50 states

A new study confirmed a national trend in employer-sponsored coverage -- higher costs for skimpier benefits.

18 Nov 2011

Greening of vacant urban land may affect health and safety of nearby residents

Greening of vacant urban land may affect the health and safety of nearby residents, according to a study published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology this week.

18 Nov 2011

Schwartz presses super committee to advance her 'doc fix' proposal

The plan, advanced by Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa., would prevent a 27.4 percent cut in Medicare physician payments from kicking in Jan. 1, phase out the current outdated formula and transition to a new one. Though some physician groups are lining up behind her approach, the American Medical Association has not yet "on board."

18 Nov 2011

Smoking can negatively impact surgical outcomes

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) strongly supports the Great American Smokeout because smoking can negatively impact surgical outcomes.

18 Nov 2011