Health Care News and Research

RSS

LA BioMed's physician-researchers honored with America's Top Doctors for the year 2014

Forty-two of Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute's (LA BioMed's) physician-researchers will be ranked among America's Top Doctors when it issues its 2014 publication later this year or they are listed among the Southern California Super Doctors for 2014 in the January edition of Los Angeles Magazine.

25 Jan 2014

White House health care adviser to leave his post

White House coordinator for health reform Chris Jennings resigned after six months, citing personal reasons and family considerations.

25 Jan 2014

Study shows health information exchange may deliver increased efficiency to emergency patients

As hospitals and doctors' offices across the country race to join online systems that let them share medical information securely, a new study suggests that these systems may already be helping cut unnecessary care.

25 Jan 2014

GAO: Most Medicare advantage plans meet medical expense standard

The federal health law requires the plans to pay out at least 85 percent of their premium dollars on medical expenses, or refund the excess revenue to the government.

25 Jan 2014

UHS-Pruitt Corporation changes its name to PruittHealth

UHS-Pruitt Corporation announced today that, after 45 successful years, the organization has changed its name to PruittHealth, and modified its branding to achieve a more unified image for its vast array of health care services.

25 Jan 2014

Research roundup: Patient safety measure results 'disappointing'

Patient safety poses serious challenges to the health care system in the United States. Since 2001, nationwide efforts have focused on reducing in-hospital adverse events.

25 Jan 2014

Health law enrollment hits approximately 3 million in January

Though this number is shy of earlier projections, it is getting closer to hitting monthly expectations. The administration, though, did not provided data about payment.

25 Jan 2014

Aetna enters into five-year reinsurance arrangement with Vitality Re V

Aetna today announced that it has entered into a five-year reinsurance arrangement with Vitality Re V Limited as part of its long-term capital management strategy.

25 Jan 2014

State highlights: Hearing Friday on battle over Texas woman on life support

The case of the Texas woman, 22-weeks pregnant and being kept on life-support machines at a Forth Worth hospital against her husband's wishes, goes before a judge in North Texas on Friday.

25 Jan 2014

DESIs helps patients make better decisions and reduce health care spending

Publicity surrounding the implementation of patient decision support interventions (DESIs) traditionally focuses on two areas of improvement: helping patients make better decisions AND lowering health care spending.

25 Jan 2014

Supreme Court gives nuns temporary reprieve on health law's contraceptive mandate

The Supreme Court on Friday afternoon gave an order of Roman Catholic nuns some added protection against the enforcement of a part of the Affordable Care Act, and spared them - for now - from having to file a government form in order to be exempt.

25 Jan 2014

Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute adopt new medical device to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis

The Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown Medical Center today became the first hospital in the tri-state area to adopt a new minimally invasive medical device to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis who are too ill or frail to have their aortic valves replaced trough traditional open-heart surgery.

25 Jan 2014

Huckabee takes aim at health law's birth control requirement

The former Arkansas governor's comments, offered as part of a speech to the Republican National Committee's winter meeting, drew harsh responses from Planned Parenthood and Democratic Party committees.

25 Jan 2014

Covered California gets federal grant to improve customer service, boost enrollment

Also in the news, reports about state exchange challenges and difficulties in Nevada, Texas, Maryland, Hawaii and Minnesota.

25 Jan 2014

BIDMC aims to improve family engagement and reduce overall risk of harm in ICU

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is embarking on a new phase of its mission to eliminate preventable harm, using information technology and system science together with patient and family engagement to head off harm before it happens.

25 Jan 2014

UM professors receive grant to help athletes, military members suffering from traumatic brain injury

Athletes, members of the military and others suffering from traumatic brain injury may benefit from research conducted by two University of Montana faculty members through a new $300,000 grant awarded by General Electric Co. and the National Football League.

25 Jan 2014

Judge bars Missouri's limits on health law navigators

A federal district judge ruled Thursday that Missouri officials were illegally obstructing the activities of insurance guides funded by the federal government to help consumers enroll in coverage under the health law. More than a dozen Republican-led states have imposed additional requirements on the guides, also known as navigators.

25 Jan 2014

Looking at electronic health records diverts doctors' attention from patients during office visits

When physicians spend too much time looking at the computer screen in the exam room, nonverbal cues may get overlooked and affect doctors' ability to pay attention and communicate with patients, according to a Northwestern Medicine- study.

24 Jan 2014

Mayors also have a stake in the Medicaid expansion's 'promise and pitfalls'

This health law topic is high on the agenda of this week's U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington. Meanwhile, Utah's Gov. Gary Herbert said he will pursue some form of the expansion. Also in the news, related developments in Montana and Missouri.

24 Jan 2014

Moody's downgrades outlook for health insurers

The credit-rating firm downgraded the outlook for health insurers from stable to negative, citing the health law's troubled rollout. Meanwhile, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini predicted that companies would soon spend billions on consumer advertising. And The New York Times explores allegations that Health Management Associates, a for-profit hospital chain based in Naples, Fla., pursued strategies to increase admissions, regardless of whether a patient needed hospital care.

24 Jan 2014