Veterans Affairs News and Research

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Latest version of LOINC for electronic health information exchange to be released

As the practice, regulation and reimbursement of health care become more complicated, and as the demand for electronic medical records and health information exchange grows, a universal method of identifying test results and other clinical measurement is essential.

4 Jun 2010

Medtronic DBS Therapy improves motor function in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease: Study

In the largest, randomized, controlled study of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease, Medtronic DBS Therapy was shown to improve motor function for up to two years in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease, showing equally strong efficacy for the two most common surgical targets used for the therapy.

3 Jun 2010

African-Americans less likely to undergo total joint replacement procedures

A recent study by researchers at the VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, suggests that patient treatment preferences play an important role in racial disparities in total joint replacement utilization observed in the US.

3 Jun 2010

DBS procedure effective for treating Parkinson's disease

Studies have shown that a "brain pacemaker" called deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease.

3 Jun 2010

UCSF studies describe wide reach of tobacco industry and its influence on national health care reform

Three new UCSF studies describe the wide reach of the tobacco industry and its influence on young people, military veterans and national health care reform. The analyses will be published in a special July edition of the American Journal of Public Health titled "Modeling to Advance Tobacco Control Policy."

29 May 2010

LCA commends Senator Snowe, Congresswoman Pingree for support of Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act

Today, Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) commended Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) for joining Congressman Michael Michaud (D-ME) as cosponsors of the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act (LCMRA), a bi-partisan, bi-cameral bill that establishes the first ever multi-agency, comprehensive research program targeting all aspects of lung cancer.

28 May 2010

NAFC strives to support and educate nation's injured veterans

The National Association For Continence, with targeted donations from the public, will support and educate our nation's injured veterans, about management and treatment options, through its educational materials about intermittent self-catheterization and continence care following spinal cord injuries.

28 May 2010

Pressure BioSciences signs CRADA with AFIP, ARP and VA

Pressure BioSciences, Inc. today announced that it has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement ("CRADA") with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology ("AFIP"), the American Registry of Pathology ("ARP"), and the Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA").

27 May 2010

Guadalupe County Hospital to implement Phoenix's Total IT Solution featuring Medsphere's OpenVista EHR

Medsphere Systems Corporation, Phoenix Health Systems and Guadalupe County Hospital today announced Guadalupe's selection of Phoenix's Total IT Solution featuring Medsphere's OpenVista® electronic health record. Phoenix IT expertise paired with Medsphere's open-source EHR solution will enable this 10-bed Santa Rosa, N.M., acute-care hospital to secure federal stimulus support for health IT implementation while improving patient care.

27 May 2010

Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical pleads guilty for promoting epilepsy drug Topamax for psychiatric use

Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical LLC, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Boston to one count of misdemeanor violation of the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act for illegally promoting its epilepsy drug Topamax for uses that were not approved by the FDA. The company was also sentenced at today's hearing.

24 May 2010

Routine cessation of clopidogrel in patients before colonoscopy polypectomy not necessary: Researchers

Researchers at the Syracuse Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New York examined postpolypectomy bleeding in patients undergoing colonoscopy on uninterrupted clopidogrel and found that the postpolypectomy bleeding rate is significantly higher in patients undergoing polypectomy while taking clopidogrel and concomitant aspirin/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but that the risk is small and the outcome is favorable.

21 May 2010

AFSPP program reduces suicide rates

The U.S. Air Force Suicide Prevention Program (AFSPP) has reduced suicide rates significantly since it was launched in 1996, according to a new study that examined almost three decades of data.

21 May 2010

Medicare to evaluate how beneficiaries used personal health records

The Department of Health and Human Services is preparing to evaluate a 17-month-old pilot program that has tested whether beneficiaries use personal health records (PHR) in Utah and Arizona, Modern Healthcare reports.

21 May 2010

American Legion testifies in Congress on bills affecting veterans

The American Legion testified in Congress yesterday on several pieces of pending legislation that would affect veterans if signed into law.

20 May 2010

Chronic kidney disease patients with depression have poorer health outcomes: Researchers

Patients with chronic kidney disease who have been diagnosed with depression are twice as likely to be hospitalized, progress to long-term dialysis treatments or die within a year as those who are not depressed, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

20 May 2010

PrimeWire PRESTIGE Pressure Guide Wire receives 510(k) clearance, CE Mark approval

Volcano Corporation announced today it received both 510(k) clearance and CE Mark approval for its PrimeWire PRESTIGE Pressure Guide Wire for use with patients who have both single-vessel and multi-vessel disease. This next generation pressure wire is compatible with Volcano's full suite of integrated multi-modality consoles and stand-alone physiology systems as well as various hemodynamic monitoring systems.

19 May 2010

Sonova Group financial year 2009/10 sales increase 20.1% to CHF 1,500.3 million

The Sonova Group increased its sales in financial year 2009/10 to CHF 1,500.3 million from CHF 1,249.2 million, thus posting an excellent growth rate of 20.1% in Swiss francs, despite a negative currency effect of 3.7%. The Group achieved organic growth of 18.4% in local currencies, which significantly surpassed the market as a whole. Market growth in 2009/10 is estimated at around 4% in units sold.

18 May 2010

UC researchers explore dynamics of bacterial evolution

Researchers found that as dominant members of the population surrendered to host immune defenses, they were replaced by a hyperaggressive, mutant minority population that thrived and took over the abandoned community to become the new majority.

15 May 2010

Disabled vets strain overburdened VA system

NPR: "The Department of Veterans Affairs is struggling to cope with tens of thousands of veterans filing for disability benefits. Because there are applicants from two current wars — plus a new wave from the first Gulf War and Vietnam — thousands are now stuck in the clogged pipeline." Although there are differing estimates of how many, "everyone agrees that way too many vets are waiting way too long to get benefits.

13 May 2010

First Edition: May 12, 2010

Today's headlines include reports about new congressional budget office projections that increase the 10-year costs of the health overhaul law.

12 May 2010

Veterans Affairs News and Research

Latest version of LOINC for electronic health information exchange to be released

Medtronic DBS Therapy improves motor function in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease: Study

African-Americans less likely to undergo total joint replacement procedures

DBS procedure effective for treating Parkinson's disease

UCSF studies describe wide reach of tobacco industry and its influence on national health care reform

LCA commends Senator Snowe, Congresswoman Pingree for support of Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act

NAFC strives to support and educate nation's injured veterans

Pressure BioSciences signs CRADA with AFIP, ARP and VA

Guadalupe County Hospital to implement Phoenix's Total IT Solution featuring Medsphere's OpenVista EHR

Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical pleads guilty for promoting epilepsy drug Topamax for psychiatric use

Routine cessation of clopidogrel in patients before colonoscopy polypectomy not necessary: Researchers

AFSPP program reduces suicide rates

Medicare to evaluate how beneficiaries used personal health records

American Legion testifies in Congress on bills affecting veterans

Chronic kidney disease patients with depression have poorer health outcomes: Researchers

PrimeWire PRESTIGE Pressure Guide Wire receives 510(k) clearance, CE Mark approval

Sonova Group financial year 2009/10 sales increase 20.1% to CHF 1,500.3 million

UC researchers explore dynamics of bacterial evolution

Disabled vets strain overburdened VA system

First Edition: May 12, 2010

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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