Health Care News and Research

RSS

More residents of rural areas have access to oncologists than they realize, study finds

Research from the University of Iowa suggests that cancer care is more accessible in rural areas than thought, and this increased accessibility should be considered as changes are made in the health care system under the Affordable Care Act.

27 Mar 2013

Long-term care: Expense, emotions part of planning dilemma

The emotional impact of witnessing the decline of a family member or helping to care for one is often the reason people seek coverage for long-term care, people who work in the aging field say (Carrns, 3/25).

27 Mar 2013

Roundup: Report finds Mass. biotech spending creates jobs; Federal audit calls for N.Y. Medicaid program to repay funds

News outlets report on health care developments in California, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina and Texas.

27 Mar 2013

Justice Dept. closes antitrust case against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan

But the department is expected to continue investigating the use of "most-favored-nation" pricing contracts in other states.

27 Mar 2013

Depression also diminish health benefits of physical activities, say researchers

Depression may inhibit the anti-inflammatory effects typically associated with physical activity and light-to-moderate alcohol consumption, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.

27 Mar 2013

HIPAA rules in effect today

While Tuesday marks the effective date of a host of new federal privacy and security rules, including extending legal liability to business associates of healthcare providers and restoring a measure of patient control over disclosure of their records, compliance won't be required until six months later.

27 Mar 2013

New program helps health care workers get back on their feet following tragedy

When a patient dies unexpectedly, whether suddenly or after a long illness, the loss can hit loved ones hard. In some of these cases, health care workers can be affected deeply due to the emotional bonding that can occur between patients and their caregivers.

27 Mar 2013

Arkansas' 'third option' for Medicaid expansion draws attention

The approach, which is under consideration by state lawmakers, has attracted the interest of conservative governors and legislators in other states who had previously opposed the program's expansion.

27 Mar 2013

First Edition: March 26, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the challenges of long-term care planning and the startling rise in disability within the United States.

26 Mar 2013

First annual National Scorecard on Payment Reform released

Catalyst for Payment Reform, an independent, non-profit employer coalition pushing for better value in health care, today released its first annual National Scorecard on Payment Reform.

26 Mar 2013

Researchers evaluate prescribing practices of community matrons

An evaluation of the prescribing practices of community matrons at one NHS trust using a validated tool found they were doing so appropriately and compared favourably to published data on GP prescribing.

26 Mar 2013

USAID blog examines water management issues in the Middle East

The first three entries of a four-part series, titled "USAID in the Middle East," have been published in the agency's "IMPACTblog."

26 Mar 2013

U.N. must uphold 'moral obligations' in Haitian cholera epidemic

Noting the "aid group Doctors Without Borders said [on March 12] that the cholera crisis in Haiti was getting worse, for the most unnecessary and appalling of reasons: a lack of money and basic medical supplies," a New York Times editorial states, "The dreadful backdrop to this emergency is an abdication of responsibility by organizations that have pledged to help Haiti, particularly the United Nations."

26 Mar 2013

IRIN examines TB in southern African mines

Noting "South Africa's gold mines are estimated to have the highest number of new tuberculosis cases in the world, making the disease a leading export to neighboring countries," IRIN examines "the declaration meant to change this situation."

26 Mar 2013

Saint Marys and Methodist Hospitals to operate under the name Mayo Clinic Hospital - Rochester

Mayo Clinic today announced Saint Marys and Methodist Hospitals will transition to a single licensed hospital operating under the name Mayo Clinic Hospital - Rochester.

26 Mar 2013

Focused approach needed to end TB

Addressing the question of whether the international community can eliminate tuberculosis, Arundhati Maitra and Sanjib Bhakta of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of London write in an opinion piece in the AlertNet News Blog, "With an estimated 8.7 million reported cases and 1.4 million deaths due to TB in 2011, the question above poses one of the most serious challenges faced by the scientific community, health care industry, government and public organizations worldwide."

26 Mar 2013

Data important for global health policymaking

"Just like central bankers and ministers who need an accurate GDP figure for policymaking, health ministers need to know why their population is losing healthy life years," Denizhan Duran, a research assistant at the Center for Global Development, writes in the group's blog.

26 Mar 2013

Study examines diabetes risk factors in young people transitioning to adult care

Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce insulin and cannot convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. Generally diagnosed during childhood or adolescence, the disease requires lifelong access to medical care and intensive daily self-management.

26 Mar 2013

Challenges remain in fight against TB, U.N. Secretary-General says

On World Tuberculosis Day, recognized on March 24, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "said that while there has been much progress since the World Health Organization declared TB a global health emergency two decades ago, there are still challenges to be met, mainly stopping the spread of multidrug-resistant TB, also known as MDR-TB, which threatens to reverse the gains achieved in past years," the U.N. News Centre reports.

26 Mar 2013

'Grand challenges in global health' initiative calls for applications for the 'next generation of condom'

"The Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative, backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, launched the 'Next Generation of Condom' challenge this month," NBC News Los Angeles reports (Ebright, 3/23).

26 Mar 2013