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Readmission rates after major cancer procedures depend on patient cohort, hospital characteristics

Readmission rates after complex cancer operations tend to be higher in hospitals that are considered to be vulnerable because they serve as safety nets in their communities or have a high number of Medicaid patients.

1 Jun 2016

Several medical groups urge Congress to provide required funding for Zika virus prevention, treatment

The American College of Physicians along with the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists sent a letter today to House and Senate leaders urging them to immediately pass legislation that would provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the Zika virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents.

28 May 2016

Free screening colonoscopies for uninsured, high-risk CRC patients may help in early detection of cancer

For uninsured patients who are at a high risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), performing free screening colonoscopies can identify cancer at an earlier stage and appears to be cost neutral from a hospital system perspective, according to study results published online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons ahead of print publication.

27 May 2016

Advanced cancer patients lack palliative, hospice care

Medical societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, recommend that patients with advanced cancer receive palliative care soon after diagnosis and receive hospice care for at least the last three days of their life. Yet major gaps persist between these recommendations and real-life practice, a new study shows.

27 May 2016

Early diagnosis of lung cancer can increase survival rate by 73%

The UK Lung cancer screening trial (UKLS) has been successfully completed and demonstrated that patients with a high risk of developing lung cancer can be identified with early stage disease and have up to a 73% chance of surviving for five years or more. The UKLS trial was conducted by experts in the University of Liverpool.

25 May 2016

Pilot program that includes video decision aids improves end-of-life care in Hawaii

A program encouraging physicians and other providers to discuss with patients their preferences regarding end-of-life care significantly increased the documented incidence of such conversations and the number of patients with late-stage disease who were discharged to hospice.

24 May 2016

Study shows endoscopist knowledge of positive Cologuard result may enhance colonoscopy quality

An endoscopist's knowledge of a positive Cologuard test improves colonoscopy performance, according to a poster presentation at last week's Digestive Disease Week conference.

24 May 2016

Innovative research technique may help understand early stage kidney disease

UT Dallas scientists are developing an innovative research technique that could help urologists better understand the early stages of kidney disease.

19 May 2016

Antihypertensive initiation, intensification linked to raised short-term fall risk

Older patients initiating or intensifying antihypertensive medication have a short-term increased risk of sustaining a serious fall injury, US study findings indicate.

18 May 2016

Rural hospitals may work well for straightforward surgeries in relatively healthy patients

They may be in small towns. They may only have a couple of surgeons. But for common operations, they may be safer and less expensive than their larger cousins, a new study finds.

18 May 2016

Researchers identify risk factors for unplanned readmissions following esophageal resection

Esophagectomy is a major surgical procedure associated with significant complications with up to 1 in 5 patients readmitted following hospital discharge. These unplanned readmissions are an important problem as they negatively impact patient care and, in the future, may have implications for reimbursement through the Hospital Readmissions Reduction program.

17 May 2016

People in low-income communities more likely to be hospitalized for AMI

While heart attack rates across all income levels have declined significantly over the last 15 years, people living in low-income communities are still more likely to be hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a new study published by Yale School of Medicine researchers in the journal JAMA Cardiology.

12 May 2016

Becker's Hospital Review names UC San Diego Health among '100 Great Hospitals in America'

UC San Diego Health has been named by Becker's Hospital Review to its 2016 list of "100 Great Hospitals in America." The list is based on rankings and awards from reputable sources, such as Healthgrades, The Leapfrog Group, and U.S. News & World Report.

10 May 2016

Cancer may have negative impact on health of individuals as they age

A new study indicates that cancer may have negative impacts on both the physical and mental health of individuals as they age. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study suggests that cancer increases the risk for certain health issues above and beyond normal aging. This is likely due, in part, to decreased physical activity and stress associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment.

9 May 2016

Medicare policy puts low-income Americans at increased risk for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second highest cause of cancer death in the United States, expected to claim the lives of an estimated 49,190 people in 2016. The Affordable Care Act aimed to increase access to CRC screening by not holding patients responsible for all costs of the procedure, yet current Medicare insurance beneficiaries lacking supplemental insurance may not be able to afford colon cancer screening and treatment.

9 May 2016

Physicians come together for single-payer national health insurance reform

In a dramatic show of physician support for deeper health reform - and for making a decisive break with the private insurance model of financing medical care - 2,231 physicians called today [Thursday, May 5] for the creation of a publicly financed, single-payer national health program that would cover all Americans for all medically necessary care.

6 May 2016

Guide to advance directives: an interview with Dr Lisa Price

An advance directive is a very specific legal document that details the medical treatments you want, and, importantly, don’t want, if you’re unable to communicate with a physician. This may happen as a result of a critical illness that could make you confused or unable to speak.

6 May 2016

Older adults experience greater survival rates after lung cancer surgery

Patients aged 65 years and older are living longer after lung cancer surgery, and with older people representing a rapidly growing proportion of patients diagnosed with lung cancer, this improved survival is especially significant, according to an article posted online today by The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

5 May 2016

High prevalence of depression alongside COPD can impact overall health, treatment effectiveness

Although there have been discussions about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition impacting 24 million Americans, and depression, there has been little research showing the impact depression has on patients with COPD. Two studies published in the April issue of the journal CHEST found one in four patients with COPD suffer from depressive symptoms, and if not treated, those symptoms can have a negative effect on their overall health and treatment effectiveness.

4 May 2016

Self-reported care delays linked to long waiting times in VA health coverage system

Military veterans are more likely to report delays in seeking necessary healthcare, compared to the US general population, reports a study in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

3 May 2016