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Complex 36-point therapeutic personalized program can help reverse memory loss in early AD patients

Results from quantitative MRI and neuropsychological testing show unprecedented improvements in ten patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) or its precursors following treatment with a programmatic and personalized therapy. Results from an approach dubbed metabolic enhancement for neurodegeneration are now available online in the journal Aging.

16 Jun 2016

Opioid use common among Medicare beneficiaries after hospital discharge

Nearly 15 percent of opioid-naïve patients hospitalized under Medicare are discharged with a new prescription for opioids, according to a study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine.

15 Jun 2016

Many family doctors have poor knowledge about LDCT lung cancer screening

Although clinical trials have shown that lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can detect lung cancers early and reduce lung cancer mortality, less than half of family physicians in a recent survey agreed that screening reduces lung cancer–related deaths.

14 Jun 2016

New study finds underutilization of PR therapy among older COPD patients

A new study from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston investigating trends on the use of pulmonary rehabilitation therapy among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease found that this therapy was underutilized, despite its health benefits and cost effectiveness.

10 Jun 2016

New ‘hospital-level measure of value’ can inform consumers about quality, costs of health care choices

In the United States, the transition from volume to value dominates discussions of health care reform. While shared decision making might help patients determine whether to get care, transparency in procedure- and hospital-specific value measures would help them determine where to get care.

7 Jun 2016

Overtesting for HbA1C levels can increase risk of severe hypoglycemia

With a more-is-better mindset common in society, frequent commercials encouraging checks of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) levels, and ads for new diabetes medications to lower HbA1C in adults with Type 2 diabetes, Mayo Clinic researchers were not too surprised to find overtesting occurring.

7 Jun 2016

Johns Hopkins study highlights added risks of undiagnosed dementia in older adults

A Johns Hopkins study on data from more than 7,000 older Americans has found that those who show signs of probable dementia but are not yet formally diagnosed are nearly twice as likely as those with such a diagnosis to engage in potentially unsafe activities, such as driving, cooking, and managing finances and medications.

2 Jun 2016

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