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New projects to develop innovative technologies to address global health challenges

Fifteen projects announced today, 31 January 2018, will develop new healthcare technologies to tackle international health challenges, ranging from the prevention of limb loss by Syrian refugees to faster diagnosis and treatment for parasitic diseases such as malaria.

31 Jan 2018

Hospitals’ best-laid plans upended by disaster

It was 3:35 a.m. and flames from a massive Northern California wildfire licked at the back of a Santa Rosa hospital.

24 Jan 2018

CHIP renewed for six years as Congress votes to reopen Federal government

A brief, partial shutdown of the federal government was resolved Monday, as the Senate and House approved legislation that would keep federal dollars flowing until Feb. 8, as well as fund the Children's Health Insurance Program for the next six years.

23 Jan 2018

Her sister’s keeper: Caring for a sibling with mental illness

When sisters Jean and Ruby were growing up in Harlem, they invented a game of make-believe called "Eartha." The little girls would put on their prettiest dresses and shiniest shoes and sit down to tea as grown-up ladies. They discussed details of their hoped-for husbands and children, and all the exciting things they would do together.

9 Jan 2018

Running on empty: CHIP funding could run out Jan. 19 for some states

Some states are facing a mid-January loss of funding for their Children's Health Insurance Program despite spending approved by Congress in late December that was expected to keep the program running for three months, federal health officials said Friday.

5 Jan 2018

Children’s insurance, other health programs funded — for now — in bill

The bill passed by Congress late Thursday to keep most of the federal government funded for another month also provided a temporary reprieve to a number of health programs in danger of running out of money, most notably the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.

22 Dec 2017

Belgian researchers create transplantable artificial ovary prototype

Belgian researchers have taken important steps towards creating transplantable artificial ovaries. Once successful, these could be of value to women struggling with infertility or cancer patients who cannot conceive after undergoing radiation or chemotherapy.

13 Dec 2017

Government announces plans to include eye test reminder during driving license renewal

The Government has announced that it plans to work with the DVLA to include an eye test reminder when motorists renew their photocard driving license – in a milestone move announced in Parliament yesterday.

12 Dec 2017

Churning, confusion and disruption — The dark side of marketplace coverage

Cyndee Weston can barely remember the last time she didn't have to switch health plans during an Affordable Care Act sign-up season. By her count, she has been on five plans in five years.

7 Dec 2017

Improving Healthcare in the Community through Eye Examinations

Paul Morris is the Director of Professional Advancement for Specsavers Opticians in the UK and Ireland. The role involves furthering clinical scope, professional services, standards, training and forming future strategy for the group. He previously held the role of Director of Optometry Advancement.

From Specsavers 1 Dec 2017

Whistleblower: Medicaid managed-care firm improperly denied care to thousands

In early October, an executive at one of the nation's largest physician-practice management firms handed her bosses the equivalent of a live grenade — a 20-page report that blew up the company and shook the world of managed care for poor patients across California.

1 Dec 2017

Podcast: ‘What the Health?’ Taxes, Medicare and the year-end mess

Weeks ago, the tax bill under consideration in Congress became a health bill, too. But now it could also trigger major cuts to the Medicare program.

30 Nov 2017

University was tipped off to possible unauthorized trials of herpes vaccine

The university that employed a controversial herpes vaccine researcher has told the federal government it learned last summer of the possibility of his illegal experimentation on human subjects.

29 Nov 2017

Digital image of the retina provides enormous information about patients' general health

Personalized medicine or "precision medicine" is the most significant trend in 21st century medicine. "It's all about the right treatment for the right patient at the right time," says Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth, Head of MedUni Vienna's Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry.

28 Nov 2017

Researchers receive £1.3 million to develop sight-saving imaging technology

Staff at the University of Liverpool's Department of Eye & Vision Science have been awarded £1.3 million by the National Institute for Health Research's Intervention for Innovation (i4i) program to develop a state-of-the-art Ultra-Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography system.

17 Nov 2017

Vaccine shortage complicates efforts to quell hepatitis A outbreaks

San Diego County, battling a deadly outbreak of hepatitis A, is postponing an outreach campaign to provide the second of two inoculations against the contagious liver disease until a national shortage of the vaccine is resolved, the county's chief public health officer said.

14 Nov 2017

Insurer tries a soft touch — puppies! — for this year’s hard sell of Obamacare plans

Can a puppy video get you to buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchanges? Florida Blue, a major insurer in that state, hopes the answer is yes.

6 Nov 2017

Rush Hospitals continue to earn top scores for patient safety from Leapfrog Group

For the second time this year, all three Rush hospitals - Rush University Medical Center, Rush Oak Park Hospital and Rush-Copley Medical Center - have received an 'A' grade, the highest possible, from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit patient safety watchdog organization.

3 Nov 2017

UC study explores racial and gender disparities in elderly dialysis patients

University of Cincinnati researchers are examining racial and gender disparities in dialysis patients as well as the impact of poor functional status and pre-dialysis hospitalizations on elderly dialysis patients.

3 Nov 2017

What the Health? How confused are we?

Open enrollment started with more of a whimper than a bang Nov. 1, as the Trump administration continued to talk down the health law it is required to operate.

2 Nov 2017