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Community-focused efforts needed to reduce hospital readmissions

Recent research indicates that most of the variation in hospital readmission rates in the United States is related to geography and other factors over which hospitals have little or no control. Access and quality of care outside of the hospital setting seem to be especially important.

4 Feb 2015

HealthSouth agrees to acquire Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital from Kentucky Easter Seal Society

HealthSouth Corporation today announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, from the Kentucky Easter Seal Society, Inc.

3 Feb 2015

New Jersey Hospital Association, Applied Medical Software receive 'Innovation Award' from ACHE-NJ

The New Jersey Hospital Association and Applied Medical Software have received the "Innovation Award" from the American College of Healthcare Executives New Jersey for their pioneering initiative to improve healthcare value and reduce costs by promoting better coordination and collaboration among New Jersey hospitals and physicians.

3 Feb 2015

Study finds decline in re-hospitalization rates after AVR surgery

Fewer patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) are being re-hospitalized in the year following surgery, indicating the surgery is safer and the recovery has become easier, according to an article in the February 2015 issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

2 Feb 2015

Blue Shield of California signs new, two-year contract with Sutter Health

Blue Shield of California today announced the signing of a new, two-year contract with Sutter Health. Blue Shield is pleased to offer members access to Sutter Health providers and facilities as participating providers effective February 1, 2015 through December 31, 2016. Blue Shield apologizes that the contract negotiation took longer than expected and that customers and members experienced uncertainty or disruption.

31 Jan 2015

NCCN commemorates 20 years of advancing high-quality, high-value cancer care

On January 31, 2015, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network celebrates its 20th anniversary. Originally announced as an alliance of 13 leading cancer centers in 1995, NCCN has grown to a network of 25 academic cancer centers; the NCCN mission as an alliance of leading academic cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education, is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care so that patients can live better lives.

31 Jan 2015

Stark Pediatrics' Asif Younus recognized with Physician Summit Award

Buckeye Health Plan recognized Asif Younus, M. D., of Stark Pediatrics, Inc., in Canton with a Physician Summit Award, the company's highest designation for a health care provider. Summit Awards are given each year to primary care physicians and obstetricians for providing clinical excellence.

30 Jan 2015

New report highlights patient-centered medical home's impact on quality, costs

Today at a briefing on Capitol Hill, the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative released a new publication highlighting the significant impact the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) has on improving quality and reducing costs of primary care delivery.

30 Jan 2015

OSTAR introduces Cellular TeleHealth Blood Pressure Monitoring System in North America

OSTAR Healthcare Technology, a Washington State Based TeleHealth Solutions company, announced the North American launch of yet another first in their Cellular TeleHealth Blood Pressure Monitoring System.

30 Jan 2015

HHS sets goals to shift Medicare payments to reward quality of care rather than volume

New plans announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mean that hospitals will need to accelerate changes to patient care if they are to avoid receiving lower payments.

28 Jan 2015

Kaleo, CHMI partner to reduce prescription drug-related deaths

Kaleo, a privately-held pharmaceutical company, today announced a national strategic partnership with the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, that will help support its goal of cutting prescription drug-related deaths in half, saving approximately 10,000 lives over five years.

27 Jan 2015

UVA's new program uses EpicCare electronic medical record to improve patients' access to specialists

The University of Virginia Health System is piloting a new program that uses its EpicCare electronic medical record to speed patients' access to specialists.

23 Jan 2015

St. Mary's wins Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for second consecutive year

Dignity Health St. Mary's Medical Center has received the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ from Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. This is the second consecutive year St. Mary's has received this award, which recognizes St. Mary's as among the top five percent of more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide for clinical performance.

21 Jan 2015

Maria Editha Bautista-Santos receives MHS Health's 7th Annual Summit Award

MHS Health Wisconsin, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, presented its 7th Annual Summit Award to Maria Editha Bautista-Santos, MD, a family practice physician at Affinity Medical Group in Appleton, Wis.

21 Jan 2015

EvergreenHealth recognized as Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence

EvergreenHealth has achieved its sixth designation as a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence from Healthgrades, placing the health care organization among the top 5 percent of hospitals of the more than 4,500 hospitals evaluated nationwide and based solely on its outstanding clinical performance.

20 Jan 2015

Quality of health care improves in states where APRNs are fully independent

As America's population ages, life spans lengthen and more individuals enroll in insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, the need for health care professionals will increase. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the health care market will fall short of demand by 45,000 primary care physicians in 2020. Many states do not allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to perform primary care duties to their full potential; however, University of Missouri researchers say APRNs can help relieve the shortage of healthcare workers and expand access to care for underserved populations.

15 Jan 2015

Palmetto GBA issues positive coverage policy for GenomeDx's Decipher prostate cancer test

GenomeDx Biosciences today announced that Palmetto GBA, a national contractor that administers Medicare benefits, has issued a positive coverage policy through the MolDX Program for the company's Decipher prostate cancer classifier.

15 Jan 2015

EMA accepts Praluent (alirocumab) MAA for review

Regeneron and Sanofi today announced that the European Medicines Agency has accepted for review the Marketing Authorization Application for Praluent (alirocumab). Alirocumab is an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) that is intended for the treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia.

12 Jan 2015

Mayo Clinic study dispels myth that cancer biopsies cause cancer to spread

A study of more than 2,000 patients by researchers at Mayo Clinic's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, has dispelled the myth that cancer biopsies cause cancer to spread. In the Jan. 9 online issue of Gut, they show that patients who received a biopsy had a better outcome and longer survival than patients who did not have a biopsy.

11 Jan 2015

Memorial Prompt Care & Family Medicine becomes MemorialCare Medical Group

Memorial Prompt Care & Family Medicine announced that it has changed its name to MemorialCare Medical Group. Affiliated with the nationally recognized MemorialCare Health System, it was a natural fit for them to become part of the award-winning MemorialCare Medical Group. The name change is effective immediately.

11 Jan 2015

Medicare News and Research

Community-focused efforts needed to reduce hospital readmissions

HealthSouth agrees to acquire Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital from Kentucky Easter Seal Society

New Jersey Hospital Association, Applied Medical Software receive 'Innovation Award' from ACHE-NJ

Study finds decline in re-hospitalization rates after AVR surgery

Blue Shield of California signs new, two-year contract with Sutter Health

NCCN commemorates 20 years of advancing high-quality, high-value cancer care

Stark Pediatrics' Asif Younus recognized with Physician Summit Award

New report highlights patient-centered medical home's impact on quality, costs

OSTAR introduces Cellular TeleHealth Blood Pressure Monitoring System in North America

HHS sets goals to shift Medicare payments to reward quality of care rather than volume

Kaleo, CHMI partner to reduce prescription drug-related deaths

UVA's new program uses EpicCare electronic medical record to improve patients' access to specialists

St. Mary's wins Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for second consecutive year

Maria Editha Bautista-Santos receives MHS Health's 7th Annual Summit Award

EvergreenHealth recognized as Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence

Quality of health care improves in states where APRNs are fully independent

Palmetto GBA issues positive coverage policy for GenomeDx's Decipher prostate cancer test

EMA accepts Praluent (alirocumab) MAA for review

Mayo Clinic study dispels myth that cancer biopsies cause cancer to spread

Memorial Prompt Care & Family Medicine becomes MemorialCare Medical Group

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