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MedeAnalytics unveils new Financial Strategy Analytics solution

Today MedeAnalytics, a leading provider of healthcare performance management solutions, introduced its new Financial Strategy Analytics solution, a powerful tool that enables hospitals and health systems to proactively manage finances, hone strategic planning, and optimize managed care performance metrics in the context of today's rapidly changing healthcare marketplace.

17 Jun 2013

European Commission amends marketing authorisation for Celgene's REVLIMID

Celgene International Sàrl was today notified that the European Commission has amended the marketing authorisation for REVLIMID. This decision means that REVLIMID is now approved to treat patients with transfusion-dependent anaemia due to low or intermediate-1 risk myelodysplastic syndromes associated with an isolated deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality when other therapeutic options are insufficient or inadequate.

17 Jun 2013

Research roundup: Studying states' readiness for insurance exchanges

Unauthorized immigrants' options for health care generally consist of hospital emergency rooms and community health centers. Using nationally representative survey data from 2000 to 2009, researchers compared medical spending for unauthorized immigrants, legal residents, naturalized citizens, and natives of the United States and found that "unauthorized immigrants have lower health care spending overall but higher rates of receiving uncompensated care than legal immigrants and US natives."

15 Jun 2013

Educating pediatricians on appropriate antibiotic usage can improve outcomes in children’s infections

As disease-causing microbes continue their worrisome trend of developing resistance to commonly used antibiotics, public health experts have called for more selective use of those medicines. A new study suggests that educating pediatricians in their offices, and auditing their prescription patterns, encourages them to choose more appropriate antibiotics for children with common respiratory infections.

14 Jun 2013

Study: Intervention improves adherence to prescribing guidelines for pediatric bacterial ARTIs

An intervention consisting of clinician education coupled with personalized audit and feedback about antibiotic prescribing improved adherence to prescribing guidelines for common pediatric bacterial acute respiratory tract infections, although the intervention did not affect antibiotic prescribing for viral infections, according to a study in the June 12 issue of JAMA.

14 Jun 2013

Research sheds light on the details of austerity cuts in Spanish health system

A series of austerity reforms made by the Spanish government could lead to the effective dismantling of large parts of the country's healthcare system, with potentially detrimental effects on the health of the Spanish people, according to new research published in BMJ.

13 Jun 2013

State highlights: Ala. abortion law challenged in court; NYC officials try again on soda restrictions

As the protests have grown, so has the list of causes. At the center is a package of changes to voting rules and a tax reform plan working its way through the legislature that would reduce individual and corporate income taxes and expand the sales tax. Protesters have also rallied against the expansion of school vouchers, cuts to unemployment benefits, the repeal of the Racial Justice Act, efforts to allow hydraulic fracturing and the state's refusal to expand Medicaid benefits as part of President Obama's health care plan (Severson, 6/11).

13 Jun 2013

New report shows U.S. retail health clinics expected to double in the next three years

The number of U.S. retail health clinics is projected to double in the next three years due to the increasing demand of newly insured patients under healthcare reform, according to a new report released today by Accenture at the annual America's Health Insurance Plans Institute 2013 in Las Vegas.

12 Jun 2013

Women are 37% more likely to have COPD than men, says American Lung Association report

Women are 37 percent more likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than men and now account for more than half of all deaths attributed to COPD in our nation.

6 Jun 2013

Security of ePHI: A growing concern for healthcare executives

The security of electronic patient health information continues to be a growing concern for healthcare executives, driven by an increasingly mobile clinician workforce, uncertainty around impending updates to HIPAA regulations and widespread use of text messaging among providers.

5 Jun 2013

AHA: Hospital consolidation trend a positive development

A study conducted by the American Hospital Association makes the case that the consolidation trend has potential to drive down costs.

5 Jun 2013

NAPHS lauds Administration's initiative to launch national dialogue on mental health

"The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems and its members applaud the Administration's launch today of a national dialogue on mental health," said NAPHS President and CEO Mark Covall.

4 Jun 2013

Children who miss well-child visits have twice the risk of hospitalization

Young children who missed more than half of recommended well-child visits had up to twice the risk of hospitalization compared to children who attended most of their visits, according to a study published today in the American Journal of Managed Care. The study included more than 20,000 children enrolled at Group Health Cooperative.

27 May 2013

MemorialCare Health System receives 2013 Crimson Physician Partnership Award

MemorialCare Health System is one of two organizations chosen from more than 1,000 hospitals nationwide to receive the prestigious 2013 Crimson Physician Partnership Award presented by The Advisory Board at its Scottsdale, Arizona Summit.

22 May 2013

NAPHS releases new study that examines readmission patterns within Medicare IPF PPS

The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems today released a new study by The Moran Company that is the first to examine readmission patterns within inpatient psychiatric facilities paid under the Medicare IPF prospective payment system.

13 May 2013

State roundup: Miss. Gov. says Medicaid can go on without reauthorization

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says he thinks he can run Medicaid even if lawmakers don't reauthorize the program or set its budget by the time the state's new fiscal year starts July 1. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported Bryant's remarks and said he spoke about Medicaid after taking part in a tourism event at the state Capitol (5/9).

10 May 2013

GHS patients to have access to doctors' notes through MyGeisinger online patient portal

More than 100,000 Geisinger Health System patients will have access to their doctors' notes for the first time through the secure MyGeisinger online patient portal when Geisinger expands OpenNotes in May due to the initiative's overwhelming success.

9 May 2013

PAMF provides support to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection and control

The American Medical Group Association announced today that the Palo Alto Medical Foundation donated $20,000 to support Measure Up/Pressure Down, a national campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection, and control, spearheaded by the American Medical Group Foundation, AMGA's nonprofit education and research arm.

8 May 2013

Hand Hygiene Day: WHO encourages patients, family members to practice good hand hygiene

On Hand Hygiene Day (5 May), the World Health Organization is encouraging patients and their family members to join health workers in their efforts to practice good hand hygiene.

3 May 2013

Somalia launches pentavalent vaccine with support from GAVI, UNICEF, WHO

"Coinciding with World Immunization Week, the Somali government announced on 24 April its intention to vaccinate all children under the age of one with a new five-in-one vaccine, known as a pentavalent vaccine, funded by the GAVI Alliance, with [UNICEF] and the [WHO] as implementing partners," IRIN reports.

30 Apr 2013