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Butler Hospital expands Outpatient Psychiatric Consultation Program

In a move that highlights collaboration across a health care system, three Care New England hospitals recently came together to pilot a service that is now being expanded to fill a need for mental health services in the entire region. After successfully piloting the concept at Women & Infants and Kent hospitals, Butler Hospital is expanding its Outpatient Psychiatric Consultation Program to all referring physicians in the area who may have a patient needing a consult.

6 Mar 2012

Study emphasizes importance of quality-of-life discussions for critically ill patients

A new study from Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing emphasizes the importance of having discussions related to quality of life before becoming critically ill.

6 Mar 2012

AIDS advocacy groups ask Obama to reconsider FY13 budget request for PEPFAR

"Nine global HIV/AIDS advocacy organizations sent a letter [.pdf] to President Obama Thursday asking him to rethink his fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget recommendation to slash $546 million in funding from the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program," the Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog reports.

6 Mar 2012

PGen study to examine impact of consumer genomics

As genetic risk information plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases, private companies have made personal genomic testing for these risk factors widely available to the public. However, very little data has been gathered to understand the motivations and expectations of consumers of personal genomic services, the psychological and behavioral impact of these services, and the associated ethical, legal and social issues-until now.

5 Mar 2012

Ukraine Security Secretary says HIV, TB remain threat to nation's security, encourages cooperation with Global Fund

Speaking about two bills concerning Ukraine's cooperation with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Ukraine Secretary of National Security and Defense Council Andriy Kliuyev said "the epidemics of AIDS and tuberculosis [TB] remain a threat to national security in Ukraine and require redoubled efforts to treat and prevent these diseases," Interfax reports.

5 Mar 2012

The Contraception Mandate is the end of individual liberty

In March 2010, the Democrat-controlled Congress forced the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (now known as ObamaCare) over the strong objections of the majority of Americans, most of whom were either already receiving taxpayer-funded health insurance or were satisfied with their private coverage.

5 Mar 2012

Contraceptive debate roils on in editorial pages

If the pill had never been invented, perhaps American politics would be very different today. ... Conflicts over gay marriage, transvaginal ultrasounds, Planned Parenthood funding and insurance coverage for birth control are not isolated events (Nancy L. Cohen, 3/4).

5 Mar 2012

Univita Health announces acquisition of All-Med Services of Florida

Univita Health, a leader in providing home-based care management, has announced the acquisition of All-Med Services of Florida (All-Med).

5 Mar 2012

Vet groups sound alarm that VA's mental health expansion is going too slowly

Two years after Congress passed a high-profile law to improve health care for military veterans, lawmakers and advocates are again raising alarms that the sprawling Department of Veterans Affairs is not expanding help for the nation's former fighters and their families as quickly or widely as intended.

5 Mar 2012

Political cartoon: 'Moral Objection?'

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Moral Objection?" by Nick Anderson.

5 Mar 2012

Survey: Americans spend more for health care than people in other countries

The report from the International Federation of Health Plans found that Americans pay more for physician time, for scans, surgery and drugs than people in other countries. Also in the news, other reports from the health care marketplace explore the lack of insurance coverage for reproductive-age women and the growth in the number of companies that are offering incentives to their employees to better manage their health.

5 Mar 2012

Health care a big budget issue for Minn., Va. lawmakers

Lower health spending because of slower Medicaid enrollment growth is good news for Minnesota's budget. In Virginia, however, Democrats say a GOP budget doesn't spend enough on health care.

5 Mar 2012

Innovative telemedicine program connects neonatal specialists to treat tiniest, difficult cases

An innovative telemedicine program connecting neonatal specialists from UC San Diego Medical Center and Tri-City Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) will allow experts to collaborate, diagnose and treat some of San Diego County's tiniest, most difficult cases.

5 Mar 2012

Interaction sends letter to CIA head protesting use of vaccination plot to find Bin Laden in Pakistan

"An alliance of 200 U.S. aid groups has written to the head of the CIA to protest against its use of a doctor to help track Osama bin Laden, linking the agency's ploy to the polio crisis in Pakistan," the Guardian reports, noting Pakistan recorded the highest number of polio cases in the world last year.

5 Mar 2012

USAID committed to early action on Sahel drought, drawing from lessons from Horn response

"A year after the worst drought in 60 years sent 13.3 million people in the Horn of Africa into crisis, we are now facing a rising threat of crisis in the Sahel -- an arid belt that stretches from Senegal through Niger and Burkina Faso to Chad," Nancy Lindborg, head of democracy, conflict, and humanitarian assistance at USAID, writes in this post in Huffington Post's "The Blog."

5 Mar 2012

IRIN examines pilot project to increase ORS coverage for treatment of child diarrhea

IRIN examines ColaLife -- a pilot project set to start in Zambia in September 2012 that will ship single-dose anti-diarrhea kits (ADKs) in crates of Coca-Cola bottles in an effort to increase the coverage of oral rehydration salts (ORS) for the treatment of diarrhea in children in the developing world.

5 Mar 2012

Access full year 2011 revenues increase 284%

ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary drug-delivery platforms to develop treatments in areas of oncology and cancer supportive care,announced preliminary revenue results for fourth quarter 2011 and full year 2011. Fourth quarter MuGard product sales increased 400% over third quarter product sales.

5 Mar 2012

First Edition: March 5, 2012

Today's headlines include reports setting the scene for the upcoming "Super Tuesday" primary elections and how GOP presidential candidates are pointing to health policy issues as part of the debate.

5 Mar 2012

Immediate Clinic acquires Doctors Express

The Ensign Group, Inc., the parent company of the Ensign group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services, hospice care, assisted living and urgent care companies, today announced that its urgent care joint venture, Immediate Clinic LLC, has acquired Doctors Express, a national urgent care franchise system.

5 Mar 2012

GVDI develops PERCUGUARD needlestick prevention device

Golden Valley Development, Inc. is pleased to announce the development of the PERCUGUARD needlestick prevention device, a tool currently unavailable in the medical and dental industries, exceeding 1 billion potential annual applications worldwide.

5 Mar 2012