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African countries lose billions of dollars training doctors who then leave for developed nations, study says

Nine African countries -- Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe – "have lost approximately $2 billion in their investment in doctors who have subsequently migrated abroad," with South Africa and Zimbabwe suffering "the greatest economic losses," according to a study published Friday in BMJ, VOA's "Breaking News" blog reports (11/25).

29 Nov 2011

Most autoimmune diseases associated with increased risk of blood clots on the lung

Autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks the body, are fairly common. Thyroid diseases, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease are some examples. Autoimmune diseases are associated with increased inflammation in the tissue, which in some cases is linked to an increased propensity to develop clots in the veins.

29 Nov 2011

Improving patient adherence to medications for chronic diseases can reduce overall treatment costs

Avi Dor, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health Policy, GW School of Public Health and Health Services, was a co-author of a study, in collaboration with Teva Pharmaceuticals, that found that higher patient adherence to disease modifying therapies, like glatiramer acetate (GA), an immunomodulator drug currently used to treat multiple sclerosis, reduced inpatient costs, outpatient costs, and other medical expenses in a national sample of multiple sclerosis patients.

29 Nov 2011

Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala make progress against river blindness

Global health consultant Alanna Shaikh writes in this post on the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases' "End the Neglect" blog about the elimination of river blindness, or onchoceriasis, from Colombia and progress made against the disease in Mexico and Guatemala.

29 Nov 2011

Daily inhaled steroids comparable to use of intermittent steroid treatment for wheezing

Pediatricians often treat young children who have frequent bouts of wheezing with a daily dose of an inhaled steroid to keep asthma symptoms at bay. But results of a recent study are likely to change that.

29 Nov 2011

Drawing attention to ending gender-based violence

A post in the U.S. Department of State's "DipNote" blog highlights the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, commemorated on November 25, and the 16 Days Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence.

29 Nov 2011

Partisanship a part of demands for certain justices to recuse themselves from health law case

House Democrats recently demanded that Justice Clarence Thomas step aside while Senate Republicans have increased their calls for Justice Elena Kagan to take herself off the case. Meanwhile, lobbying efforts are expected to increase as part of efforts to shape the high court's decision.

29 Nov 2011

Individuals with mood disorders twice as likely to have heart attacks

Depression may have more far-reaching consequences than previously believed. Recent data suggests that individuals who suffer from a mood disorder could be twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to individuals who are not depressed.

29 Nov 2011

Next on Capitol Hill's budget agenda: Skirmishes over tax breaks, spending bills and the 'doc fix'

The Associated Press terms it a "symbol" of the "federal government's budget dysfunction" because physicians again are facing a steep cut in Medicare payments unless Congress intervenes. This time, though, such action will be considered in the context of other difficult budget questions.

29 Nov 2011

Remote video auditing leads to better hospital hand hygiene compliance

Nearly one out of every 20 hospitalized patients each year will develop a hospital-acquired infection (HAI). Of those infected, it is estimated that 100,000 will die. The cost to the healthcare system is approximately $45 billion and rising.

29 Nov 2011

Resettlement programs in Oakland not yet successful

Refugees who have fled Burma to live in Oakland, Calif., are at risk of becoming a permanent, poverty-stricken underclass warns a new report released today by researchers at San Francisco State University and the Burma Refugee Family Network (BRFN). The report found that almost 60 percent of Oakland's refugees from Burma are living in extreme poverty.

29 Nov 2011

Treatment for acute urinary retention due to BPH varies among countries

Men who experience a sudden inability to pass urine because of a non-cancerous enlarged prostate are hospitalised and treated differently depending on where they live, according to an international study published online by the urology journal BJUI.

28 Nov 2011

Some states take slower implementation pace as they wait for Supreme Court decision

Many of this slow down is related to the creation of health exchanges, as some states wondering if they should hold tight until the high court's decision is made. In other news, media outlets detail some of the specifics of the measure's preventive benefits as well as rate review processes.

28 Nov 2011

Federal funding, Medicare plan specifics draw campaign-trail reports

News outlets examine the federal funds received by Texas while Rick Perry has been the state's governor as well as some of the positions taken by Mitt Romney.

28 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: What now for deficit cutters; Berwick's replacement

There's already a bipartisan group of senators, the maverick "Gang of Six," that is volunteering to produce a new compromise package. ... The Gang of Six plan won't make anybody happy.

28 Nov 2011

Three-way contest: Prize is $30 billion veterans drug contract

McKesson Corp. (MCK) is in a contest with Cardinal Health Inc. (CAH) and AmerisourceBergen Corp. (ABC) for a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs drug distributor contract worth as much as $32 billion.

28 Nov 2011

State roundup: Calif. hospital allegedly overbilling Medicare; Wash. hospitals ER 'boom'; Rehab scams in Florida?

Health policy news from California, Florida, Washington state, Oregon, Vermont and Texas.

28 Nov 2011

Medicare's doughnut hole shrinks

Medicare's prescription coverage gap is getting noticeably smaller and easier to manage this year for millions of older and disabled people with high drug costs.

28 Nov 2011

Hospitals spend billions on new defibrillators

Hospitals around the country have been spending millions of dollars to buy automated defibrillators to save the lives of more patients who go into sudden cardiac arrest.

28 Nov 2011

An unfolding success story: Electronic medical records transition moves ahead

It's hard to think of any major portion of President Obama's health policy that hasn't engendered intense argument. But one at least comes close: the provision of the 2009 federal stimulus law that pushes medical practices to update their record-keeping for the 21st century.

28 Nov 2011

Health Care News and Research

African countries lose billions of dollars training doctors who then leave for developed nations, study says

Most autoimmune diseases associated with increased risk of blood clots on the lung

Improving patient adherence to medications for chronic diseases can reduce overall treatment costs

Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala make progress against river blindness

Daily inhaled steroids comparable to use of intermittent steroid treatment for wheezing

Drawing attention to ending gender-based violence

Partisanship a part of demands for certain justices to recuse themselves from health law case

Individuals with mood disorders twice as likely to have heart attacks

Next on Capitol Hill's budget agenda: Skirmishes over tax breaks, spending bills and the 'doc fix'

Remote video auditing leads to better hospital hand hygiene compliance

Resettlement programs in Oakland not yet successful

Treatment for acute urinary retention due to BPH varies among countries

Some states take slower implementation pace as they wait for Supreme Court decision

Federal funding, Medicare plan specifics draw campaign-trail reports

Viewpoints: What now for deficit cutters; Berwick's replacement

Three-way contest: Prize is $30 billion veterans drug contract

State roundup: Calif. hospital allegedly overbilling Medicare; Wash. hospitals ER 'boom'; Rehab scams in Florida?

Medicare's doughnut hole shrinks

Hospitals spend billions on new defibrillators

An unfolding success story: Electronic medical records transition moves ahead

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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