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PEPFAR AIDSRelief shows success of country partnerships

Leia Isanhart Balima of Catholic Relief Services writes in this ONE blog post about the successes of the AIDSRelief program in Rwanda, and how that country's Ministry of Health has taken ownership over operations.

11 Nov 2011

Global Health Service Corps essential to improve African health systems, achieve 'AIDS-free generation'

"A notable feature of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's 'AIDS-free generation' initiative is to strengthen health care systems in sub-Saharan Africa, ... a view echoed by many eminent voices in the global health community," Anand Reddi of the University of Colorado Medical School writes in a post on Huffington Post's "Impact" blog.

11 Nov 2011

Obagi Medical Products third quarter net income increases to $4.4M

Obagi Medical Products, Inc., a leader in topical aesthetic and therapeutic skin health systems, today reported financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011.

10 Nov 2011

SunLink first quarter consolidated net revenues increase 5.4% to $43,053,000

SunLink Health Systems, Inc. today announced a loss from continuing operations for its first fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2011 of $305,000, or a loss of $0.04 per fully diluted share, compared to a loss from continuing operations of $2,263,000, or a loss of $0.28 per fully diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2010.

9 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: Weighing the ballot measures in Miss. and Ohio; the super committee's task

For all their sincerity and fervor, proponents of the personhood movement represent a small minority nationwide. In Gallup polls, support for a total abortion ban is almost exactly where it was in 1973 - at just over 20%, despite a rise in backing for limitations. Most people certainly don't want homicide charges brought against women who choose to have abortions or doctors who perform them.

8 Nov 2011

CHS commences cash tender offer for 8⅞% Senior Notes due 2015

Community Health Systems, Inc. today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc., has commenced a cash tender offer for up to $1.0 billion of the Issuer's approximately $2.8 billion aggregate principal amount outstanding of its 8⅞% Senior Notes due 2015 on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Issuer's Offer to Purchase dated November 7, 2011.

8 Nov 2011

Blue Shield of Calif. turns to retail stores; Poll finds workers' share of health costs growing

Insurer's retail outlet in San Francisco will be in a supermarket. Meanwhile, a poll of large U.S. employer health spending by Modern Healthcare finds workers' costs are increasing.

7 Nov 2011

Hawaii Pacific Health joins Premier's Partnership for Care Transformation collaborative

Hawaii Pacific Health has joined the Premier healthcare alliance's PACT (Partnership for Care Transformation) collaborative to build the necessary capabilities that are required under the final Medicare shared savings rule.

5 Nov 2011

Siemens Healthcare to acquire MobileMD

Today, Siemens Healthcare announced that the company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding equity of MobileMD, Inc., of Yardley, Pa., a provider of health information exchange (HIE) solutions.

From Siemens Healthineers 5 Nov 2011

LMG project to strengthen global health care delivery

The Yale Global Health Leadership Institute announces a new partnership with Management Science for Health, as part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Leadership, Management and Governance Project.

4 Nov 2011

Roundup: Mental health hospital woes; N.Y. Medicare scam bust

A Miami Herald series "Neglected to Death," focused this spring on critical breakdowns in Florida's enforcement system, including failures by the state's Agency on Health Care Administration to fully investigate deaths or to shut down some of the worst offenders among Florida's 2,850 assisted-living facilities. Although more states are using Medicaid money to pay for some portion of assisted living care for the poor, the federal government has a limited role in the facilities their oversight has been and will likely continue to be a state duty.

4 Nov 2011

NYC settles Medicaid suit; Wis. officials face deadline for new plan for health care for poor

New York City will pay the federal government $70 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the city of overbilling Medicaid by improperly approving home care for frail and elderly clients, both parties said on Monday.

2 Nov 2011

Three centers to improve clinical preventive services and practices

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) awarded three-year grants totaling $4.5 million to support research in three centers that will focus on improving clinical preventive services and practices such as screening, counseling and use of preventive medications for patients.

1 Nov 2011

Legislation introduced to offer some legal protection to providers who use electronic medical records

The legislation, which would focus its legal protection on providers who participate in Medicare and Medicaid, is designed to encourage the adoption of health information technology.

1 Nov 2011

Providing free health care more complex than usually thought

Over the last years, many low and middle-income countries have removed user fees in their health care sector. Researchers from Africa, Asia, Northern America and Europe have studied these policies; their findings are gathered in a supplement of the scientific journal Health Policy & Planning, coordinated by Bruno Meesen from the Antwerp Institute of Tropical medicine.

28 Oct 2011

Million Hearts' goal to prevent a million heart attacks and strokes in five years

In the time needed to read out loud the headline on this story, someone has died from a stroke. Every 6 seconds, someone in the world dies from stroke. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in support of World Stroke Day, Oct. 29, 2011, asks Americans to take immediate action to reduce their risk for stroke.

28 Oct 2011

State roundup: Ohio voters will determine public employee benefits

On Nov. 8, Ohio voters will decide the fate of the law, which allows public employees to bargain for wages and working conditions but prohibits strikes. Workers will also have to pay for healthcare insurance and pensions. The law is on hold pending the referendum.

27 Oct 2011

Addressing barriers to successful immunization programs important while vaccine development progresses

Immunizations can be a cost-effective means of disease prevention, but "[t]o reach the fully realized stage of cost-effectiveness, ... it is vital to acknowledge -- and more importantly, address -- the barriers that often prevent them from either being as cheap or as widely used as needed," Forbes contributor Sarika Bansal writes in a Forbes opinion piece.

27 Oct 2011

Apelon introduces cloud-based terminology mapping solution

Apelon, Inc., a leading provider of terminology and data interoperability solutions, today announced the availability of the first comprehensive, cloud-based terminology mapping solution.

24 Oct 2011

ACOs: Docs, hospitals A-OK on revisions to final rule

The regulations, which were released Thursday, relaxed requirements for doctors and hospitals to participate in the program. Some insurers and employers, however, complained that the changes will increase the chances that providers will consolidate, which could reduce competition and drive up costs.

22 Oct 2011