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ACS CAN asks federal and state candidates to state positions on cancer issues

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is asking federal and state candidates to go on the record with their positions on cancer issues. ACS CAN, the nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, has reached out to more than 500 candidates across the country in a nationwide effort to educate voters about laws and policies that help people fight cancer.

20 Oct 2010

ACS NSQIP recognizes Christiana Care Health System as participating hospital

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) has recognized Christiana Care Health System as one of 26 ACS NSQIP participating hospitals in the United States that have achieved exemplary outcomes for surgical patient care.

20 Oct 2010

HHS announces new $30 million Consumer Assistance Grants program awards

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced new Consumer Assistance Grants program awards of nearly $30 million to help states and territories put patients in charge of their health care. These grants will support states' efforts to establish or strengthen consumer assistance programs that provide direct services to consumers with questions or concerns regarding their health insurance.

20 Oct 2010

Minnesota health care organizations share patient EHRs through network of interoperable systems

Eight of the largest health care organizations in Minnesota have successfully launched software that enables electronic sharing of patient records across the group - and with other network members nationwide. The network of interoperable systems allows for an estimated 75 percent of Minnesotans (3.6 million patients) to show up at any one of the organizations' hospitals or clinics and have records from previous visits immediately available to doctors.

20 Oct 2010

National Pap Test Campaign for cervical cancer diagnosis

The Federation of Medical Women of Canada (FMWC) and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) are ready to launch this year's National Pap Test Campaign, to take place during National Cervical Cancer Awareness Week. From October 24th to 30th, over 100 health-care professionals across Canada are taking a stand against cervical cancer by hosting public Pap test clinics in their community.

20 Oct 2010

Researchers to develop tailor-made pain management strategies for chronic pain

Research presented at this year's American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting offers new data in the quest to develop tailor-made pain management strategies based upon a patient's genetic predisposition and other important factors.

20 Oct 2010

Loyola University Chicago MNSON supports recommendations to advance nursing profession

Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) supports the recommendations recently issued by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine to advance the nursing profession in the United States.

20 Oct 2010

FDA provides update on three-part study of LASIK procedure

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today provided an update on a three-part study of LASIK (Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis), a vision improvement procedure.

20 Oct 2010

Prostate cancer can risk of colon cancer: Study

Men with prostate cancer should be especially diligent about having routine screening colonoscopies, results of a new study by gastroenterologists at the University at Buffalo indicate.

20 Oct 2010

NIAID announces four new contracts for clinical trials to address problem of antimicrobial resistance

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced four new contracts for large-scale clinical trials that address the problem of antimicrobial resistance.

20 Oct 2010

Beryl Institute awards $1,000 grants to health care organizations

As part of its commitment to supporting efforts to improve the patient experience in healthcare, The Beryl Institute has awarded $1,000 grants to ten health care organizations that are exploring effective methods for addressing patient experience issues.

20 Oct 2010

Hospital mortality rates decline by 7.98% from 2007 to 2009

A new independent study by HealthGrades of patient outcomes at America's hospitals found that patients at 5-star rated hospitals had a 72% lower risk of dying when compared with patients at 1-star-rated hospitals -- an enormous gap that has held steady over the past years even as overall mortality rates have improved.

20 Oct 2010

USAID administrator outlines feed the future initiative at World Food Prize symposium

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah on Friday in Iowa described the Obama administration's international agricultural development effort, Feed the Future, as a flagship effort for his agency and a key plank in the administration's global development strategy, but said it can't succeed without more support, CongressDaily reports.

20 Oct 2010

Studies explore efforts to measure, improve hospitals' surgical outcomes

Hospital Compare, an HHS website that allows patients to compare hospitals online using various indicators of quality, is intended to help them choose better facilities for their medical care. But a new report in the Archives of Surgery says the website doesn't help Medicare beneficiaries in need of certain high-risk surgeries find better facilities.

20 Oct 2010

AU launches African women's decade project to improve health, development

Delegates from around the world attended the launch of the African Women's Decade, 2010-2020, (AWD) at an event in Nairobi, Kenya, on Friday, the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reports.

20 Oct 2010

Campaign claims examined as some democrats embrace health law in re-election bids

Kaiser Health News/The Washington Post analyze myths and facts in the congressional campaigns. "The debate that preceded passage of the health-care overhaul resumed as a heated issue in the midterm elections.

20 Oct 2010

Campaign claims: Health law myths and facts

Kaiser Health News staff writer Julie Appleby and The Washington Post's N.C. Aizenman report: "The debate that preceded passage of the health-care overhaul resumed as a heated issue in the midterm elections.

20 Oct 2010

Judge in Va. to rule on health law's mandate by year's end

A federal judge will rule by the end of the year on a Virginia challenge to the federal health law provision requiring people to buy insurance, The New York Times reports.

20 Oct 2010

When hospital checklists don't tell the whole story

Kaiser Health News staff writer Aimee Miles reports: "The whole idea behind HHS' Hospital Compare is simple: patients can shop around by putting in their zip codes and the website churns out a list of nearby hospitals, with detail on available services, care outcomes, patient satisfaction ratings and more.

20 Oct 2010

DOJ sues Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield over pricing deals

The U.S. Justice Department is suing Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and alleging that it violated antitrust laws by forcing hospitals to charge higher prices to rival insurers.

20 Oct 2010