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Health IT sector may face workforce shortage

A top federal health IT official said there is a workforce shortage in the sector that could hinder the widespread adoption of electronic medical records, but federal aide is on the way, for that, too. David Blumenthal, the national health IT coordinator, said federal training programs would meet 85 percent of the demand, which he estimated as a shortage of about 50,000 workers.

20 Oct 2010

Reports examine drug company payments to doctors

ProPublica: "Drug companies say the millions of dollars they pay physicians for speaking and consulting justly compensates them for the laudable work of educating their colleagues. But a series of lawsuits brought by former employees of those companies allege the money often was used for illegal purposes — financially rewarding doctors for prescribing their brand-name medications.

20 Oct 2010

Feds ask Connecticut to reconsider rate hike approval, other health law implementation news

The Hartford Courant reports that a high-ranking health official in the Obama administration has asked Connecticut insurance regulators to reconsider allowing Blue Cross Blue Shield in Connecticut to raise health insurance rates by as much as 47 percent.

20 Oct 2010

New research blames billions in medical costs on obesity

Joint research from Cornell University and Lehigh University finds that nearly 17% of U.S. medical costs can be blamed on obesity.

20 Oct 2010

Candidates continue to clash over health care law

Candidates around the nation are increasingly focusing on what they'll do with the new health law if they're elected as clashes over the overhaul's usefulness and future continue to occur on the campaign trail.

20 Oct 2010

As state commissioners meet on medical loss ratio, insurers warn of impact

Insurers are warning that a provision in the health law that requires them to spend 80 or 85 percent of premiums they collect on actual medical costs and not administrative expenses could put them out of business.

20 Oct 2010

State Roundup: Md.'s heath info exchange; LA to cut retiree health benefits; N.Y.'s mental health building boom

The Washington Post: "A Maryland health information exchange that will allow hospitals, physicians, labs and radiology centers to share patient information within the state went live last week. Three hospitals, three radiology centers, Quest Diagnostics and the Laboratory Corp. of America are already participating in the exchange."

20 Oct 2010

Boeing to shift health costs to workers

The Wall Street Journal: Boeing will increase the costs of health insurance for its 90,000 nonunion workers next year in response to rising health costs, spurred, in part, a Boeing official said, by the federal health law. The company plans to "phase in higher employee costs for deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance during 2011.

20 Oct 2010

Opinions: Mdgs in Africa; development maintenance; U.S. efforts to eradicate polio; Global Fund commitment

Addressing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa will not only require extra spending, but also better spending, as well as the improvement of social services and priority setting, Kingsley Alu writes in a Leadership column.

20 Oct 2010

TearLab announces publication of CPT code for Osmolarity test

TearLab Corporation announced today that, further to its press release of October 8, 2010, a unique new Current Procedural Terminology code that will apply to the TearLab Osmolarity test has now been published by the American Medical Association. The new code will become effective January 1, 2011.

19 Oct 2010

Lilly and Novo Nordisk have the best diabetes corporate image: Study

Endocrinologists, primary care physicians (PCPs) and nurse educators perceive Lilly and Novo Nordisk to have the best diabetes corporate image, with Lilly slightly outscoring Novo among endocrinologists and Novo outscoring Lilly among PCPs and nurses. Results show that endocrinologists see wider differences among the diabetes companies in overall image and key performance dimensions more so than do PCPs and nurses, according to Market Strategies International's syndicated 2010 U.S. Diabetes MSImage® study.

From Novo Nordisk 19 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 19, 2010

Today's major health policy headlines include reports about the latest developments in Virginia's court challenge against the health law, a U.S. government lawsuit targeting Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield for anti-trust activities and a study about the Department of Health and Human Services' Hospital Compare.

19 Oct 2010

CAPG and IHA convene health care conference focusing on ACOs

The California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG) and the Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA) are convening a three day conference of health care leaders in Los Angeles, October 25-27, 2010, which provides an unprecedented opportunity for reporters covering healthcare to gain a deeper understanding of accountable care organizations (ACOs) and their implications to patients, providers, employers and our overall healthcare delivery system.

19 Oct 2010

Maria Shriver, Ann O’Leary introduce The Shriver Report for Alzheimer's patients

Guests Maria Shriver (First Lady-California) and Ann O'Leary (Berkeley Center for Health, Economic and Family Security) appeared yesterday to introduce The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation takes on Alzheimer's on the ABC Sunday morning show This Week with Christiane Amanpour

19 Oct 2010

Health care reform will lead more people to seek cancer prevention and risk-reduction services

More people will likely seek cancer prevention and risk-reduction services as a result of health care reform, say experts at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

19 Oct 2010

UnitedHealth Group consolidated third quarter revenues increase 9% to $23.7 billion

UnitedHealth Group today reported third quarter results, including strong revenue growth in both its Health Benefits and Health Services business groups. Third quarter 2010 net earnings were $1.14 per share. Key performance metrics and costs were in line with or better than Company expectations.

19 Oct 2010

Few legitimate opioid users are getting information to keep medications safe

For some people with ongoing or chronic pain, opioids (medications such as oxycodone or hydrocodone) can make the difference between disability and the ability to function at near-normal levels. For those with acute pain, such as pain after surgery or injury, sound pain management with opioids can speed healing and recovery.

19 Oct 2010

New challenges and opportunities for medtech industry

The US and European medical technology industry struggled to sustain historic rates of revenue growth in 2009 but managed to improve overall net income by nearly 11% as companies realigned to achieve improved financial discipline. While medtech has fared better than many industries in the current economic downturn, new challenges will put increasing strain on the industry's long-standing business model.

19 Oct 2010

Study finds no increase in nurse practitioners and physician assistants pursuing pediatric health care

Pediatric health care work force planning efforts are increasingly incorporating the roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, especially in plans to alleviate the perceived shortage of pediatric subspecialists.

19 Oct 2010

Shift in agriculture techniques required to ensure future food security, U.N. special rapporteur on right to food says on World Food Day

Farming techniques must adapt to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure global food security, Olivier De Schutter, the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food, said in a statement to mark Saturday's World Food Day, Agence France-Presse reports.

19 Oct 2010

Health Care News and Research

Health IT sector may face workforce shortage

Reports examine drug company payments to doctors

Feds ask Connecticut to reconsider rate hike approval, other health law implementation news

New research blames billions in medical costs on obesity

Candidates continue to clash over health care law

As state commissioners meet on medical loss ratio, insurers warn of impact

State Roundup: Md.'s heath info exchange; LA to cut retiree health benefits; N.Y.'s mental health building boom

Boeing to shift health costs to workers

Opinions: Mdgs in Africa; development maintenance; U.S. efforts to eradicate polio; Global Fund commitment

TearLab announces publication of CPT code for Osmolarity test

Lilly and Novo Nordisk have the best diabetes corporate image: Study

First Edition: October 19, 2010

CAPG and IHA convene health care conference focusing on ACOs

Maria Shriver, Ann O’Leary introduce The Shriver Report for Alzheimer's patients

Health care reform will lead more people to seek cancer prevention and risk-reduction services

UnitedHealth Group consolidated third quarter revenues increase 9% to $23.7 billion

Few legitimate opioid users are getting information to keep medications safe

New challenges and opportunities for medtech industry

Study finds no increase in nurse practitioners and physician assistants pursuing pediatric health care

Shift in agriculture techniques required to ensure future food security, U.N. special rapporteur on right to food says on World Food Day

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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