Health Care News and Research

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First Edition: August 20, 2010

Today's headlines include articles on health insurance for college students, new plans to overhaul the government's bioterror and flu preparations, changes in store for health care for the homeless and a look at the new high risk insurance plans.

20 Aug 2010

Report says developing countries remain unprepared for cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment

"Developing countries will bear 60 percent of the world's cancer burden by 2020 and 70 percent by 2030," according to a report released Thursday during the World Cancer Congress in Shenzhen, China, Reuters reports. These countries also lack the necessary "infrastructure … to prevent cancer, diagnose it early or provide long-term treatment, according to CanTreat International, which comprises experts from leading international cancer organizations," the news service writes.

20 Aug 2010

AARP commends opening of enrollment for 'Illinois Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan'

Countless Americans of all ages have been blocked from health care coverage by private insurers because of pre-existing conditions, leaving them uninsured and at risk of both health and financial disasters. One of the most important provisions of the new federal health care law is the creation of Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans (PCIPs, or High-Risk Pools) which will help many individuals get the coverage they need.

20 Aug 2010

On World Humanitarian Day, media outlets report on rise in violence toward relief workers

Marking World Humanitarian Day Thursday, several media outlets examine the uptick in violence against aid workers and efforts to protect them.

20 Aug 2010

Study finds evidence that single-disease initiatives may compromise fragile health systems in low-income countries

Single-disease initiatives in low-income countries with fragile health systems may compromise the ability of such health systems to meet the other community needs, according to a study published Tuesday in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, VaccineNewsDaily.com reports (Purlain, 8/18).

20 Aug 2010

Obama Administration struggles to soothe health reform concerns; Insurance Commissioners issue rules

The Associated Press reports that the new health reform law "hasn't helped Americans feel any more secure about their own medical care." That's according to a survey, to be released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which says "consumer confidence spiked in April after Obama signed landmark legislation to expand coverage and start trying to control costs.

20 Aug 2010

HealthPartners receives grant to study primary care clinics' transformation to health care homes

The HealthPartners Research Foundation has received an US Department of Health & Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality grant to study the transformation of traditional primary care clinics in Minnesota to "health care homes," also known as "medical homes."

20 Aug 2010

Study shows disparities in asthma ER visits between African Americans and whites

Aetna leaders will present the findings of a new study today at the Academy for Health Equity Conference in Littleton, Colorado. The study looked at the differences in the use of the emergency room (ER) by minority populations suffering from asthma and the potential to improve health outcomes and cost savings by addressing disparities in asthma ER visits.

20 Aug 2010

Educational intervention program encourages Latina women towards postpartum care

Latinas participating in an educational intervention program were two-and-a-half times more likely to seek postpartum care than were those who did not have access to a similar program, a new study finds.

20 Aug 2010

Cedars-Sinai opens Advanced Heart Failure Unit in California

The Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute has opened an innovative 30-bed in-patient unit dedicated to providing advanced heart failure patients with an intensive, multidisciplinary approach to inpatient care.

20 Aug 2010

Experts discuss role of technology and innovation in healthcare industry

Leaders from healthcare, technology companies and academia will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 24, for a day-long session in the Chippewa Valley technology corridor. Participants will discuss how the use of technology and innovation can help overcome some of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry.

20 Aug 2010

FDA releases statement on urgent nationwide egg recall

Working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners, the FDA reviewed epidemiologic and environmental investigation documents and identified 3 best-case clusters of Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses. Tracebacks revealed Wright County Egg in Iowa as the common shell egg supplier in these clusters.

20 Aug 2010

University of California, Irvine launches new Clinical Research Certificate Program

University of California, Irvine today announced the launch of its new Clinical Research Certificate Program. In order to close the widening gap between the rapid expansion of biomedical discoveries and the application of those discoveries in a clinical environment, UC Irvine School of Medicine developed the program in partnership with UC Irvine Extension to equip medical industry professionals with the academic knowledge, technical skill and critical thinking ability necessary to understand and evaluate clinical studies...

20 Aug 2010

New coverage for colorectal cancer screening to drive US markets for gastrointestinal endoscopy devices in 2010

According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, new coverage instituted under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 will remove the financial disincentives associated with colorectal cancer screening for a large segment of the US population. As a result of these changes in reimbursement, a growing number of colorectal cancer screening procedures will be performed through 2014, driving sales of many gastrointestinal endoscopy devices, including videoscopes and biopsy forceps.

20 Aug 2010

Elsevier to offer computed tomography through Mosby's Imaging Suite

Elsevier, the world's leading publisher of scientific, technical, and medical information products and services, today announced an exclusive partnership with The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) to provide a complete series of computed tomography modules through Mosby's Imaging Suite for technologists' continuing education.

20 Aug 2010

Afghanistan, African countries lead global food insecurity list

Afghanistan and nine African countries top a list measuring global food insecurity, which was released on Thursday, Agence France-Presse reports.

20 Aug 2010

CMS: Seniors will see modest increase in Medicare drug premiums but improved benefits

The Associated Press: "Seniors will see a modest increase in their Medicare prescription premiums next year but benefits will also improve, federal health officials said Wednesday. The average monthly premium charged by Medicare drug plans for standard coverage will rise to an estimated $30 in 2011, an increase of $1 over 2010..." But, the AP notes that "Medicare prescription plans vary widely in costs and benefits.

20 Aug 2010

Report: Diabetes costs account for nearly a quarter of all hospital spending

The Fiscal Times examines a recent report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality about diabetes, "a disease that's costing Americans $83 billion a year in hospital fees—23 percent of total hospital spending. ... Add to this the costs of the hidden diabetes epidemic: $18 billion for the estimated 6.3 million people with undiagnosed diabetes, and $25 billion for 57 million, or one in four, American adults with pre-diabetes.

20 Aug 2010

AAPC Physician Services launches medical auditing service

AAPC Physician Services, a practice management solutions provider, announces the launch of its medical auditing service line based on feedback from physicians and a strong demand for industry expertise.

20 Aug 2010

Palliative care recipients live longer and in less pain, study finds

The New York Times: "In a study that sheds new light on the effects of end-of-life care, doctors have found that patients with terminal lung cancer who began receiving palliative care immediately upon diagnosis not only were happier, more mobile and in less pain as the end neared — but they also lived nearly three months longer.

20 Aug 2010

Health Care News and Research

First Edition: August 20, 2010

Report says developing countries remain unprepared for cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment

AARP commends opening of enrollment for 'Illinois Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan'

On World Humanitarian Day, media outlets report on rise in violence toward relief workers

Study finds evidence that single-disease initiatives may compromise fragile health systems in low-income countries

Obama Administration struggles to soothe health reform concerns; Insurance Commissioners issue rules

HealthPartners receives grant to study primary care clinics' transformation to health care homes

Study shows disparities in asthma ER visits between African Americans and whites

Educational intervention program encourages Latina women towards postpartum care

Cedars-Sinai opens Advanced Heart Failure Unit in California

Experts discuss role of technology and innovation in healthcare industry

FDA releases statement on urgent nationwide egg recall

University of California, Irvine launches new Clinical Research Certificate Program

New coverage for colorectal cancer screening to drive US markets for gastrointestinal endoscopy devices in 2010

Elsevier to offer computed tomography through Mosby's Imaging Suite

Afghanistan, African countries lead global food insecurity list

CMS: Seniors will see modest increase in Medicare drug premiums but improved benefits

Report: Diabetes costs account for nearly a quarter of all hospital spending

AAPC Physician Services launches medical auditing service

Palliative care recipients live longer and in less pain, study finds

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