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Report highlights 11 key categories of diseases, health consequences that occur due to climate change

A report released today by a federal working group highlights 11 key categories of diseases and other health consequences that are occurring or will occur due to climate change. The report, A Human Health Perspective on Climate Change, provides a starting point for coordination of federal research to better understand climate's impact on human health.

22 Apr 2010

Colorado Governor moves forward with implementing reforms; Nevada community health centers feel financial pinch

In Colorado, "Gov. Bill Ritter signed four bills he promised will rein in skyrocketing health care costs on Tuesday and appointed a director who will oversee 10 state agencies to implement the Obama administration's new health care plan.

22 Apr 2010

H1N1 flu epidemic has lessons to offer health care providers: Anesthesia Progress

The H1N1 flu epidemic has lessons to offer health care providers. The limited amount of vaccine available initially left pregnant women, small children with medical conditions, and other high-risk populations waiting in long lines. The problems encountered in reaching certain segments of the population apply to the provision of dental care as well as other disciplines.

22 Apr 2010

Study links maternal height to children's health outcomes

Malnutrition suffered during a woman's childhood "can adversely affect the health of her children, Harvard researchers said Tuesday," following the release of their study in developing countries, which "found that the shortest women were substantially more likely to have children who died at an early age, who were underweight or who failed to thrive, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical [Association]", the Los Angeles Times' blog "Shots" reports.

22 Apr 2010

Miller-McCune: 'Existing beliefs' can stand in the way of medical research

After a scientist found that runners' widespread habit of using ibuprofen before long races didn't help them, and may even cause more inflammation than doing nothing, a group of runners presented with the evidence still said they would continue using the drug, reports Miller-McCune, a Santa Barbara-based public policy magazine. The researcher who conducted the study said, "They really, really think it's helping. … Even in the face of data showing that it doesn't help, they still use it."

22 Apr 2010

Patient-physician compatibility affects adherence to doctor's orders, patient's health status: Study

Doctors and patients have varying opinions on how much control a person has over their own health outcomes. A new study by University of Iowa researchers suggests that when doctor and patient attitudes on the issue match up, patients do a better job of taking their medications.

22 Apr 2010

Medical technology innovation strives for personal focus, cost-efficiency

Medtronic CEO Bill Hawkins says the products made by his company, like pacemakers, insulin pumps and neurostimulators are the "ultimate personal technologies," according to CNNMoney. He said a shift in his industry is moving towards health information technology that people will depend on and use with their cell phones and laptops.

22 Apr 2010

Mail-order drug provider identifies $163B in potential prescription drug savings

A study by Express Scripts, a mail-order prescription drug provider, said Tuesday that an "estimated $163 billion in health care spending could be saved each year if patients took their medicines as prescribed, chose generic drugs and other low-cost alternatives, and had their prescriptions delivered by mail," the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Express Scripts released its report at a two-day conference for clients in St. Louis.

22 Apr 2010

As more reform specifics emerge, so do questions, answers and impacts

As details of health reform policies shake out, questions, answers and consequences are emerging.

22 Apr 2010

States reach compromise on financial healthcare reforms

After all the posturing and grand standing the states have finally reached a compromise on the financial healthcare reforms suggested by the Federal Government. Prime Misnter Kevin Rudd may be happy about the outcome, but he still has more to do. The work is only just beginning for the long haul.

22 Apr 2010

Proposed Medicare payment changes for hospitals would lower reimbursements slightly

The Wall Street Journal: "Hospital stocks moved higher Tuesday after the agency that runs Medicare proposed new inpatient services rates for the next fiscal year that were somewhat better than many had expected. Monday evening the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it would like to cut Medicare operating payments to acute care hospitals for inpatient services occurring in the next fiscal year by $142 million, or 0.1%. These figures don't include the impact of the new health-care reform law, which analysts said would cut the rate by another 0.25%".

22 Apr 2010

AFP reflects on WHO's response to H1N1

Agence France-Presse examines the WHO's response to H1N1 (swine flu) one year since the virus was first reported in Mexico and the U.S. "A year on, questions linger as to whether a decision by the World Health Organization to declare swine flu a pandemic, thereby unleashing the slew of health measures, was over-dramatic or even tainted by commercial interests," the news service writes.

22 Apr 2010

New Department of Neurosurgery for UNC School of Medicine

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine is establishing a new Department of Neurosurgery, effective July 1, 2010.

22 Apr 2010

Stopping smoking may be harder than quitting heroin

An addiction is an addiction and it may be tougher to quit smoking cigarettes compared to beating a heroin addiction. An Australian study found that many long term smokers have tried to quit 7.4 times but are still unable to do so. Sydney GP Raymond Seidler actually feels that people do not realize that quitting smoking is just as bad as kicking heroin out of your life.

22 Apr 2010

Senate Democrats seek legislation to regulate insurer rate hikes

The New York Times: "Fearing that health insurance premiums may shoot up in the next few years, Senate Democrats laid a foundation on Tuesday for federal regulation of rates, four weeks after President Obama signed a law intended to rein in soaring health costs." Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced legislation that would allow the federal health secretary to block "any rate increase found to be unreasonable," an authority that would be shared with some state insurance officials.

22 Apr 2010

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans interpreted for practical use by health care professionals

The first formal U.S. government recommendations on physical activity, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, were published in 2008. Now, those guidelines have been interpreted for practical use by health care professionals in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, published by SAGE.

22 Apr 2010

Obama puts health care on 'back burner'

The Washington Post: President Barack Obama seems to have put health care on the back burner as he focuses on financial reform and nuclear proliferation.

22 Apr 2010

Legal case asks who to blame for medical device failure

The New York Times: A legal case now pending asks a question increasingly faced by the medical world -- "who should be held accountable when a company sells a flawed product that can injure or kill patients? Is it the company or the people who run it?"

22 Apr 2010

Health record push lacks FDA oversight, risks safety problems

The Huffington Post Investigative Fund: "As federal officials encourage the rapid expansion of electronic medical records to help doctors improve care and cut costs, they lack a reliable and systematic method for tracking the safety of these products, agency data and audits show. Instead, the Food and Drug Administration depends on a spotty warning system that can take a year to flag serious computer malfunctions and other software glitches.

22 Apr 2010

Berwick may face difficult confirmation in Senate

News outlets continue to report on Donald Berwick, who was nominated by President Barack Obama to be administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

22 Apr 2010