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Two-part ACR guidelines on gout

Gout is one of the most common forms of inflammatory arthritis, affecting nearly 4% of adult Americans. Newly approved guidelines that educate patients in effective methods to prevent gout attacks and provide physicians with recommended therapies for long-term management of this painful disease are published in Arthritis Care & Research, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

28 Sep 2012

People less likely to trust retweeted health messages

People are more likely to trust health messages tweeted by doctors who have a lot of followers, but not the messages they retweet, according to researchers.

27 Sep 2012

Infants with regulatory behaviors or maternal psychiatric problems may have increased risk of FSS

Functional somatic symptoms (FSS) are physical complaints, such as headaches, pain, fatigue, and dizziness, that cannot be explained medically. These symptoms affect 10-30% of children and adolescents and account for 2-4% of all pediatric doctor visits.

27 Sep 2012

Health insurance costs rise, driven by higher hospital, doctor prices

According to a report by the Health Care Cost Institute, insurance spending jumped in 2011 - a departure from the two previous years.

26 Sep 2012

MHI cardiologists use Montreal technology to treat atrial fibrillation

A team of cardiologists from the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) specializing in cardiac arrhythmias has used for the very first time in Canada, a technology developed in Montreal to treat a patient with atrial fibrillation. Recently licenced by Health Canada, this sophisticated device is a balloon inserted by catheter that uses extreme cold to burn malfunctioning heart tissue.

From Medtronic 26 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 25, 2012

Today's headlines headlines include reports about a study that details accelerating health care spending.

25 Sep 2012

Tips for health care providers when communicating with deaf or hearing impaired

This week is the International Week of the Deaf, held to draw attention to deaf and hearing-impaired people, their accomplishments and challenges they face. One health care issue is a potential communication barrier between medical providers and deaf or hard-of-hearing patients.

25 Sep 2012

GlobalECHO Foundation commits to provide funding support to Panzi Hospital in DRC

The GlobalECHO Foundation, a 501(3) charitable foundation dedicated to providing innovative funding solutions to many of the challenges facing the world community, yesterday announced its commitment to provide funding support to the Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

25 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: How media missed Ryan AARP story; Romney and women voters; The price of medical mistakes

The headlines this weekend were all about the boos Paul Ryan elicited on Friday when he addressed the AARP, the self-styled seniors' lobby. The herd of independent media minds missed the real story, which is that the Republican Vice Presidential nominee went into the heart of the entitlement culture, told some hard truths, and even won applause for doing so.

25 Sep 2012

New nanotechnology detects micrometastases in mouse models of breast cancer

Malignant cells that leave a primary tumor, travel the bloodstream and grow out of control in new locations cause the vast majority of cancer deaths. New nanotechnology developed at Case Western Reserve University detects these metastases in mouse models of breast cancer far earlier than current methods, a step toward earlier, life-saving diagnosis and treatment.

25 Sep 2012

Different places, very different policies on the 'morning after' pill

An Illinois court rules on pharmacies' right to sell - or not - the 'morning after pill' while New York City expands the pill's availability.

24 Sep 2012

Simple survey can effectively identify women with ovarian cancer symptoms

A simple three-question paper-and-pencil survey, given to women in the doctor's office in less than two minutes, can effectively identify those who are experiencing symptoms that may indicate ovarian cancer, according to a study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

24 Sep 2012

California expands access to birth control, abortion

News organizations covered Gov. Jerry Brown's Saturday visit to a Planned Parenthood center, where he signed several bills allowing nurses to dispense birth control and perform some abortions.

24 Sep 2012

Many states do not fully analyze data on fatal prescription painkiller overdoses

Prescription painkillers are responsible for more fatal overdoses in the United States than heroin and cocaine combined. And while most states have programs to curb abuse and addiction, a new report from Brandeis University shows that many states do not fully analyze the data they collect.

21 Sep 2012

Ultrasound boosts rheumatology clinical examination findings

Musculoskeletal ultrasound improves rheumatology diagnosis and guides treatment, say researchers who believe imaging should be performed alongside clinical examination.

21 Sep 2012

Layoffs hit group health in Washington and Boston Children's Hospital

Group Health Cooperative, recognized as a leader in health-care innovations and patient satisfaction, says it must cut $250 million over the next 16 months through layoffs, better cost control and some reorganization at the top. As part of those changes, Richard Magnuson, executive vice president and chief financial and administrative officer, will soon leave the organization.

21 Sep 2012

Longer looks: A 'renegade' Bill Frist?; The pharmacist's expanding role

Meet former Sen. Bill Frist, a renegade "Obamacare"-loving Republican who is in the mood for some real bipartisanship. Yes, the same Frist who as Senate majority leader led an army into the culture wars over Terri Schiavo and whose efforts in 2004 to unseat his then-rival, Minority Leader Tom Daschle, led to a nasty - and personal - Washington battle royal. Now, Frist is pushing for a national conversation on end-of-life care and dismissing "caricatured" talk of death panels.

21 Sep 2012

Alabama voters approve moving money from state trust fund to balance budget

Alabama voters decided by a 2-to-1 margin Tuesday to avoid dramatic cuts in state government by withdrawing $437 million from a state trust fund to help balance the General Fund budget for the next three years. State Health Officer Don Williamson, who oversees the state Medicaid program, said it will still have to make $20 million to $40 million in cuts to live within the new year's budget, but that will be much less painful than the massive cuts that were forecast.

21 Sep 2012

Report: Medical home model should have physician at the helm

A report issued Tuesday by the American Academy of Family Physicians urges the concept of medical homes as a solution to the looming primary care shortage, but argues that such practices should still be led by doctors.

20 Sep 2012

Wis. officials say Medicaid funding will need to rise $650M over two years

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services in a request to Gov. Scott Walker said Tuesday that the increase was needed because of rising health care costs, higher program enrollment and lower federal funding.

20 Sep 2012