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Non-radiologist physicians are paid more for NDI by Medicare than radiologists

Researchers have found that Medicare payments for non-invasive medical imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans, are now higher to non-radiologists than to radiologists, according to a study in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

4 Jan 2011

Florida public hospitals a likely target for new governor; Two people appointed to create Calif. health exchange

Florida's government-owned hospitals will be in the political cross hairs after Tuesday's inauguration of Rick Scott, once leader of the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain. The governor-elect's transition team has recommended creation of a panel to study whether government-owned hospitals -- Miami-Dade's Jackson Health System and Broward's two hospital districts among them -- are necessary (Dorschner, 1/2).

4 Jan 2011

C. difficile infection has become common among hospitalized children in the US

Hospitalized children in the United States are more frequently becoming infected with the bacteria Clostridium difficile, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

3 Jan 2011

U.S. Physical Therapy acquires majority interest in 14 clinic physical therapy group

U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc., a leading national operator of outpatient physical therapy clinics, has acquired a majority interest in a 14 clinic physical therapy group located in the Southeast.

3 Jan 2011

Today's Opinions: End-of-life counseling; Rising costs of boomers; Controlling infections in hospitals

Death panels. Government-sponsored euthanasia. Pulling the plug on grandma. Those were just some of the blatantly false terms conservatives threw around last year to scare Congress into stripping a provision out of the health-reform bill that would have allowed Medicare to reimburse doctors for providing voluntary, end-of-life counseling to their patients. The scare tactics worked (1/2).

3 Jan 2011

Invacare completes redemption of outstanding 9¾% Senior Notes due 2015

Invacare Corporation announced today that it has completed the redemption of its outstanding 9¾% Senior Notes due 2015. In total, the Company redeemed $146,000,000 worth of the Senior Notes in the Fourth Quarter of 2010.

3 Jan 2011

Team care to help multiple chronic conditions

According to a new study patients with multiple chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus and heart disease are at higher risk of depression that can render medication ineffective. Lead researcher Dr. Wayne J. Katon and colleagues at University of Washington in the study found that patients who received care from nurses who worked with patients and physicians to manage the care for depression and diabetes and heart disease had better outcomes. The study was published in the Dec 30, 2010 issue of New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Jan 2011

New women’s health policy inadequate

The Gillard government is being criticized for issuing a women’s health policy without announcing more funding for struggling women’s services. This is the first national women’s health policy in 21 years that claims to ensure women “have access to the right healthcare at the right time”.

30 Dec 2010

New report evaluates rate of reinterventions, readmissions after initial AAA surgery

A new report published in the January issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery® evaluates the rate of reinterventions and readmissions after initial abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, 30-day mortality and the effect on long-term survival.

30 Dec 2010

Appalachian Regional Healthcare sues West Virginia DHHR, Bureau for Medical Services over Medicaid reimbursements

Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc., yesterday filed a lawsuit against the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) and its Bureau for Medical Services for inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates that threaten the continued operation of the not-for-profit Beckley ARH Hospital (BARH). The suit was filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

29 Dec 2010

Frst wave of baby boomers become eligible for Medicare in 2011

In January, the first wave of baby boomers will start the New Year by reaching a series of significant milestones. This generation will begin turning 65, and as a result of entering into the age of retirement, will start to become eligible for various benefits, including Medicare. It is helpful for this aging population to learn about important benefits programs that may be available to them at this stage in their lives, regardless of whether or not they plan to retire anytime soon.

28 Dec 2010

UPMC MyHealth Connect web-browser mobile application launched

UPMC Health Plan is introducing UPMC MyHealth Connect, its first web-browser mobile application and the first in the region to provide access to all members and non-members regardless of the brand of smartphone they use. MyHealth Connect will provide most users with immediate access to UPMC Health Plan's network of doctors, hospitals, facilities and urgent care centers.

28 Dec 2010

Palladium Equity Partners acquires Jordan Healthcare Holdings

Palladium Equity Partners, LLC, a private investment firm based in New York focused on investments in the U.S. Hispanic marketplace, announced today that one of its affiliates has acquired Jordan Healthcare Holdings, Inc. Terms were not disclosed.

27 Dec 2010

Obama administration sets regulation for controversial end-of-life benefit

When a proposal to encourage end-of-life planning touched off a political storm over "death panels," Democrats dropped it from legislation to overhaul the health care system. But the Obama administration will achieve the same goal by regulation, starting Jan. 1. Under the new policy, outlined in a Medicare regulation, the government will pay doctors who advise patients on options for end-of-life care, which may include advance directives to forgo aggressive life-sustaining treatment (Pear, 12/25).

27 Dec 2010

HIT interventions promising tools in fight to improve medication adherence, despite paucity of data

A new study that reviews more than four decades of medical journal articles about the impact of health information technology (HIT) and electronic communications on medication adherence concludes that while there is evidence to suggest that simple electronic reminders are an effective and low-cost means to improve adherence, there are few studies that show how HIT can be leveraged to more thoughtfully engage or motivate patients to take medications as prescribed.

24 Dec 2010

Research Roundup: Surgery and health costs; ACOs and independent doctors; Stroke's long-term effects; Improving low-income care

Archives of Surgery: Profile Of Inpatient Operating Room Procedures In U.S. Hospitals In 2007 - Understanding operating room (OR) procedures in the hospital "is critical in debates about how to improve the population's health while attempting to constrain growth in health care costs," write the authors of this study that provides an overview of inpatient operating room procedures in the U.S. from 1997 to 2007.

24 Dec 2010

Teva receives FDA complete response letter for glatiramer acetate 0.5mL injection sNDA

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that it has received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for a lower-volume (0.5mL) injection of glatiramer acetate. Copaxone® containing 20mg of glatiramer acetate in 1ml is the global market leader in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

24 Dec 2010

Today's opinions: Ariz. hospital and abortion; Wall Street Journal's issues with PolitiFact; Calif.'s anti-smoking success

St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix announced on Tuesday that it will continue to provide life-saving abortion care to patients even though it means losing its affiliation with the local Roman Catholic Diocese (12/23).

24 Dec 2010

U.S. Physical Therapy acquires mid-Atlantic six clinic physical therapy group

U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc., a leading national operator of outpatient physical therapy clinics, has acquired a majority interest in a six clinic physical therapy group located in the mid-Atlantic region. The practice presently sees approximately 55,000 patient visits per year and produces approximately $4.8 million in annual revenue.

23 Dec 2010

GE Healthcare announces completion of tender offer for Clarient

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company announced today that it has completed the tender offer by GE's wholly owned subsidiary, Crane Merger Sub, Inc., for all outstanding shares of common and preferred stock of Clarient Inc., a leading player in the fast-growing molecular diagnostics sector. Clarient provides pathologists and oncologists with access to key diagnostic tests that shed light on the complex nature of various cancers.

23 Dec 2010

Medicare News and Research

Non-radiologist physicians are paid more for NDI by Medicare than radiologists

Florida public hospitals a likely target for new governor; Two people appointed to create Calif. health exchange

C. difficile infection has become common among hospitalized children in the US

U.S. Physical Therapy acquires majority interest in 14 clinic physical therapy group

Today's Opinions: End-of-life counseling; Rising costs of boomers; Controlling infections in hospitals

Invacare completes redemption of outstanding 9¾% Senior Notes due 2015

Team care to help multiple chronic conditions

New women’s health policy inadequate

New report evaluates rate of reinterventions, readmissions after initial AAA surgery

Appalachian Regional Healthcare sues West Virginia DHHR, Bureau for Medical Services over Medicaid reimbursements

Frst wave of baby boomers become eligible for Medicare in 2011

UPMC MyHealth Connect web-browser mobile application launched

Palladium Equity Partners acquires Jordan Healthcare Holdings

Obama administration sets regulation for controversial end-of-life benefit

HIT interventions promising tools in fight to improve medication adherence, despite paucity of data

Research Roundup: Surgery and health costs; ACOs and independent doctors; Stroke's long-term effects; Improving low-income care

Teva receives FDA complete response letter for glatiramer acetate 0.5mL injection sNDA

Today's opinions: Ariz. hospital and abortion; Wall Street Journal's issues with PolitiFact; Calif.'s anti-smoking success

U.S. Physical Therapy acquires mid-Atlantic six clinic physical therapy group

GE Healthcare announces completion of tender offer for Clarient

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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