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Researchers participate in Alzheimer's Breakthrough Ride to urge Congress make the disease a national priority

This summer, more than 55 researchers participating in the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Ride are cycling relay-style across the country, collecting petition signatures asking Congress to make Alzheimer's disease a national priority. The public response to the petition has been so overwhelming that as the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Riders hit the halfway point in their 67-day route from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. on August 18, they are already more than 80% of the way to their goal of 50,000 signatures.

18 Aug 2010

Hospitals should inform patients about availability of insurance coverage for breast reconstruction: New law

While breast reconstruction after a mastectomy is covered by insurers in New York, many poor, minority, and less educated women do not seek out the procedure. Now, NY Gov. David A. Paterson has signed into law a bill that is aimed at reversing this trend.

18 Aug 2010

Polls: Health care 'very important' in midterms; Voters look at Medicare cuts to reduce deficit

A new CNN poll found that health care remains a big issue for voters ahead of November's midterm elections with more than 80 percent of respondents saying it was very or extremely important to them, The Hill reports.

18 Aug 2010

HDVI's Medical Records Collection and Analysis system integrated with DST Health Solutions' CareAnalyzer

DST Health Solutions, LLC, today announced a business alliance with Health Data Vision, Inc. to integrate HDVI's Medical Records Collection and Analysis (MRCS) system with DST Health Solutions' CareAnalyzer® solution. CareAnalyzer is a comprehensive analytics software suite that combines elements of patient risk, care opportunities and provider performance. The solution is designed to help health plans improve care management and meet reporting requirements for the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®).

18 Aug 2010

Virginia creates health law panel, groups prepare for overhaul changes

Virginia has created a task force to slow health costs and implement health care reform even as the state is suing to stop a key mandate in the law, The Washington Post reports. Gov. Bob McDonnell "introduced the 24-member panel, comprised of legislators, health professionals, doctors and insurers, at a news conference Monday afternoon at the Capitol.

18 Aug 2010

Cigna lobbies to define medical loss ratio on insurers' terms

Cigna has become a player in the insurance industry's lobbying on what should count as medical care under new rules governing health care spending, Kaiser Health News and McClatchy report. "The insurer has stayed in step with larger rivals such as Aetna and WellPoint in an often contentious dialogue with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners — a network of state regulators that's been charged with advising federal officials on implementing the health care law.

18 Aug 2010

Gentiva closes acquisition of Odyssey HealthCare

Gentiva Health Services, Inc., a leading provider of home health and hospice services, today announced the closing of its acquisition of Odyssey HealthCare, Inc. in an all cash transaction for a price of $27 per share of Odyssey common stock, without interest, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.0 billion, including fees and expenses.

18 Aug 2010

Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer,' report finds

The Associated Press: "Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer' as well as its likely leading cause of death, the American Cancer Society contends in a new report it will present at a global cancer conference in China this week. Cancer costs more in productivity and lost life than AIDS, malaria, the flu and other diseases that spread person-to-person, the report concludes.

18 Aug 2010

HealthGrades honors Eastern Long Island Hospital with Outstanding Patient Experience Award

Eastern Long Island Hospital (ELIH) is among the top 15 percent in the nation for patient experience based on an analysis of patient surveys from 3,775 hospitals across the country by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. By placing in the top 15 percent, ELIH received the 2010/2011 HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award(TM).

17 Aug 2010

Natick VNA offers checklist to help patients make informed choice of home health care provider

Home from the hospital already? As stays for hospital patients grow progressively shorter, even for procedures as serious as repairing a brain aneurysm or inserting a pacemaker, patients' need for highly skilled nursing care at home is growing. Indeed, every week, thousands of these patients are referred to home health care services.

17 Aug 2010

Hospitals save $284 million through Premier's Quality Connect quality improvement program

Hospitals participating in a Premier healthcare alliance quality improvement program have saved more than $284 million over the past year through improvements in clinical performance and enhancements in professional practice evaluation.

17 Aug 2010

Emdeon and Noridian Mutual Insurance enter strategic relationship

Emdeon Inc., a leading provider of healthcare revenue and payment cycle management solutions, today announced a strategic relationship with Noridian Mutual Insurance Company (NMIC), doing business as Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, and Noridian Administrative Services, LLC (NAS). NMIC provides quality health care coverage and additional supplemental coverage for those seeking medical, life, disability, long-term care and related insurance coverage.

17 Aug 2010

Simple, low-cost interventions reduce most common hospital-acquired infections

Urinary catheters are often left in place longer than needed, and new research shows that reminder systems that encourage hospital staff to remove catheters promptly can reduce the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 52 percent.

17 Aug 2010

Cambridge Heart second quarter 2010 total revenue decreases 18%

Cambridge Heart, Inc., today reported results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010. Full financial statements and corresponding commentary can be found in the Company's Form 10-Q, which is expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 2010.

17 Aug 2010

Hospitals address slashed payments, technology investments and rehospitalizations

Boston Herald: Massachusetts hospital officials say that reduced federal and state payments may destabilize health care delivery. The state's combined Medicaid and CHIP program, known as MassHealth, plans to cut hospital reimbursements "by $75 million in its main contract between hospitals and MassHealth, according to the Massachusetts Hospital Association, which cited 'discussions' with the state in outlining the proposed cut to its members over the weekend.

17 Aug 2010

As EMR vision takes shape, doctors brace — especially those who are late in their careers

The vision of a fully wired health system — the goal of a push by doctors, hospitals and the federal government — is coalescing at a Michigan hospital, the Detroit Free Press reports. "Patients at some of the state's largest health systems over the next few years, for example, will have hospital rooms wired into a computer system that lets them see their vital signs, medicines and the name and photograph of the hospital staffer who enters their room.

17 Aug 2010

Doctors online

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's plans for e-health mean that physicians will be able to diagnose patients using webcams over the internet under a hi-tech health policy. Ms Gillard launched her futuristic health plans in Brisbane yesterday. Under this $392 million health plan, families with home computers will be able to get access to an after hours online doctor using webcams and internet messaging services such as Skype from July 2012. Services would improve once the Government rolls out its high-speed national broadband network.

16 Aug 2010

Politics and Health Reform: Democrats, Republicans trying to sway seniors

The Associated Press: Democrats, "running scared in an election year," are hopeful that a $250 check - to help seniors afford prescription drugs - will turn the tide of public opinion. "Democrats ... are trying to overcome older people's mistrust of the new health care law, which expands coverage for younger generations by cutting Medicare payments to hospitals and insurers. … Behind the hoopla, the reality is modest. The $250 check, for example, is just a fraction of what many people in the prescription coverage gap have to pay.

16 Aug 2010

Today's Opinions: Challenges for independent Medicare board; Lack of independent analysis of Medicare finances; Medical schools shouldn't fear restrictions on ties to industry

One of the most promising aspects of the new health-care reform is the creation of an independent board to recommend changes in federal health programs and a fast-track provision that would allow these changes to take effect automatically unless Congress comes up with alternatives that would save a similar amount (8/16).

16 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 16, 2010

Today's headlines reflect coverage of state health reform implementation issues as well as other emerging policy issues in the nation's health system.

16 Aug 2010

Medicare News and Research

Researchers participate in Alzheimer's Breakthrough Ride to urge Congress make the disease a national priority

Hospitals should inform patients about availability of insurance coverage for breast reconstruction: New law

Polls: Health care 'very important' in midterms; Voters look at Medicare cuts to reduce deficit

HDVI's Medical Records Collection and Analysis system integrated with DST Health Solutions' CareAnalyzer

Virginia creates health law panel, groups prepare for overhaul changes

Cigna lobbies to define medical loss ratio on insurers' terms

Gentiva closes acquisition of Odyssey HealthCare

Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer,' report finds

HealthGrades honors Eastern Long Island Hospital with Outstanding Patient Experience Award

Natick VNA offers checklist to help patients make informed choice of home health care provider

Hospitals save $284 million through Premier's Quality Connect quality improvement program

Emdeon and Noridian Mutual Insurance enter strategic relationship

Simple, low-cost interventions reduce most common hospital-acquired infections

Cambridge Heart second quarter 2010 total revenue decreases 18%

Hospitals address slashed payments, technology investments and rehospitalizations

As EMR vision takes shape, doctors brace — especially those who are late in their careers

Doctors online

Politics and Health Reform: Democrats, Republicans trying to sway seniors

Today's Opinions: Challenges for independent Medicare board; Lack of independent analysis of Medicare finances; Medical schools shouldn't fear restrictions on ties to industry

First Edition: August 16, 2010

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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