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Studies prompt attention to streamlining medical billing

The Wall Street Journal reports on two different studies published recently that focus on the billing practices of doctors. One, in the New England Journal of Medicine quantifies the work done in billing at a small primary care practice.

3 May 2010

Today's opinions: Ending rescissions, exploring issues of doctor payments and the Oklahoma abortion law

In all the recent discussions about health care reform, what had heretofore played out only beyond earshot of the exam room suddenly was very public: the tangled, uneasy and often antagonistic relationship between practicing doctors and the insurance companies who pay for the services they deliver (Dr. Pauline Chen, 4/29).

30 Apr 2010

New 4-D software program promises to improve treatment of lung cancer: Researchers

A new 4-dimensional software program promises to improve the treatment of lung cancer by allowing doctors to take the movement of breathing into account when administering radiotherapy, researchers announced today at the 2nd European Lung Cancer Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

30 Apr 2010

Skin-colored hospital gowns can help detect cyanosis

Changing the hue of hospital gowns and bed sheets to match a patient's skin color could greatly enhance a physician's ability to detect cyanosis and other health-related skin color changes, according to a new study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

30 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 30, 2010

Today's headlines focus on state decisions regarding new health insurance pools; insurers' plans regarding the early adoption of some reform law provisions; and, of course, the politics that continue to surround health reform.

30 Apr 2010

Anesthetist may have infected patients during procedure

There has been a breach in the strict infection prevention protocols followed by health care staff including doctors presumably by an Anesthetist. Nearly 250 patients in Western Australia might have been already infected with HIV, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis.

30 Apr 2010

States move to require ultrasounds before abortions

Various states have passed or are considering bills to tighten abortion regulations.

30 Apr 2010

Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries agree to pay over $81M to resolve Topamax illegal promotion allegations

American pharmaceutical manufacturers Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical LLC and Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., both subsidiaries of Johnson & Johnson, have agreed to pay more than $81 million to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of the epilepsy drug Topamax, the Justice Department announced today.

30 Apr 2010

Women with family history of breast cancer face increase risk of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the most deadly disease of the female reproductive system, with most cases diagnosed in later stages. Yet while ovarian cancer affects 1 in 70 women in the United States, many women have never discussed the risk with their doctor.

30 Apr 2010

States crack down on discount health plans

Kaiser Health News: "State regulators are cracking down on a health care product that targets the growing group of uninsured and underinsured Americans: the discount health plan.

30 Apr 2010

Study examines doctors' uncompensated daily work

The New York Times: "A new study detailing the uncompensated work burden on family doctors points to the need to change how they are paid, medical experts say — particularly as the new health care law promises to add millions more patients to the system. … Family doctors make up the embattled front line of the nation's health care system.

30 Apr 2010

A crystal ball into your future health!

Imagine knowing just what diseases you are likely to suffer from in your lifetime thanks to the sequencing of your genes. That is exactly what Professor Stephen Quake knows, because he has had his entire genome sequenced and studied. In fact he was in the news last year as well when he used new technology to sequence his genetic code for less than $50,000.

29 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 29, 2010

This week, as yet another major health insurer reports quarterly gains, the industry says it will stop the practice of rescissions earlier than required by the new reform law. Meanwhile, other headlines examine key provisions of the measure, such as its high risk pools.

29 Apr 2010

Primary health care providers play key role in helping patients navigate Canadian health care system

For Canadians with chronic conditions, having a regular doctor doesn't necessarily mean they're receiving the safest or most supportive medical care. That doctor must also provide the basic elements of good primary care, two of which are: knowing their patient's history and helping to coordinate other aspects of their care, according to a Health Council of Canada bulletin released today.

29 Apr 2010

Americans' confidence in their ability to access and pay for healthcare declines

Americans' confidence in their ability to access and pay for healthcare continued to decline last month, according to a new consumer sentiment index from Thomson Reuters.

29 Apr 2010

Uninsured medical expenses vie with retirement as most pressing financial concern for Americans

Uninsured medical expenses vie with retirement as the most pressing financial concern for Americans, according to a survey conducted for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants by Harris Interactive.

29 Apr 2010

Remote heart rhythm treatment procedure using a robotic arm

A pioneering world first robotics system operation is to be conducted at Glenfield Hospital Leicester thanks to expertise at the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester.

29 Apr 2010

Many Americans aren't taking necessary steps to protect against diabetes: Study

Diabetes affects more than 23 million people in the United States today and another 54 million people have pre-diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, while nearly 60 percent of Americans are concerned about developing diabetes, many aren't taking the necessary steps to protect their health, according to a recent study by the International Diabetes Center and Abbott.

28 Apr 2010

Wellstar International to install TMI Imaging system in Beverly Hills

Wellstar International Inc. has announced they will be installing a system in Beverly Hills, California.

28 Apr 2010

Top ten tips for managing healthcare

America's healthcare system is about to undergo the most fundamental transformation in our nation's history. An already over-stressed system must absorb 32 million new patients at the same time that the country's huge baby boomer population is likely to need ever more medical attention as they age. And many of our most experienced and talented physicians will soon reach retirement age, leaving fewer experienced doctors to treat more patients.

28 Apr 2010