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New study evaluates complexity of patients undergoing head-CT examinations

Computed tomography of the head uses special X-ray equipment to help assess head injuries, dizziness, and other symptoms of the brain.

20 May 2019

Study examines potential advantages and disadvantages of blister packaging for nursing homes

In blister packaging, a pharmacy portions and packs the prescribed drugs of a patient according to weekdays and times of day, sorted into individual transparent packages.

20 May 2019

Using health IT to reduce disparities in healthcare

An innovative health information technology program helps primary care providers to detect and manage depression and posttraumatic stress disorder in traumatized refugees, reports a study in a special June supplement to Medical Care.

18 May 2019

BMC develops EHR-based screener to address patients' unmet social needs

Boston Medical Center has implemented a social determinants of health screener for primary care patients in order to better identify and address patients' unmet social needs.

18 May 2019

‘Sham’ sharing ministries test faith of patients and insurance regulators

Sheri Lewis, 59, of Seattle, needed a hip transplant. Bradley Fuller, 63, of nearby Kirkland, needed chemotherapy and radiation when the pain in his jaw turned out to be throat cancer. And Kim Bruzas, 55, of Waitsburg, hundreds of miles away, needed emergency care to stop sudden —and severe — rectal bleeding.

17 May 2019

Leveraging health information technology tools to reduce disparities in care

Disparities in health care delivery and health outcomes present distressing challenges to underserved populations, who often experience a greater burden of chronic diseases and are more likely to show signs of poor disease management.

17 May 2019

As ER wait times grow, more patients leave against medical advice

Emergency room patients increasingly leave California hospitals against medical advice, and experts say crowded ERs are likely to blame.

17 May 2019

Study explores why people at risk for Huntington's disease choose not to undergo genetic testing

As many as 90 percent of individuals who have a parent with Huntington's disease (HD) choose not to take a gene test that reveals if they will also develop the fatal disorder -- and a new study details the reasons why.

17 May 2019

New app helps improve the lives of children with asthma

An app that allows parents and doctors to monitor a child's asthma has a big impact on managing the disease.

17 May 2019

University of Virginia chemist identifies potential addiction-free pain reliever

An estimated 1.7 million Americans suffer from substance abuse disorders related to opioid use for pain relief, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

17 May 2019

Using artificial intelligence to identify socially isolated prostate cancer patients

We fare better during health challenges when we have a little help from our friends, family and community. And perhaps an assist from artificial intelligence.

17 May 2019

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What the Health?’ States race to reverse ‘roe’

Alabama is the latest in a growing list of states passing bans on abortion in an attempt to get the Supreme Court to weaken or overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Unlike most of the other state laws that have passed this year, however, the Alabama law would completely ban abortion except when the woman's life was in danger from the pregnancy.

16 May 2019

First smartphone app to detect childhood ear infection

Researchers at the University of Washington have created a smartphone app that can detect ear infections in children, a development that could lead to a new screening tool for use at home or in clinical settings.

16 May 2019

Trump’s talk on preexisting conditions doesn’t match his administration’s actions

Delivering remarks on surprise medical billing, which is a concern that has drawn bipartisan interest, President Donald Trump waded into another high-profile health issue: making sure insurance protects people who have preexisting health conditions.

16 May 2019

Early contact with physiotherapist appears to provide superior benefits

Patients with muscle and joint pain are often at least as well served by seeing a physiotherapist as by consulting a doctor when they seek help at a primary health care centre. Over time, the health benefits of first going to a physiotherapist appear slightly superior, new research shows.

16 May 2019

A work schedule patching approach for improved nursing home care

Placing a loved one in a nursing home can be a traumatic experience for the entire family with concerns about the care and attention they will receive. Imagine if those concerns were eased, simply by some changes in the way the schedules are done for the staff at that facility.

16 May 2019

How to find and use new federal ratings for rehab services at nursing homes

For the first time, the federal government is shining a spotlight on the quality of rehabilitation care at nursing homes — services used by nearly 2 million older adults each year.

16 May 2019

Study finds extremely low use of weight loss medicines by veterans

Despite the availability of new weight management medications and several clinical guidelines recommending their use as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for obesity, a new study has found that their use is extremely low (about one percent) among eligible Veterans.

15 May 2019

GW researchers lay groundwork for improving diagnostic utility of neonatal EEGs

Neonatal brain injury is a leading cause of lifelong disability. Researchers at the George Washington University are laying the groundwork for a future where health care providers can more accurately diagnose brain injury and dysfunction in newborns with the use of an inexpensive and non-invasive diagnostic tool -- electroencephalography.

15 May 2019

Ethical and social implications of embodied AI in mental health care

Interactions with artificial intelligence will become an increasingly common aspect of our lives. A team at the Technical University of Munich has now completed the first study of how "embodied AI" can help treat mental illness.

15 May 2019