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URAC accreditation ensures round the clock access to quality health care

The spread of the H1N1 virus and the growing concerns about treatments have illustrated the need for reliable sources of health care information. URAC, the nation's leading health care accreditation and education organization, offers a Health Call Center Accreditation which provides a framework for call centers around the country.

2 Dec 2009

SinoFresh Healthcare re-launches sales and distribution of Sinofresh Nasal Spray

SinoFresh Healthcare, Inc. over the last six months has re-launched sales and distribution of the Sinofresh Nasal Spray product through the exclusive licensee of the products through, Sinofresh Healthcare Products, Inc., a privately held company.

2 Dec 2009

RapidArc radiotherapy technology delivers highly-precise IMRT treatment

Former New Jersey Assemblyman Francis Bodine was surprised and delighted when his radiotherapy treatment sessions for prostate cancer went from about 20 minutes each day to less than five.

2 Dec 2009

New direct-to-consumer laboratory testing service offers streamlined access to healthcare

Long known for their independent, can-do spirit, Houstonians aren't waiting around for the government to tell them how and when to access healthcare. They are doing it themselves daily at ANY LAB TEST NOW®, a direct-to-consumer laboratory testing service recently opened throughout the city.

2 Dec 2009

Survey and existing research reveal differences in pain management between genders

For many Canadians, December is the start of the holiday season and a time of joy and celebration, but for some, it can also be a time of increased aches and pains. Whether it's a backache from shoveling away the first snowfall, hanging holiday lights or a headache from the stress of holiday shopping, December brings a new set of aches and pains.

2 Dec 2009

Women's insurance amendment slated for Senate's first health bill vote

As the Senate debates the health reform legislation, amendments are being advanced and Senators are reacting to the bill.

1 Dec 2009

New Medicare advantage plans for affordable and quality health care

HealthPlus of Michigan today announced the launch of two new HealthPlus MedicarePlus plans designed for Medicare-eligible people looking for affordable benefit choices and convenient access to quality health care.

1 Dec 2009

Economists have mixed views on Senate health bill's cost controls

With the public fretting about rising health costs and deepening federal budget deficits, White House officials, including budget director Peter Orszag, were quick last week to trumpet the optimism of some economists who said the Senate's version of health reform would help control costs, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

30 Nov 2009

Medical identity theft is on the rise

"Medical identity theft is on the rise and expected to worsen," The Wall Street Journal reports. "The problem has grown during the recession as more uninsured people use the coverage of a friend, relative or even a stranger to get care. Of particular concern is the fact that most of the fraud is committed by people who pay medical workers for patients' information."

30 Nov 2009

Increasing patient responsibility in medical decisions may decrease their willingness to accept risky treatment options

A recent study suggests that increasing patient responsibility for making medical decisions may decrease their willingness to accept risky treatment options. Details of this proof-of-concept study appear in the December issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.

30 Nov 2009

Study on placebo effect

A short time ago, Swedish scientists published a paper suggesting the existence of a genetic disposition to respond to placebo, thus giving rise to debate in the media about a possible "placebo gene." In the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2009; 106[46]: 751-5), Matthias Breidert and Karl Hofbauer summarize the most recent data about placebos.

28 Nov 2009

Eight new nurse practitioner-led clinics to be opened across Ontario

Ontario's doctors are frustrated that the government has announced another eight new nurse practitioner-led clinics will open across the province. All health care professionals have an important role to play, which is why Ontario's doctors have long advocated for collaborative health care teams where various health professionals work together under one roof to provide care to a large number of patients.

27 Nov 2009

Many amendments to massive Senate health bill expected

The Senate is scheduled to begin debate Monday on health care, and according to some news organizations, they have their work cut out for themselves.

27 Nov 2009

CIHI study shows number of practicing physicians in Canada has increased by 8%

The number of practising physicians in Canada increased at a faster rate than the population over the past five years, according to a new study released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

27 Nov 2009

Foot ulcers: One of the many challenges of diabetics

Diabetics face many health challenges, and among them is the risk of developing foot ulcers.

25 Nov 2009

Data miners can inform drug companies of doctors' prescribing habits

The Baltimore Sun reports: "[P]harmaceutical companies that make … prescription drugs are also looking over the doctor's shoulder, keeping track of how many prescriptions for whose drugs the individual physician is writing."

25 Nov 2009

Senate Health Committee likely to hold hearing on new mammogram guidelines

Roll Call reports that 22 senators have written the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee asking its leaders to hold hearings on controversial new mammogram guidelines. "The letter came less than a week after the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended looser guidelines for breast cancer screenings. The task force suggested that women wait until they turn 50 to begin screening and then undergo one mammogram every two years instead of every year."

25 Nov 2009

A two-door clinic segregates patients based on how they pay

A radiology clinic in Manhattan's Upper East Side has two doors, an example of a new, two-tiered medical practice model favored by some doctors, MSNBC reports. One door opens to a crowded waiting room while the other opens into a small private room with four chairs and little or no waiting line.

25 Nov 2009

AARP calls for Idaho's members of Congress to support real health care reform

As the debate over health care reform is expected to pick up in the Senate after Thanksgiving, notices of health care premium increases are hitting mailboxes across Idaho -- leaving many families wondering how they'll be able to afford the hikes. While high health care costs have left nearly 15% of Idaho without insurance, as benefits run out for the state's 67,300 jobless residents that number will jump in the coming months.

25 Nov 2009

Anthem members in Bangor and Presque Isle can now visit their physician without leaving home

Thanks to an innovative program recently developed between Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine, some Anthem members in Bangor and Presque Isle can now "visit" their physician without leaving home.

25 Nov 2009