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Doctors' strange economic role

Doctors play an unusual role in the economy. "When asked what profession, economically speaking, the doctor resembles most, many economists say auto mechanic — because of… the information problem," NPR reports.

23 Aug 2009

Dems in conflict on health reform options, Mccain defends GOP 'end of life' claims

The Associated Press: "Some lawmakers have suggested that a separate bill with changes that are supported by Republicans and Democrats would be one route toward progress on the health care overhaul. But a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, says he doesn't see how lawmakers could get two health care bills through Congress and coordinate them well." Conrad spoke on CBS' "Face The Nation" (8/23).

23 Aug 2009

HHS Secretary to address National Association of Community Health Centers

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will deliver remarks at the National Association of Community Health Centers' 2009 Community Health Institute and Expo in Chicago.

23 Aug 2009

New website launched to determine sleep disorder

Nearly 20 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, a serious health condition that has been linked to increased risks for obesity and weight gain, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, asthma and depression. Sleep apnea has also been cited by experts as the number one cause of car accidents. Ninety-five percent of sleep apnea cases go undiagnosed, putting the health of millions of Americans at risk.

21 Aug 2009

Northern Illinois Proton Treatment and Research Center appoints Cherilyn Murer as Chair of its board of directors

The Northern Illinois Proton Treatment and Research Center (NIPTRC) announced today that Cherilyn Murer has been named Chair of its board of directors. Murer, who previously served as vice-chair of NIPTRC is also a Northern Illinois University Trustee and concluded a two year term as Chair of the NIU Board of Trustees on June 30, 2009.

21 Aug 2009

Nightingale On Demand EMR solution chosen by Wellpath Clinic to automate clinical activities

Nightingale Informatix Corporation ("Nightingale" or the "Company") (TSX-V: NGH), an application service provider (ASP) of electronic medical record (EMR) software and related services with more than 5.3 million patient records under management, announced today that it has been selected to provide hosted electronic medical record (EMR) to preventative care leader, Wellpath Clinic. The EMR will be used across the entire network of Wellpath Clinic locations supporting the delivery of modern, accessible, personalized and consistent patient care at every visit.

21 Aug 2009

AMDL Diagnostics to focus on in vitro diagnostic cancer tests

AMDL Inc. (NYSE Alternext US: ADL), a US-based pharmaceutical company with major operations in China, announced the inauguration of AMDL Diagnostics Inc. (ADI), a new wholly-owned subsidiary that will focus on the research, development, manufacture and international sales of Onko-Sure(TM)-- AMDL's proprietary, regulatory approved in vitro diagnostic (IVD) cancer test.

21 Aug 2009

Seasonal flu vaccinations to cost less in Safeway's U.S. Stores

Safeway Inc. (NYSE:SWY) added to its leadership reputation in health care reform and cost control by offering seasonal flu vaccines in its U.S. stores at a substantial savings compared with the cost of doctor-administered vaccines. The lower cost will help consumers and businesses control health care spending in a challenging economy.

20 Aug 2009

State round-up: New Jersey hospitals, Utah's Medicaid troubles, and more

Wednesday's state news includes a hospital demonstration in New Jersey, Medicaid fraud in Utah, an abortion ruling in Oklahoma, and a White House decision to maintain Wisconsin's unique drug program for seniors.

20 Aug 2009

The Dilemma of an Aging Society research study classifies elder people into four groups

A lot of discussion has centered on proposed legislation regarding "death panels" and end of life counseling.

20 Aug 2009

Physician shortage limits even insured patients' access to care

CBS News reports that just having insurance coverage "doesn't guarantee access" to health care, because there is s shortage of primary care doctors to provide treatment. "Baystate Medical Center is the second busiest emergency room in Massachusetts. They treat over 100,000 patients a year, but here's the thing: according to Dr. Niels Rathlev, who runs the ER, a quarter of them don't need his services." Rathlev says it would be "more appropriate" for those people to see a primary care doctor. "'The majority of patients who are frequent utilizers of the emergency department actually have insurance,' Rathlev said. 'They have a primary care physician, but they choose to come to the ER because they don't have access.'"

20 Aug 2009

Medication safety program on safe prescribing procedures for narcotic drugs launched

Warnings by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and increasing misuse and overdoses are telling reminders of the dangers pain medications can present. A recent study reveals that one in 10 high school students have tried opioid drugs and the prevalence of young adults using narcotics for non-medical use is the highest in 15 years.

20 Aug 2009

Intracacies of doctors' fees difficult to unravel

"For the most part, doctor fees are a mystery. If people see a doctor who is part of their insurance network, they are responsible only for deductibles and co-payments, and the price the health insurer pays is often a secret," The New York Times reports. "And if people see a doctor outside their network, they usually have no idea what the charge will be - even though they are responsible for most of it - until the bill comes."

19 Aug 2009

70 percent of specialty doctors oppose health-care reform proposals

Chairman of the ASMD, Alfred O. Bonati, M.D., said that, "As a physician, the results of this poll are not surprising to me. Any doctor who has ever dealt with Medicare knows that government coverage severely limits our abilities to deliver care that best fits the needs of the patient and the patient's family. We know that government coverage does not allow for flexibility, creativity, or, sometimes, even compassion."

19 Aug 2009

Newly appointed NIH director includes global health on priority list

Francis Collins, the newly appointed director of the NIH on Monday outlined his top five priorities for the U.S. research agency during a town hall meeting with NIH staff, Science's blog "Science Insider" reports. Collins emphasized the agency's commitment to "high-throughput technologies," "translational research," "health care reform," "global health" and "empower[ing] the biomedical research community," the blog writes (Kaiser, 8/17).

19 Aug 2009

Common-sense precautions for H1N1

Doctors and hospitals nationwide expect a surge in H1N1 influenza cases during the upcoming flu season. In a new video and the tips below, Yvonne Maldonado, MD, chief of infectious disease at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, explains what every parent should know about H1N1 flu as children head back to school.

19 Aug 2009

Kyl says GOP won't support co-op proposal

"The number two Senate Republican said Tuesday replacing a public health care option with a nonprofit private cooperative wouldn't win any more Republican support, saying they are essentially the same thing," The Wall Street Journal reports. "Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.), said Republican objections were more fundamental than simply changing the name of a new national entity to compete with private medical insurers."

19 Aug 2009

Brooks Rehabilitation's new specialty clinic to provide advanced treatments for back and neck

Brooks Rehabilitation's newest specialty clinic, the Brooks Center for Back & Neck Health, offers patients advanced treatments for both acute and chronic conditions of the spine, including whiplash, lumbar stenosis, cervical or lumbar radiculopathy, cervical or lumbar instability, sciatica, TMJ, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, and more. According to the National Institutes of Health, back pain is the second most common reason Americans go to the doctor (headaches are the first), and among the most common reasons for surgery. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of physical therapy for affecting outcomes in patients with spinal conditions.

19 Aug 2009

Compete rates Healthgrades.com number one doctor-ratings web site

HealthGrades.com is the #1 doctor-ratings Web site – by an enormous margin – according to an analysis of Web traffic by Compete, a TNS Media company. HealthGrades.com, long known for its hospital-quality ratings, is the public Web site of the leading healthcare ratings company, featuring quality reports and ratings of every practicing doctor, hospital and nursing home in the country.

19 Aug 2009

Texas Public Policy Foundation says health plans would cause more harm than good

The health care reform plans pending in the U.S. Congress would cause more harm than good, according to a study released today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

19 Aug 2009