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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

Canadians with chronic neck and back pain now have access to top spinal care

Canadians suffering from chronic and severe neck and back pain now have access to the top spinal care available. Spinal heath expert, Dr. Ron Nusbaum, has launched Back Clinics of Canada, a state-of-the-art facility that focuses on educating patients on the importance of spinal health and offering cutting-edge care that can bring an end to back pain.

25 Nov 2009

Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource offers tips to reduce gas

Passing gas -- flatulence -- is normal and happens to everyone. But for some people, excessive gas and pain interfere with normal activities. The November issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource offers tips to reduce gas.

24 Nov 2009

'Best New Elliptical' award for LifeSpan EL3000i elliptical trainer

New compact LifeSpan Elliptical Trainers, made by PCE Health and Fitness (www.lifespanfitness.com), were highly rated in annual fitness equipment reviews of best treadmills and elliptical trainers for 2010.

24 Nov 2009

C.A.R.E. Clinic in New Orleans attended by over 1000 patients

Organizers of a free health clinic for uninsured residents of Louisiana are pleased with its success today. Not only did the clinic see 1,000 patients, it may have saved the lives of some sick individuals. Many of the patients had not seen a physician since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005.

24 Nov 2009

New study suggests financial incentives can affect the provision of patient-centered care

Like everybody, health care professionals enjoy a pay raise for a job well done. But in some instances, financial incentives for health care performance may actually backfire.

24 Nov 2009

Tips to redress health insurance plan problems

If you have a problem with your health insurance plan, there are steps you can take to get the service you need. California's Office of the Patient Advocate encourages Californians to speak up if they are having problems with their health plan and report any complaints. Start by explaining your problem to your doctor and your health insurance plan.

24 Nov 2009

Scientists identify factors behind chronic coughing

Scientists have revealed how environmental irritants such as air pollution and cigarette smoke cause people to cough, in research published today in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The

24 Nov 2009

MRSA making its way into hospitals, says study

The community-associated strain of the deadly superbug MRSA-an infection-causing bacteria resistant to most common antibiotics-poses a far greater health threat than previously known and is making its way into hospitals, according to a study in the December issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

24 Nov 2009

Treatment rates for hepatitis C virus declining, say researchers

Researchers from the University of Michigan determined that only 663,000 of the approximately 3.9 million Americans with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection received antiviral therapy between 2002 and 2007.

24 Nov 2009

Health Heritage: New website for maintaining family's health history

A team of researchers at the University of Virginia received funding from the National Cancer Institute, an agency of the National Institutes of Health, to enhance a Web site called Health Heritage®. This site will enable family members to enter their family medical histories so that other family members and their health care professionals can use this information while dealing with medical issues.

24 Nov 2009

Antiviral therapy for hepatitis C appears to be declining in the U.S.; lack of diagnosis is primary barrier to treatment

23 Nov 2009

Diabetics should keep blood pressure under control to protect kidneys from disease, says nephrologist

What’s good for your heart is also good for your kidneys, according to recommendations from the Texas Campaign for Kidney Health, a collaborative of health care stakeholders seeking to prevent kidney disease in the Lone Star State.

23 Nov 2009

Doctor shortage issue heats up with reform efforts

The Miami Herald reports: "Some parts of the country already lack an ample supply of general internists, pediatricians and family physicians, forcing patients to drive further or wait longer for care. If a comprehensive health reform bill passes and extends coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, many are asking if there will be enough primary-care doctors to handle the increased demand for medical services."

23 Nov 2009

MHCC's initiative for homeless people living with mental illness

Moncton is one of five cities selected by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) for implementation of its ground-breaking national research project to find the best way to provide housing and services to people who are living with mental illness and homelessness. Using a 'Housing First' approach, the research project focuses on first providing people who are homeless with a place to live, and then the other assistance and services they require. The goal is to see if this approach is better than traditional 'care as usual'.

23 Nov 2009

Cerner connects to its associates, clients globally through AT&T Telepresence Solution

Connecting associates around the world and collaborating with clients is now a quicker, more interactive process for global healthcare solutions provider Cerner ( CERN). Cerner began using the AT&T* Telepresence Solution, an immersive video technology that connects remote participants, earlier this year to help respond to client service requests in a timely manner and to conduct virtual business meetings with its associates, clients and business partners around the world.

23 Nov 2009