Doctor News and Research

RSS

2010 Medco Medicare Prescription Plan to identify lower-cost medication options

Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) is helping seniors in this tough economy find smart solutions for getting the most value out of their Medicare prescription drug plan.

7 Oct 2009

Humana announces expansion of its Medicare offerings in California

Humana Inc. announced today an expansion of its Medicare offerings in California. Beginning on November 15, individuals eligible for Medicare in Fresno, San Bernardino and Riverside counties can enroll in a local Humana Gold Plus HMO plan – for a January 1, 2010 effective date.

7 Oct 2009

More studies needed to compare the efficacy of different biologic drugs for RA, say researchers

More studies that directly compare the effectiveness of different biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are needed, say Cochrane Researchers. The researchers reviewed all previous Cochrane Systematic Reviews assessing the effectiveness of biologic disease-modifying drugs for treatment of RA and found that although all were very effective, there was little data on direct comparisons between the drugs that could help doctors decide which to prescribe.

7 Oct 2009

White House hosts white-coated doctors for health reform pitch

President Obama spoke to a group of doctors in the Rose Garden Monday, the Associated Press reports. "[N]obody has more credibility with the American people on this issue than you do," he said (Babington, 10/5).

7 Oct 2009

Allsup: Disabled people experience difficulty in receiveing much-needed treatment

People with disabilities have crucial healthcare needs, but often experience difficulty in receiving much-needed treatment, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare services.

7 Oct 2009

Skin cancer patients may benefit from smaller surgical margins

Many skin cancer patients fare just as well when surgeons remove about one inch of normal-looking tissue around the lesion instead of a larger safety margin, according to a new systematic review.

7 Oct 2009

Pre-Visit Patients are more engaged and empowered to take action and influence others

Online individuals who have a scheduled appointment with a doctor – also known as Pre-Visit Patients™ – hold a range of traits and behaviors that make them of deep interest to health-related advertisers, according to an analysis of two surveys conducted separately by Manhattan Research and HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings company.

7 Oct 2009

Diuretics effective as second-line agents in treating high blood pressure

A new review shows that diuretics — drugs often recommended as a first-line treatment for high blood pressure — are also effective when added as a second agent to other blood-pressure lowering drugs.

7 Oct 2009

Jobless individuals are four times as likely as employed to report depression

A new national survey shows the economic downturn is taking a toll on the mental health of Americans. Individuals who are unemployed are four times as likely as those with jobs to report symptoms consistent with severe mental illness.

7 Oct 2009

States face rising Medicaid rolls under health reform

As part of the ongoing "Are You Covered?" series done in conjunction with Kaiser Health News, NPR profiles a 94-year-old Medicaid recipient in Colorado, who lives in a nursing home largely paid for by her Medicaid coverage. Gracie Scarrow and her daughter, Lela Petersen, both "say they are very satisfied with the program."

6 Oct 2009

Health reform may open employment opportunities

Health reform could open new opportunities for workers and employers, according to U.S. News and World Report. "If healthcare reform makes insurance much more affordable to individuals and businesses, it could result in a greater variety of career options for workers. For one thing, it would reduce barriers to entrepreneurship.

6 Oct 2009

Tips for running a marathon

With 120,000 runners recently finding out whether they have successfully got a ballot place in the 2010 Virgin London Marathon, a buzz of activity is surrounding next year's iconic race.

6 Oct 2009

Over 23 percent of physicians are e-prescribing, Surescripts announces

Surescripts, The Nation's E-Prescription Network, today announced that more than 140,000 (23 percent) of all office-based physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the United States are now e-prescribing. At the current pace, Surescripts projects that its total number of active e-prescribers in 2009 will more than double the 74,000 active e-prescribers at the end of 2008.

6 Oct 2009

NIH awards $2 million grant to fight Neurofibromatosis type 2 disease

University of Central Florida Associate Professor Cristina Fernandez-Valle just landed two federal grants worth $2 million to research a disease that can leave children and young adults deaf, partially paralyzed or brain damaged.

6 Oct 2009

Patients should ask questions to reduce health care costs

Medical bills can be very complicated and, in some cases, they can also be inaccurate or incomplete. California's Office of the Patient Advocate is encouraging all Californians to ask for clarification if they do not understand their medical bill.

6 Oct 2009

Patient and caregiver tools available in Spanish and French translations

Today, the National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC) released Spanish and French translations of patient/caregiver tools, Taking Care of MY Health Care and My Medicine List. The tools, originally developed in English, provide a resource which patients and their caregivers can use to improve outcomes and satisfaction with the health care they receive.

6 Oct 2009

Virgin HealthMiles' Pay-for-Prevention approach aims to reduce U.S. obesity rates

Today, Virgin HealthMiles, a provider of incentives-based health and productivity programs for business and government, lent its support to the newly-launched Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, which aims to help reduce U.S. obesity rates by increasing access and opportunities for physical activity, healthier nutrition options and raising awareness of the energy balance approach -- in the marketplace, in the workplace and in schools.

6 Oct 2009

Obama discretely lobbying for public option in Senate health bill

"Despite months of outward ambivalence about creating a government health insurance plan, the Obama White House has launched a behind-the-scenes campaign to get divided Senate Democrats to take up some version of the idea for a final vote in the coming weeks," The Los Angeles Times reports.

6 Oct 2009

Jon O'Brien's statement on healthcare reform

"This Sunday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops holds its annual Respect Life Sunday. On this occasion, we would like to encourage the US bishops to also respect the truth. A recent publication by the USCCB, a brochure entitled Contraception: The Fine Print, and recent polls on healthcare reform prove that the bishops' desire to promote their own views on reproductive health leads them to play fast and loose with the truth.

5 Oct 2009

Survey finds majority of Americans are at risk of heart disease due to their lifestyle factor

To help draw attention to National Child Health Day (today), the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) has released findings from a new national consumer survey and launched a campaign to educate families about heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S.

5 Oct 2009