Health Care News and Research

RSS

Researchers introduce Web-based program to help women experiencing abuse develop safety plans

Intimate partner violence results in 2 million injuries among women in the U.S. each year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. University of Missouri researchers are reducing these numbers with a new Web-based program that helps women experiencing abuse develop individualized safety plans and better assess the severity of their situations.

28 Jul 2010

What steps should be taken when medicine can't save a life?

Writing for The New Yorker, Atul Gawande explores the central medical issues involved in treating patients with terminal conditions. He asks the question: "[I]f you were the one who had metastatic cancer—or, for that matter, a similarly advanced case of emphysema or congestive heart failure—what would you want your doctors to do? The issue has become pressing, in recent years, for reasons of expense.

28 Jul 2010

Rite Aid agrees to pay $1 million to settle potential violations of HIPAA Privacy Rule

Rite Aid Corporation and its 40 affiliated entities (RAC) have agreed to pay $1 million to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today. In a coordinated action, RAC also signed a consent order with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to settle potential violations of the FTC Act.

28 Jul 2010

Obese seniors more likely to suffer from disabilities: UTMB study

Thanks to rising obesity rates in Latin America and the Caribbean, elderly people there are becoming more likely to suffer from disabilities, according to a paper recently published by University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

28 Jul 2010

Medicare to bundle payments for end-stage renal care, reward quality

Medicare payment for end-stage renal disease care may soon be tied to performance and quality measures if a new proposed rule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is finalized. "If the rule is finalized, ESRD providers that do not meet set standards" - two measures for anemia management and one for hemodialysis quality - "could have their Medicare payments lowered by up to 2 percent starting January 2012, the CMS said" (McKinney, 7/26).

28 Jul 2010

Insurers test at-home technology, monitoring devices to help cut heart failure hospitalizations

Technology that aims to keep congestive heart failure patients out of the hospital is gaining traction. The idea is for heart patients to take readings like their weight, blood pressure and other key metrics using wireless and other technologies; the data are then transmitted to a case manager or medical care giver.

28 Jul 2010

At summit, AU leaders discuss funding challenges for maternal, child health

African leaders focused on the theme of the 15th African Union (AU) Summit on Sunday: maternal and infant mortality on the continent, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports (7/26).

28 Jul 2010

BMJ News reports on Russia's $15.1B health care overhaul

Russia will undergo a $15.1 billion overhaul of its health care sector, including changes to its medical insurance system as well as health care delivery across the country, according to BMJ News. It is "the biggest reform of its troubled healthcare sector - described by Vladimir Putin, the prime minster, as 'deplorable.'" Russian MPs approved the legislation calling for the change in a preliminary vote in in July.

28 Jul 2010

State governments expect tax collections to grow but still face budget gaps

The Wall Street Journal: "State governments expect tax collections to grow for the first time in two years as tax increases and a recovering economy lead to higher collections. But states are still likely to face at least two more years of financial troubles and about half will see gaps in this year's budgets if Congress doesn't extend special Medicaid payments that were part of the 2009 stimulus act, according to a report expected to be released Tuesday by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

28 Jul 2010

Abortion, other issues continue to stoke the politics surrounding health reform

Politico reports that "the issues of health care and abortion" are making the campaign tough for some Democrats. Among the vulnerable Democrats are Reps. Kathleen Dahlkemper, D-Pa.; Steve Driehaus, D-Ohio; and Indiana Reps. Joe Donnelly and Brad Ellsworth, who is running for Senate. "'We are going to do everything we can to point out that Democrats who said they were pro-life caved on the big one,' said Marilyn Musgrave, a former Colorado congresswoman.

28 Jul 2010

Maryland sees savings in federal health law, for a while at least

Maryland could spend $829 million less than expected on health care between next year and 2020 because of the federal health overhaul law, according to an analysis by a state-convened committee, The Associated Press/Washington Post reports. "The savings, however, last only until the end of the decade, when the federal law shifts a greater share of financial responsibility for Medicaid expansion to the states." The analysis was produced by the state's Health Care Reform Coordinating Council, a panel created by Gov. Martin O'Malley in March (Witte, 7/26).

28 Jul 2010

Industry still making sense of federal e-health regs

Health care industry players are still sorting out the latest regulations on an up-to-$36 billion federal program to encourage doctors and hospitals to use electronic medical records.

28 Jul 2010

Report: Generic drugs offer savings for Medicaid

A new report suggests that expanding use of generic drugs could offer significant savings for Medicaid.

28 Jul 2010

Research on method to open blood-brain barrier for safe cancer drug delivery

One of the human body's most powerful defensive tools, the blood-brain barrier is a chemical labyrinth that prevents toxins and viruses in the bloodstream from reaching the brain. This foolproof security system, however, limits the ability of physicians to deliver drugs directly to the brain, making it difficult to treat brain tumors. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are endeavoring to solve this problem by investigating new methods for bypassing the blood-brain barrier and combating the spread of brain cancer.

28 Jul 2010

WWHI participates in joint meeting to explore barriers to wireless communications, health care solutions

The West Wireless Health Institute today announced its participation in the first joint meeting hosted by the Federal Communications Commission and Food & Drug Administration to explore the potential barriers that may slow the convergence of wireless communications and health care solutions.

27 Jul 2010

Free health, vision and dental screenings for children, adults at Family First Health in York

The Highmark Partners for a Healthy Community will offer free health, vision and dental screenings from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 7 at Family First Health in York. The event is open to children and adults who are uninsured or have minimal coverage.

27 Jul 2010

SBHCS deploys MedeAnalytics platform to automate patient access process of health system

MedeAnalytics, a leading provider of healthcare performance management solutions, today announced that the Saint Barnabas Health Care System has selected MedeAnalytics Patient Access Intelligence solution to automate the complete patient access process of the health system.

27 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 27, 2010

Today's health policy news includes reports about the continuing Senate backlash to Dr. Donald Berwick's appointment to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services as well as findings from a new poll that reveal seniors really don't understand health reform.

27 Jul 2010

Studies that compare treatment options for carotid artery disease provide no clear answer, physician reports

A review of scientific studies that compares two treatments for preventing strokes due carotid artery disease provides no clear answer on which treatment is better, a UT Southwestern Medical Center physician reports in an editorial in today's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

27 Jul 2010

SeeChange Health Insurance to offer value-based HSA products to California employers

SeeChange Health Insurance Company, a provider of value-based health insurance plans to employers, will offer a variety of Health Savings Account products in parts of California beginning August 1, 2010. The product launch will make SeeChange Health the first insurance company to offer value-based HSA products to California employers.

27 Jul 2010

Health Care News and Research

Researchers introduce Web-based program to help women experiencing abuse develop safety plans

What steps should be taken when medicine can't save a life?

Rite Aid agrees to pay $1 million to settle potential violations of HIPAA Privacy Rule

Obese seniors more likely to suffer from disabilities: UTMB study

Medicare to bundle payments for end-stage renal care, reward quality

Insurers test at-home technology, monitoring devices to help cut heart failure hospitalizations

At summit, AU leaders discuss funding challenges for maternal, child health

BMJ News reports on Russia's $15.1B health care overhaul

State governments expect tax collections to grow but still face budget gaps

Abortion, other issues continue to stoke the politics surrounding health reform

Maryland sees savings in federal health law, for a while at least

Industry still making sense of federal e-health regs

Report: Generic drugs offer savings for Medicaid

Research on method to open blood-brain barrier for safe cancer drug delivery

WWHI participates in joint meeting to explore barriers to wireless communications, health care solutions

Free health, vision and dental screenings for children, adults at Family First Health in York

SBHCS deploys MedeAnalytics platform to automate patient access process of health system

First Edition: July 27, 2010

Studies that compare treatment options for carotid artery disease provide no clear answer, physician reports

SeeChange Health Insurance to offer value-based HSA products to California employers

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Latest News