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Community-based model of DOT improves HIV patient survival: Researchers

When applied to HIV care, the community-based model of directly observed therapy has no effect on virologic outcomes, but significantly improves patient survival. This is according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in collaboration with colleagues at University of Cape Town, South Africa, who conducted the first randomized controlled trial of patient-nominated treatment-supporters providing partial DOT in resource-limited settings.

11 Jun 2010

White House urged to promote health care innovation; Feds prepare $25 million in malpractice grants

A medical device trade group and former lawmaker separately called on the White House to do more to promote life-saving medical innovation this week. "In separate events Wednesday and Thursday, former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) and Stephen Ubl, the head of the medical device trade group AdvaMed, called on the Obama administration to task a federal office with promoting U.S. innovation."

11 Jun 2010

Start-up seeks to provide consumers with health care comparison shopping guide

The New York Times: In the U.S., people generally compare prices on everything from groceries to cars, but not in regard to their health care. And even if patients wanted to be health care comparison shoppers, getting the necessary information is not easy.

11 Jun 2010

Today's opinions: Cuts in Medicare advantage; Benefits of Medicaid expansion; Closing the doughnut hole

Democrats loathe Medicare Advantage because it sanctions the private choices that might eventually liberate the U.S. health market from government price controls. They also wanted to raid Advantage to finance their new subsidies (6/11).

11 Jun 2010

Lack of access to primary care leads reasons for poorer health in US

Why do other countries spend less on health care and yet achieve near-universal coverage and often better outcomes than the United States? This question has come up repeatedly during the health reform debate, and yet the answers still aren't clear. How much of a factor is the health care system? Population differences? These are some of the questions addressed in Health Care in World Cities, a new book co-authored by Hastings Center scholar Michael Gusmano and published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

11 Jun 2010

HHS announces grants to implement and evaluate patient safety approaches, medical liability reforms

The Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality today announced grants to support efforts by States and health systems to implement and evaluate patient safety approaches and medical liability reforms. The demonstration and planning grants are part of the patient safety and medical liability initiative that President Obama announced during a September 9, 2009 address to a joint session of Congress.

11 Jun 2010

Dems to seniors: The Medicare checks are in the mail

The Obama administration began mailing $250 checks Thursday to seniors who hit the Medicare prescription drug doughnut hole - a notorious gap in coverage - as part of the health overhaul, The Columbus Dispatch reports. "The tax-free, one-time rebate is the first tangible benefit of the new health-care law and the initial step toward phasing out the coverage gap for Medicare recipients with Part D drug coverage and who do not qualify for additional assistance" (Candisky, 6/11).

11 Jun 2010

States keep watch over insurers rate hikes, solvency as overhaul sets roots

Massachusetts officials are imposing stricter oversight on insurers they say are financially unstable after refusing to allow them to increase premium rates, The Boston Globe reports.

11 Jun 2010

Castlight Health raises $60M in Series C funding

Castlight Health, the first company to empower consumers with information to effectively navigate the health care system, today announced that it has raised $60 million in Series C funding. The round included new investors Morgan Stanley Investment Management, The Wellcome Trust, U.S. Venture Partners, and Cleveland Clinic, as well as existing investors Maverick Capital, Oak Investment Partners and Venrock.

11 Jun 2010

Ambulatory Surgery Center industry responds to infection control concerns raised in JAMA

As leading organizations representing the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) industry, we wish to address concerns raised in this month's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) highlighting data from a 2008 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pilot study. The industry underscores its strong commitment to patient safety and its nationwide efforts to provide high-quality, patient-centered care at a low cost to the health care system.

11 Jun 2010

Thousands of Minnesota nurses strike for one day

More than 12,000 nurses launched a one-day strike Thursday at 14 Minnesota hospitals in a dispute over nurse-patient ratios levels and pension benefits. Nurses say they are being asked to care for too many patients at a time, and strict ratios are necessary to protect patient safety. The hospitals, all in the Minneapolis area, counter that patients are safe and that the walkout is a headline-grabbing stunt to build membership and clout for a national nurses union.

11 Jun 2010

Arcadia fourth-quarter net loss decreases to $19.4 million

Arcadia Resources, Inc., a leading provider of innovative consumer health care services under the Arcadia HealthCare brand, today announced fourth quarter revenues of $25.5 million and a net loss of $19.2 million, or $0.11 per share, which compares to revenue of $25.9 million and a net loss of $36.7 million, or $0.27 per share for the same period in the fiscal 2009.

11 Jun 2010

Series of regional meetings focused on ACOs are drawing healthcare leaders together: AMGA

The American Medical Group Association announced that the most recent in a series of regional meetings focused on accountable care organizations, hosted by Group Health Permanente in Seattle, Washington, continued to build on the success of previous meetings in the series. The meetings are drawing healthcare leaders together to network in an intimate setting and to learn from leading medical groups and organized systems of care that are exemplars of the ACO model.

11 Jun 2010

Study on health disparities and sexual orientation

A recent study conducted by Northeastern University's Institute on Urban Health Research found a significant number of health disparities in Massachusetts between heterosexual adults and gay, lesbian and bisexual adults.

11 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 11, 2010

The government is set to begin handing out $25 million in grants Friday aimed at reducing medical malpractice lawsuits, part of a compromise offered by President Barack Obama last year in response to calls for an overhaul of the malpractice system (The Wall Street Journal).

11 Jun 2010

QI initiatives in U.S. hospitals need to be overseen to ensure implementation of ethical issues: Johns Hopkins study

New findings from Johns Hopkins suggest that most quality-improvement (QI) initiatives in U.S. hospitals are reviewed internally before they are conducted, but there is not routine consideration of the ethical issues associated with them.

11 Jun 2010

New undergraduate major in health sector management and policy launched

The University of Miami School of Business Administration today announced that it will offer a new undergraduate major in health sector management and policy beginning in fall 2010. The major is designed to prepare students for business careers within the health care industry, as well as to pursue advanced degree programs in health administration, health economics, medical sociology and public health.

11 Jun 2010

NuPhysicia's technology solutions provide distinctive medical service

When Healthcare Writer Milt Freudenheim sought real patient care experience in the emerging world of telemedicine for a recent feature article in the New York Times' Sunday Business section, he turned to NuPhysicia, the nation's most experienced video telemedicine services company.

11 Jun 2010

ACS HPRI maps surgeon supply across U.S.

To raise awareness about the health and safety challenges posed by the nation's shortage of surgeons and to show how the shortage is hitting some counties harder than others, especially in rural areas, the American College of Surgeons Health Policy Research Institute (ACS HPRI) released a new publication that maps the surgeon supply across the United States.

11 Jun 2010

Hospital cutbacks may risk quality and safety of health care delivery

During past recessions, the financial stability of hospitals seemed to be nearly indestructible. But researchers at the University of Michigan Health System and St. Joseph Mercy Health System say the current national economic crisis may be an exception.

11 Jun 2010