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Sen. McConnell blasts Medicare brochure touting health overhaul

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, is blasting the Obama administration for using flyers to tout the new health law to seniors, The Hill reports. "McConnell took offense to the flyers for saying the new law will 'preserve and strengthen' Medicare. And he pointed out that the Department of Health and Human Services lambasted private Medicare Advantage plans when they used similar communications to their members to raise concerns with the health reform law before it was passed" (Pecquet, 5/25).

27 May 2010

St. Jude Medical to evaluate cost-effectiveness of FFR for multivessel coronary artery disease

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, announced today at EuroPCR it will evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness of Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR)-guided treatment for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Canada. The analysis will also determine FFR's potential health and budget impact for each of the seven countries.

26 May 2010

Humana named nation's top payer for the second consecutive

For the second year in a row and third time in five years, Humana Inc. ranks #1 in overall performance - making it the easiest payer for health care providers to do business with - in a review of 2009 claims-payment data conducted by athenahealth Inc., a provider of Internet-based business services to doctors, and Physician's Practice magazine.

26 May 2010

First Edition: May 26, 2010

Today's headlines detail the latest developments regarding legislation moving through Congress that would prevent scheduled cuts in Medicare physician payment and extend health insurance subsidies for unemployed people.

26 May 2010

athenahealth releases the fifth annual PayerView Rankings

athenahealth, Inc., a leading provider of internet-based business services to physician practices, and Physicians Practice, America's leading practice management journal for physicians, today released the fifth annual PayerView Rankings, which indicate that health insurers are paying physicians on average seven days faster and denying 12-18% fewer claims than revealed in last year.

26 May 2010

IDC Health Insights report predicts paradigm shift toward collaborative care through HIE models

As health care organizations across the country begin to adopt technology solutions in response to the approximately $20 billion in state incentive payments for health care, Informatics Corporation of America endorses an April 2010 report, Vendor Assessment: Industry Short List for Health Information Exchange Technologies, released by IDC Health Insights, an advisory services and market research firm.

26 May 2010

Coordinated medical care approach ensures quality transitional care for wounded warriors

A coordinated medical care approach is critical in all health care delivery settings and is essential to wounded warriors needing transitional care when returning home from the front lines of battle. This Memorial Day, the American Academy of Physician Assistants recognizes the vital role that PAs in the military play as part of a unified health care team when they provide wounded warriors with all aspects of care on and off the field.

26 May 2010

Overlake Hospital acquires Toshiba’s Vantage Titan ultra-short, open bore MR system

Improving MR exam workflow without sacrificing patient safety, exam comfort or image quality is a goal for many health care facilities. Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, Wash., selected Toshiba America Medical Systems' patient-friendly Vantage Titan ultra-short, open bore MR system to achieve this goal in its new MR facility.

26 May 2010

Intel expands availability of Intel Health Guide across Europe

Intel is expanding availability of the Intel Health Guide across Europe to help address chronic care challenges - Intel is working with strategic partners in France, Germany, Spain and The Netherlands to bring localised versions of the Intel Health Guide to market over the coming year

26 May 2010

Alliance Technologies integrates PacketSure Managed DLP platform to provide Data Loss Prevention solution

Palisade Systems, the leader in Data Loss Prevention solutions for the small and medium-sized enterprise, said today that Alliance Technologies has integrated the PacketSure Managed DLP platform to provide a Data Loss Prevention solution engineered for large, shared network environments. Alliance Technologies becomes one of the growing number of managed service providers to offer PacketSure Managed DLP to its customers.

26 May 2010

States have no policy to help residents meet recommended levels of physical activity to promote health

Many states do not have the policy or environmental measures in place to help their residents meet the recommended levels of physical activity to promote health, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

26 May 2010

Nurses use up-to-date techniques to help smokers quit, says RNAO

As World No Tobacco Day 2010 (May 31) approaches, Canadians thinking about quitting smoking can rely on nurses to help them butt out. The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario says nurses are using the most up-to-date techniques to help smokers quit, which is reducing the number of smokers and preventing diseases.

26 May 2010

Nearly 74% of employers continue to provide subsidized health care coverage for active employees: Survey

Although U.S. employers view controlling health care costs as their highest health care reform priority, few believe that the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will stem the tide of rising costs, according to a May 2010 survey by Towers Watson, a global professional services company.

26 May 2010

Consequences of secrecy in medicine

No one knows how many mothers' and babies' lives have been saved by the obstetrical forceps. This device has been part of the standard equipment of every maternity room for about 250 years. However, a shadow lies over the success story: after the Chamberlen brothers developed the device at the beginning of the 17th century, the brothers and their descendants used it for 3 generations, but kept it a secret from other obstetricians.

26 May 2010

EIRMC, West Valley Medical Center to continue to serve Humana's Medicare Advantage members

Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC), a full-service regional medical center in Idaho Falls, and West Valley Medical Center, a community hospital in Caldwell, will continue to provide in-network medical care to all Medicare Advantage members enrolled in plans offered by Humana, under terms of a renewal agreement announced today.

26 May 2010

Workplace wellness programs improve employer's bottom line

"Who has time?" is a frequent question in response to the suggestion of a medical check-up. Job demands aren't becoming easier to meet in this challenging economy. And there is always a "to-do" list waiting at home. Naturally employees feel these pressures.

26 May 2010

$FDA warns on possible fracture risk with proton pump inhibitors use$

FDA warns on possible fracture risk with proton pump inhibitors use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned consumers and health care professionals about a possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with high doses or long-term use of a class of medications called proton pump inhibitors. The product labeling will be changed to describe this possible increased risk.

26 May 2010

KCI to feature expanded line of NPTP products and services at EWMA congress

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. today announced the company will feature its expanded line of negative pressure technology platform products and services at the annual European Wound Management Association congress in Geneva, Switzerland. Highlighting the company's commitment to innovative therapies, the new product line will improve the portability and adoption of V.A.C. Therapy, while further specializing the clinical application of negative pressure.

26 May 2010

Penn. doc creates medical home as part of health care transformation

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on Joseph Mambu, a Pennsylvania doctor who created a medical home in 2001. At the beginning "Mambu didn't know where he was headed. Now he's at the vanguard of a movement sweeping America - the patient-centered medical home - in which physicians have more time for complex cases and are much more proactive in promoting the health of all patients, who have same-day access to their medical team."

26 May 2010

Health law bodes well for young people's coverage, isn't helping Democrats

The New York Times reports that young people — representing nearly one-third of the 46 million uninsured in America — stand to "reap substantial benefits" from expanded coverage for them in the new health law.

26 May 2010

Health Care News and Research

Sen. McConnell blasts Medicare brochure touting health overhaul

St. Jude Medical to evaluate cost-effectiveness of FFR for multivessel coronary artery disease

Humana named nation's top payer for the second consecutive

First Edition: May 26, 2010

athenahealth releases the fifth annual PayerView Rankings

IDC Health Insights report predicts paradigm shift toward collaborative care through HIE models

Coordinated medical care approach ensures quality transitional care for wounded warriors

Overlake Hospital acquires Toshiba’s Vantage Titan ultra-short, open bore MR system

Intel expands availability of Intel Health Guide across Europe

Alliance Technologies integrates PacketSure Managed DLP platform to provide Data Loss Prevention solution

States have no policy to help residents meet recommended levels of physical activity to promote health

Nurses use up-to-date techniques to help smokers quit, says RNAO

Nearly 74% of employers continue to provide subsidized health care coverage for active employees: Survey

Consequences of secrecy in medicine

EIRMC, West Valley Medical Center to continue to serve Humana's Medicare Advantage members

Workplace wellness programs improve employer's bottom line

FDA warns on possible fracture risk with proton pump inhibitors use

KCI to feature expanded line of NPTP products and services at EWMA congress

Penn. doc creates medical home as part of health care transformation

Health law bodes well for young people's coverage, isn't helping Democrats

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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