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Faced with stalled overhaul, Dems still wonder who to blame

Congressional Democrats continue to divvy up blame for the stalled health overhaul, with fingers now pointed toward centrist Democrats and Republicans, President Barack Obama or even White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, depending on the blamer's perspective.

9 Feb 2010

A.M. Best assigns issuer credit ratings to VBHS and its core facilities

A.M. Best Co. has assigned an issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb-” to Valley Baptist Health System (VBHS) and its two cornerstone facilities, Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen (VBMC) and Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville (VBMC-B) (Brownsville, TX). The outlook for these ratings is stable.

9 Feb 2010

2010 HSR Impact Award recognizes research that improves patient safety and surgical outcomes

AcademyHealth today recognized research that improves patient safety and surgical outcomes with the 2010 Health Services Research (HSR) Impact Award. The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist was created as a tool to ensure adherence to basic safety standards of care.

9 Feb 2010

Survey reveals need for better access to levalbuterol for asthma patients

A recent electronic survey of US asthma experts demonstrated the need for better access to levalbuterol, the fast-acting medicine used to treat the narrowing of airways (bronchospasm) caused by asthma, for selected patients.

9 Feb 2010

Health debate travails boost lobbying firms

Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., won an upset election last month that has reshaped the health debate and that new dynamic could be a boon for lobbying firms, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Law Review columnist writes. "The thousands of lobbyists on and off Capitol Hill who labor on behalf of health-industry clients can now count on at least a few more monthly retainers.

9 Feb 2010

Simple, inexpensive test for diagnosing cardiac-related chest pain

Researchers at the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center have shown that a simple, inexpensive test can determine whether it is safe to send home a patient who comes to the emergency room with chest pain.

9 Feb 2010

Risk of missed doses underestimated, effective guidance programmes needed

Many patients with chronic conditions do not take as much of their medication as they should. As a result, the effectiveness of the treatment is often suboptimal, and it also becomes more expensive. Until now, the extent to which the guidance of patients could be improved to promote the correct use of medication had been unclear.

9 Feb 2010

New survey finds affordable health care presents greatest obstacle to business expansion

In a new survey of 178 companies in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, employers identify affordable health care as the greatest obstacle to business expansion. Other barriers to growth were government regulations, weak investment markets and taxes.

9 Feb 2010

Physical Activity Innovations named ‘Bluetooth Innovator of the Year’ for 2009

The Bluetooth SIG has awarded Edward Sazonov, Physical Activity Innovations LLC, the title of Bluetooth Innovator of the Year for 2009. Sazonov received this recognition at the official award ceremony held in-line with the Wearable Technologies Show at ispo 2010, the world’s largest trade show for sporting goods.

9 Feb 2010

East Cooper Medical Center to install LiveData and KARL STORZ Endoscopy- America's Patient-Aware OR solutions

LiveData and KARL STORZ Endoscopy- America, Inc. today announced that East Cooper Medical Center will install the companies' Patient-Aware OR solution in the eight operating rooms in East Cooper's new hospital to be opened this quarter. KARL STORZ is a global leader in minimally invasive endoscopic technologies and operating room integration. LiveData is a leader in real-time data integration and display technology.

9 Feb 2010

RM&PSI announces dates for 2010 national risk management seminar

The Risk Management and Patient Safety Institute (RM&PSI), a national leader in clinical risk management practice and patient safety programs for health care institutions and providers, today announced the dates and focus for its 2010 national risk management seminar.

9 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 9, 2010

Today's headlines reveal more reactions to President Obama's bi-partisan health care summit. Chief among them are low expectations.

9 Feb 2010

Coventry Health Care reports revenues of $3.4 billion for fourth-quarter 2009

Coventry Health Care, Inc. today reported consolidated operating results for the quarter ended December 31, 2009. Operating revenues totaled $3.4 billion for the quarter with net earnings of $109.1 million, or $0.74 earnings per diluted share (EPS). For the year ended December 31, 2009, total revenues from continuing operations were $13.9 billion with net earnings from continuing operations of $315.3 million, or $2.14 per diluted share.

9 Feb 2010

Study calls for effective intervention strategy for non-specific chest pain

Fewer than half of individuals who have "non-specific" chest pain (not explained by a well-known condition) experience relief from symptoms following standard medical care, according to a report in the February 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. In addition, one-tenth of those with persistent chest pain undergo potentially unnecessary diagnostic testing.

9 Feb 2010

Anthem Blue Cross raises premium by 39%: HHS Secretary calls for detailed public justification

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today sent a letter to Anthem Blue Cross and called on the company to publicly justify its decision to raise premiums for its California customers by as much as 39 percent. In her letter, Sebelius notes that the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross, WellPoint Incorporated earned $2.7 billion in the last quarter of 2009.

9 Feb 2010

New tool may help standardize use of CT scans in children with minor head injuries

A new tool may help standardize the use of computed tomography (CT scans) in children with minor head injury and help reduce the number of scans, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) (pre-embargo link only) http://www.cmaj.ca/embargo/cmaj091421.pdf.

9 Feb 2010

HCPRA seeks entries for Hollobon Award

The Health Care Public Relations Association (HCPRA) is pleased to announce this year's Call for Entries for The Hollobon Award.

9 Feb 2010

NPSF leads nationwide effort to strengthen partnerships between patients and healthcare providers

The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) will kick off Patient Safety Awareness Week on March 7, 2010, in a concerted effort to raise awareness of patient safety initiatives, improve the quality of health care, and strengthen alliances between patients, families and their healthcare providers.

9 Feb 2010

Vigilan announces new continuing education courses for assisted living community administrators

Vigilan, provider of software for better senior living, announced today 10 new continuing education courses for assisted living community administrators. These courses—developed and taught by Christian Mason, chairman and CEO of Vigilan, nationally certified leader in assisted living training, and developer of the first national licensing exam—are certified for assisted living administrator licensing in 16 states.

9 Feb 2010

PM vows to provide better preventive care for cancer patients

The prime minister has pledged to introduce one-to-one support at home for all cancer patients if the government stays in power after the forthcoming general election.

9 Feb 2010