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Providence Holy Cross Medical Center receives $500,000 grant from Verizon to improve hospital's efficiency

Providence Holy Cross Medical Center has embarked on a technology upgrade, funded by a $500,000 grant from Verizon, that will improve the hospital's efficiency, increase accuracy of patient records, and initiate health care outreach for uninsured Californians.

9 Jan 2010

Nelson calls for expansion of Nebraska Medicaid deal to all states

"Sen. Ben Nelson said Thursday he has asked Democratic leadership to extend to all states the extra Medicaid funding promised to Nebraska in the health care reform bill," The Associated Press reports. "The Democrat wouldn't say who he has spoken to regarding the so-called 'Cornhusker Kickback' but that he would see to it that Nebraska doesn't get a special deal." Nelson said if he can't get similar treatment for every state, "he wants states to be freed from paying the cost of Medicaid expansion. That could mean eliminating the provision, finding another way to pay for it or allowing states to opt out" (Ross, 1/7).

9 Jan 2010

MinuteClinic re-accredited and earns the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval

MinuteClinic, the retail health care division of CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) and the pioneer and largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has become the first retail clinic to be re-accredited and earn the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval(TM) for consecutive evaluation periods by having demonstrated compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety.

9 Jan 2010

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care wins contract to develop a pilot of FDA's Sentinel System

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has awarded a contract to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Inc. to develop a pilot of the FDA's Sentinel System, which will use automated health care data to evaluate medical product safety.

9 Jan 2010

Seven new biopharmaceutical companies join PhRMA, Forbes reports

Forbes recently reported that seven new biopharmaceutical companies have now joined the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

From CSL Ltd 9 Jan 2010

Study: Reform bills could save health care dollars

The Los Angeles Times: "National healthcare legislation in Congress could slow the growth of medical costs, allowing employers to create 250,000 to 400,000 new jobs a year over the next decade, economists from Harvard University and USC are predicting.

9 Jan 2010

LehmanMillet honored with four prestigious industry awards

HealthSTAR's LehmanMillet, the leading agency devoted to working with health care companies changing standards of care, today announced it has won four prestigious industry awards: an MM&M (Medical Marketing & Media Magazine) Gold Award for work done on behalf of Abbott Nutrition; a First Place DxMA (Diagnostic Marketing Association) award for work done on behalf of Abbott Diagnostics; a First Place DxMA Award for work done on behalf of BRAHMS USA; and a PM360 Pharma Choice Bronze Award.

9 Jan 2010

Today's opinions and editorials

Californians need to ask themselves why, when other states and the federal government are making children's health a priority, the Golden State may be adding another half-million children … to the ranks of the uninsured next year (1/7).

9 Jan 2010

Misonix signs new distribution agreement with Thimar Al Jazirah Health Care

Misonix, Inc., a developer of minimally invasive ultrasonic medical device technology, which in Europe is used for the ablation of tumors and worldwide for other acute health conditions, has entered into a new, three year distribution agreement with Thimar Al Jazirah Health Care, based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the distribution of the SonaStar(TM) Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator and the BoneScalpel(TM) Ultrasonic Bone Cutter.

9 Jan 2010

Possible loopholes, insurance costs in Senate health bill

"A critical loophole in the current version of the Senate health-care bill would allow insurers to charge more for those who don't participate in wellness programs, essentially negating the measure's key goal of eliminating higher costs for those with pre-existing conditions, a group of health experts said Thursday," MarketWatch reports.

8 Jan 2010

Hurdles to clear in the Senate's reform endgame, and possible 2010 consequences

President Barack Obama met Thursday with Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., the chairmen who steered the Senate's version of the health overhaul through the finance and health committees, Roll Call reports. It is one sign of Obama becoming an increasingly active participant as the debate nears its endgame (Drucker and Koffler, 1/7).

8 Jan 2010

Three new retail stores of China Yongxin Pharmaceuticals opened in 2009

China Yongxin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("China Yongxin Pharmaceuticals" or the "Company"), is a leading manufacturer, distributor and retailer of Chinese traditional medicines, pharmaceutical products, natural health products, health food, cosmetics, and medical equipment in Northeastern China. The Company today announced that it had opened three new stores in 2009.

8 Jan 2010

Health policy research roundup: Long-term care, diabetes disparities, health IT

Annals of Internal Medicine: Cultural Competency Training and Performance Reports to Improve Diabetes Care for Black Patients - In this study, researchers measure the effects cultural competency training and performance training for physicians has on the clinical outcomes for black patients with diabetes.

8 Jan 2010

White House rallies Democratic governors around health reform

Politico: "One day after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, delivered a stinging attack on federal health care reform, Obama administration officials huddled with his Democratic counterparts to address their complaints about the legislation — and enlist them in the public campaign to support it.

8 Jan 2010

About 3 million lose health coverage in California

About 3 million poor Californians lost health benefits or access to health care, and thousands more lost their jobs due to state budget cuts imposed six months ago, according to a report released Thursday.

8 Jan 2010

John C. Lechleiter to deliver keynote address on human dimensions of medical innovation

John C. Lechleiter, PhD, Chairman, President & CEO, Eli Lilly and Company, will deliver a keynote address, "Lifespans and Livelihoods: The Human Dimensions of Medical Innovation," to TOWN HALL Los Angeles on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

8 Jan 2010

First Edition: January 8, 2010

Today's headlines reflect the continuing developments as congressional Democrats discuss policy specifics and take steps toward finalizing their health overhaul.

8 Jan 2010

New Jersey nonprofit bucks the trend of skyrocketing health insurance costs

One New Jersey nonprofit is bucking the trend of skyrocketing health insurance costs while Congress wrangles with health care reform. Through an entrepreneurial business model, self-insurance and the use of a Voluntary Employee Benefits Association (VEBA), Community Access Unlimited (CAU) has limited increases in health insurance costs to just 3.3 percent in each of the last five years and saved more than $1 million during that time. CAU will have a 0.0 percent increase in 2010 and will expand coverage.

8 Jan 2010

Growth and profitability of health insurers continue to be under pressure

As health insurers struggle with pricing resistance from employers and decreases in enrollment in group health employee benefit plans, health insurer growth and profitability continues to be under pressure, according to a new industry forecast by Conning Research & Consulting.

8 Jan 2010

Manual of ethical best practices for healthcare documentation businesses now available

Heightened privacy and security concerns, increased calls for transparency of operations, and a growing home-based workforce have prompted The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) and The Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA) to create their Manual of Ethical Best Practices for the Healthcare Documentation Sector.

8 Jan 2010