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Our Lady of Lourdes Health Care Services to pay U.S. $7.95M for resolving Medicare fraud allegations

Our Lady of Lourdes Health Care Services Inc., the parent company of two New Jersey hospitals, has agreed to pay the United States $7.95 million to resolve allegations that the hospitals defrauded Medicare, the Justice Department announced today. The two hospitals are Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center (OLL) in Camden, N.J., and Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County (LMC) in Willingboro, N.J.

16 Dec 2009

Idaho Technology signs licensing agreement with Kapa Biosystems

Idaho Technology, Inc. has signed a licensing agreement with Kapa Biosystems, Inc., covering reagents or methods using SYBR® Green I technology and melting curve analysis for real time PCR.

16 Dec 2009

Vangent to implement SSO and Context Management capability in Military Health System

Vangent, Inc., a leading global provider of information management and strategic business process solutions, announced today it was awarded a $20 million contract by the Department of Defense (DoD) to implement an integrated Single Sign-On (SSO) and Context Management capability throughout the Military Health System.

15 Dec 2009

TV and video games can provoke violence among school students

Middle-school students are expressing their views on the key factors affecting youth violence, with more than 30 percent of them indicating that television, video games, movies and music provoke violence.

15 Dec 2009

Findings raise new hope for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

A new study involving data from more than 20,000 individuals has uncovered several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function. The research, an analysis that combined the results of several smaller studies, provides insight into the mechanisms involved in reaching full lung capacity.

15 Dec 2009

Study says children are still bombarded with TV ads for unhealthy food choices

A new study released Monday, Dec. 14, in Washington, D.C., criticizes the nation's food and beverage industry for failing to shift their marketing efforts aimed at children. The report said television advertising continues to contribute to epidemic levels of obesity, despite industry promises of reform.

15 Dec 2009

Hospitals to find acceptable alternatives to STERIS System 1 sterile processing system

In response to an FDA notice issued on December 3, 2009, in which the Agency recommended that healthcare facilities discontinue use of the STERIS System 1® (SS1) sterile processing system, hospitals throughout the U.S. are faced with the task of finding acceptable alternatives to that product.

15 Dec 2009

The United States Senate passes funding for teen pregnancy prevention program

The United States Senate yesterday passed a package of spending bills for FY 2010, which included a historic new investment in efforts to prevent teen pregnancy.

15 Dec 2009

Medicare actuary: Health costs would rise after overhaul

The Senate's health overhaul plan would cover 33 million more people but fail to curb rising health costs, could threaten some Medicare patients' access to care, and may sink profits for one-fifth of hospitals and nursing homes, according to news accounts of an HHS report released Friday afternoon.

15 Dec 2009

Pulse EHR receives 2011 CCHIT Comprehensive certification

To receive the 2011 CCHIT Comprehensive certification, the Pulse EHR had to undergo a rigorous inspection of integrated functionality, interoperability and security, in addition to achieving full compliance with proposed federal standards tied to ARRA “meaningful use” financial incentives.

14 Dec 2009

Detroit-area residents plead guilty in connection with health care fraud schemes

Detroit-area residents Baskaran Thangarasan, Sandeep Aggarwal and Wayne Smith pleaded guilty this week for their roles in connection with several Detroit-area health care fraud schemes, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Terrence I. Berg, Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI's Detroit Field Office and Daniel Levinson, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today.

14 Dec 2009

Scientists evaluate current research on soy infant formula

Members of the media are invited to attend a press availability period at noon on Friday, December 18, 2009 that will follow a scientific meeting evaluating the safety of soy infant formula. An independent panel of 14 scientists will evaluate the most current research on soy infant formula to determine whether exposure to soy infant formula is a risk to human development.

14 Dec 2009

Several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function, uncovers new study

14 Dec 2009

National Vaccine Plan aims to protect Americans from vaccine-preventable illnesses

While vaccines help prevent many diseases in the United States, we lack immunization protection against several serious illnesses, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine that identifies priority areas for updating the National Vaccine Plan.

14 Dec 2009

Survey provides comprehensive look at prevalence of common mental disorders

Only about half of American children and teenagers who have certain mental disorders receive professional services, according to a nationally representative survey funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The survey also provides a comprehensive look at the prevalence of common mental disorders.

14 Dec 2009

Prescription drug and healthcare expenditures increase for U.S. adults

In 2006 the average cost for a prescription drug purchase for Americans age 18 to 44 was double the inflation-adjusted average for 1996, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

11 Dec 2009

HHS: Current research efforts and developments in influenza vaccine technologies

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will host a three-hour educational program for the media to learn more about ongoing government research efforts to develop and apply new technologies in the making of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines.

11 Dec 2009

NIH launches a $37 million program to reduce obesity

The National Institutes of Health is launching a $37 million program that will use findings from basic research on human behavior to develop more effective interventions to reduce obesity.

11 Dec 2009

Department of Homeland Security opens new CTAC center to strengthen food safety system in the U.S.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today commended the Department of Homeland Security for opening a center devoted to ensuring the safety of foods imported to the United States.

10 Dec 2009

Three innovative HHS ideas to protect and improve people’s health

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today three innovative HHS ideas that have been developed as a result of a more open and accessible federal decision making process in collaboration between the public, private sector and the federal government.

10 Dec 2009