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Hospital lobbyists prepare push against doc-owned facilities; SGR 'dilemma' could play into efforts to pass a 'doc fix'

A provision to loosen restriction on physician-owned hospitals found its way into the December tax extension bill, making the national hospital lobby wary that it may be included in the House-Senate negotiations for a long-term compromise. Meanwhile, as always, efforts to repeal Medicare's SGR are complicated.

13 Jan 2012

Sign language helps deaf people to pick up on body language

Deaf people who use sign language are quicker at recognizing and interpreting body language than hearing non-signers, according to new research from investigators at UC Davis and UC Irvine.

12 Jan 2012

Racial discrimination may impact your health and wellness

Racial discrimination may be harmful to your health, according to new research from Rice University sociologists Jenifer Bratter and Bridget Gorman.

12 Jan 2012

Roundup: SEC pursuing managed care execs in Fla.; Minn. emergency medical assistance program ends; Ore. lawmakers consider reforming medical liability laws

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is going after some former WellCare Health Plans executives in federal civil court regarding their alleged actions concerning WellCare's managed-care contracts for behavioral health in the state of Florida. In 2010, WellCare agreed to pay about $334 million to settle legal actions with various entities related to an alleged $40 million, five-year pattern of fraud in those contracts without admitting or denying any wrongdoing.

12 Jan 2012

Ocular drug delivery: DSM awarded membership in PANOPTES EU Funded Consortium

DSM, a global leader in biomedical materials sciences, today announced that it is contributing proprietary knowledge in the preparation of tailored amino acid-based polymers and offering use of processing facilities that will produce an innovative step change in the sustained delivery of drug molecules. The PANOPTES consortium’s goal is to research and develop novel drug delivery technology for the posterior eye segment. This partnership further validates the innovative properties of DSM’s polyesteramide (PEA) biomaterials as a superior drug delivery technology.

12 Jan 2012

Female fish choose well fed males over undernourished ones: Study

At least in some species being well fed as a kid makes a male more attractive to the opposite sex. Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) have discovered female mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) prefer males with a strong nutritional upbringing. The preference is there even when the males are otherwise identical to previously undernourished fish. These mosquitofish were introduced to Australia in an attempt to control mosquitoes.

12 Jan 2012

U.N. poised to take on challenge of global health

"In just over two decades, global health has gained a political visibility and status that some authors have called a political revolution," Ilona Kickbusch, director of the Global Health Programme at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, writes in a U.N. Chronicle opinion analysis.

12 Jan 2012

Study shows how new electronic medication management system reduces drug administration errors

Errors in administration of medication are a serious problem in long-term residential care. New research completed by the University of Warwick and the University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) shows how a new electronic medication management system developed in the UK specifically for use in residential and nursing homes, has been shown to significantly reduce drug administration errors.

12 Jan 2012

HRSA's Wakefield talks about ACOs and community health centers

Joining me today is Dr. Mary Wakefield, administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). An agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA is committed to improving access to healthcare services for some of our nation's most vulnerable citizens.

12 Jan 2012

Reaching WHO PMTCT goal in Zimbabwe

Researchers in this PLoS Medicine article examine the efforts necessary to reach the WHO goal of reducing mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) risk to less than five percent in Zimbabwe.

12 Jan 2012

National Biosecurity Board to review state of bird flu research

Federal officials have asked the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) "to review the state of the science looking at human transmission of deadly bird flu, says panel chief Paul Keim of Northern Arizona University," USA Today reports.

12 Jan 2012

New ACS guidelines stress importance of social and physical environments

Updated guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention from the American Cancer Society stress the importance of creating social and physical environments that support healthy behaviors. The report includes updated recommendations for individual choices regarding diet and physical activity patterns, but emphasizes that those choices occur within a community context that can either help or hinder healthy behaviors.

12 Jan 2012

Few New Hampshire GOP voters cite health care as top concern

Exit polls from Tuesday's New Hampshire primary found the economy to be the highest ranking issue among voters. Meanwhile, as campaigns move on to South Carolina, GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich is set to run a new ad about rival Mitt Romney's abortion positions.

12 Jan 2012

New research project in rehabilitation

Intelligent wheelchairs that automatically guide you to the correct store while avoiding obstacles, specific colors on the walls and stairs in order to obtain better contrasts which would likely prevent potential falls, personal guides with special training for different types of disabilities- These scenarios could soon become a reality at Place Alexis Nihon due a new ambitious research project in rehabilitation involving some of the best Quebec researchers in this area.

12 Jan 2012

As the nation's elderly population grows, so does concern for their care

They're weak, physically or mentally disabled or both, and often at the mercy of people they depend on the most: relatives and caretakers. They're the nation's fast-growing elderly population, and many are prime targets for abuse -; physical, financial, sexual or emotional. Concern among the elderly and their advocates is mounting as the number of seniors soars and more of them live longer.

12 Jan 2012

Low-glycemic-load diet reduces C-reactive protein associated with chronic disease

Among overweight and obese adults, a diet rich in slowly digested carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes and other high-fiber foods, significantly reduces markers of inflammation associated with chronic disease, according to a new study by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

12 Jan 2012

States file briefs against health law's Medicaid expansion

In a brief filed Tuesday, the 26 states that are involved in a challenge to the health law argued the measure's Medicaid expansion is "unconstitutional coercion" and linked it to the individual mandate.

12 Jan 2012

Emboshield Pro safer in patients ineligible for standard surgical treatment of CAD

Placing a stent in a key artery in the neck is safer than ever in patients ineligible for the standard surgical treatment of carotid artery disease, according to a new study published online today in the Journal of Vascular Surgery.

12 Jan 2012

Implementation efforts continue at the state level

In Virginia, Democratic lawmakers are pushing a proposal to establish a state-based exchange. These legislators see their plan, which is built on the argument that state action would keep the federal government from being involved, will draw support from others regardless of their feelings about the health law itself. Meanwhile, Montana's high-risk insurance pool is running out of cash.

12 Jan 2012

Food security remains high-level priority in 2012

In this post in the Department of State's "DipNote" blog, Jonathan Shrier, acting special representative for global food security, reflects on food security issues and accomplishments in 2011, writing, These efforts leave us well situated in 2012 to lead the L'Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI) group, which aims to strengthen mutual accountability among participating governments in meeting food security commitments.

12 Jan 2012