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Anesthesia providers missing to clean their hands during surgical procedures, shows study

Anesthesia providers are missing opportunities to clean their hands during surgical procedures, according to a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

1 Jul 2014

Herbal supplement can become dangerous when taken with prescribed drugs

St. John's wort, the leading complementary and alternative treatment for depression in the United States, can be dangerous when taken with many commonly prescribed drugs, according to a study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

1 Jul 2014

Special enrollment periods could help Medicare Advantage members with dropped doctors

For more than 40 years, Mary Anne Catalano and her family have gone to Dermatological Care Inc., a practice in St. Louis County. ... Now, at 68 and in the middle of her contract term, UnitedHealthcare is kicking the entire Dermatological Care staff out of her Medicare Advantage network. ... At the beginning of June, UnitedHealthcare notified almost 10 percent of Missouri physicians in its Advantage network that they will be terminated -- almost 1,000 doctors.

1 Jul 2014

Pension and health costs may be higher than estimated in low-mortality countries

A new study by demographer John Bongaarts, Population Council Vice President and Distinguished Scholar, has found that mortality projections from most low-mortality countries are more pessimistic than they should be.

1 Jul 2014

Hospitals taking new steps to figure per patient cost

The new tools rely heavily on data to figure out just what it will cost to treat a patient -- and they're sometimes buying information from "data brokers" to do it.

1 Jul 2014

Inaccurate doctor lists hurt access for low-income Californians

Meanwhile, confusion over limited providers also has led to unforeseen bills for enrollees in private plans in California, reports The Los Angeles Times. Other stories look at the growing number of insurers who want to participate in the online marketplaces and how 19 states have passed laws restricting the workers who help consumers sign up, despite a new federal rule eliminating many such restrictions.

1 Jul 2014

Doctor offers tips on fireworks safety to prevent injuries

Fireworks can result in severe burns, scars and disfigurement that can last a lifetime. Fireworks that are often thought to be safe, such as sparklers, can reach temperatures above 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, and can burn users and bystanders.

1 Jul 2014

Research could help to reduce health care charges

Recently published findings in Annals of Internal Medicine by Steven Lipshultz, M.D., Wayne State University professor and chair of pediatrics and pediatrician-in-chief at the Children's Hospital of Michigan, part of the Detroit Medical Center, and colleagues could help to reduce health care charges while also protecting childhood cancer survivors from heart ailments caused by drug therapy.

1 Jul 2014

Concerns rise about delays in getting generic drugs to market

PBS NewsHour explores concerns that settlements on patents for drugs sometimes delay the generic version getting to consumers.

1 Jul 2014

Study investigates HPV prevalence and screening methods in developing countries

Health screens for cancer-causing infections like HPV can be challenging in developing countries, where residing in rural areas can result in limited access to health services.

1 Jul 2014

Fallout from Medicaid expansion fights

In Virginia, The Washington Post traces the behind-the-scenes deal-making to create a job for the Democrat state lawmaker whose resignation gave Republicans control of the chamber and the ability to block Gov. Terry McAuliffe's plan to expand Medicaid. Meanwhile, a Missouri hospital lays off 60 employees, blaming the state's failure to expand Medicaid.

1 Jul 2014

Abortion issue drives campaigns

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) promises to do more to limit abortions if Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate, while Wendy Davis, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, tried to galvanize support a year after her marathon filibuster in the state legislature against abortion restrictions.

30 Jun 2014

Covenant and Sartori medical centers deploy TRU-D SmartUVC superbug-slaying robot

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Iowa is the latest to deploy TRU-D SmartUVC, a 5-foot-5 germ-killing ultraviolet robot equipped with the only infection prevention data collection and reporting software on the market. TRU-D is now in use at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo and Sartori Medical Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

30 Jun 2014

Advocates and critics brace for High Court decision on contraceptive mandate

The Supreme Court is expected to release its ruling today on a case brought by the owners of Hobby Lobby craft store and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp., who object to being forced to offer some types of birth control.

30 Jun 2014

Children's of Alabama extends its commitment to Allscripts Sunrise EHR solutions

Allscripts has announced that Birmingham-based Children's of Alabama has extended its commitment to Allscripts Sunrise™ electronic health record (EHR) through 2023 and will leverage a suite of Allscripts open platform solutions to support its efforts to meet regulatory requirements, manage population health and improve patient outcomes.

30 Jun 2014

First Edition: June 30, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including an announcement coming today for a new VA secretary and expectations for a Supreme Court decision on the challenge to the health law's contraceptive mandate by two for-profit companies.

30 Jun 2014

Almonds keep blood vessels healthy, reduce risk of heart disease

Scientists have found that eating almonds in your diet can reduce the risk of heart disease by keeping blood vessels healthy.

30 Jun 2014

GSMA announces mobile ecosystem partnership to provide mHealth services to women, children

The GSMA today announced that its Mobile for Development mHealth programme has launched a new cross-ecosystem partnership designed to provide a range of mHealth services to women and children, with a particular focus on nutrition, across Sub-Saharan Africa.

30 Jun 2014

Victory Healthcare continues its commitment to honor America's wounded warriors

Victory Healthcare continues its corporate-wide commitment to honor America's wounded warriors and the sacrifice they and their families made for our freedom by implementing employee philosophies and practices.

30 Jun 2014

Modified classification system finds over one-third of knee replacements as inappropriate

New research reports that more than one third of total knee replacements in the U.S. were classified as "inappropriate" using a patient classification system developed and validated in Spain. The study, published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), highlights the need for consensus on patient selection criteria among U.S. medical professionals treating those with the potential need of knee replacement surgery.

30 Jun 2014