Healthcare News

RSS

Digital mammograms may not be better at diagnosing older women, study finds

The Yale review adds to the mixed report card on digital mammography, reports NPR. Meanwhile, big increases in vaccination prices are straining public health budgets and creating dilemmas for some doctors, finds The New York Times.

4 Jul 2014

Administration cites Hobby Lobby ruling in response to challenge by religious nonprofits

The Obama administration cites the Supreme Court's opinion Wednesday to buttress its claim it has offered religious nonprofits an acceptable compromise to the health law's contraceptive coverage mandate. Meanwhile, House Democrats craft legislation that would bar for-profit companies from denying birth control coverage to their employees.

4 Jul 2014

Allianz Worldwide Care receives Best International Private Health Insurance Provider award

Global health insurer, Allianz Worldwide Care, has won Best International Private Health Insurance Provider at the Professional Adviser International Fund & Product Awards 2014. Now in their 15th year, the Awards were established to honour cutting-edge financial services groups that offer products and services across international borders.

3 Jul 2014

First Edition: July 3,2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including more analysis of the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision and concerns in New York about significant insurance rate increases for 2015.

3 Jul 2014

Highmark, Horizon issued positive coverage policies for Afirma Gene Expression Classifier

Veracyte, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company pioneering the field of molecular cytology, today announced that two Blue Cross Blue Shield–affiliated organizations, Highmark Inc. and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, have issued positive coverage policies for the company's Afirma Gene Expression Classifier (GEC).

3 Jul 2014

State highlights: Ore. mediation for medical errors; Mich. home-help aides

A mediation program spearheaded by Gov. John Kitzhaber went into effect Tuesday, giving patients and their families an option besides suing when medical errors happen. But questions remain over how the mediation program will develop, including whether hospitals, doctors and other providers will take advantage of the program, or candidly discuss errors if they do. The result of a compromise between trial lawyers and the Oregon Medical Association approved in SB 483 last year, the Early Discussion and Resolution program is intended to cut down on lawsuits and boost the reporting of medical errors to help improve health care practices (Budnick, 7/1).

3 Jul 2014

WHO presents new framework to eliminate TB in 33 countries

The World Health Organization today, together with the European Respiratory Society, presented a new framework to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) in countries with low levels of the disease. Today there are 33 countries and territories where there are fewer than 100 TB cases per million population.

3 Jul 2014

Viewpoints: Court complicates women's health care; decouple work and coverage; Cuomo's fight against AIDS

The 5-4 decision, which runs 89 pages (including a 35-page dissent), is a messy, sprawling affair. The majority insists that its reach is narrow, while the dissent holds otherwise. What's clear is that the ruling will needlessly complicate not only constitutional and corporate law but also -- at least as significant -- health care for women who work at such companies (6/30).

3 Jul 2014

Hobby Lobby ruling creates uncertainty about contraceptive mandate

The options the Supreme Court floated to extend coverage to women who work for closely held companies that object to covering contraception are opposed by some religious groups and women's rights groups. The compromise involves passing responsibility to an insurer.

3 Jul 2014

'Weekend effect' makes simple emergency surgery risky for children

Children who undergo simple emergency surgeries, such as hernia repairs or appendix removals, on weekends are more likely to suffer complications and even die than children getting the same kind of treatment during the week, according to results of a Johns Hopkins Children’s Center study.

3 Jul 2014

Nutrition screenings should be mandatory part of comprehensive geriatric analysis

As older adults typically have one or more chronic health conditions that can affect dietary intake, malnutrition has been identified as a serious problem in older adults. This has given rise to the recommendation that nutrition screenings be a mandatory part of the comprehensive geriatric analysis (CGA).

3 Jul 2014

Use of stomach feeding tubes in children can lead to persistent gastrocutaneous fistulae

Pediatric patients with intestinal failure often need gastrostomy tubes, or feeding tubes inserted into an opening created in the stomach, for long-term nutrition. The use of such tubes can lead to persistent gastrocutaneous fistulae, or the failure of the opening to close on its own, resulting in a need for surgical closure.

3 Jul 2014

Medicare proposes home health payment reductions, savings

Officials say the moves would save the agency $58 million next year by changing how much it pays for some services and requiring agencies to prove their effectiveness.

3 Jul 2014

Study finds dating violence among adolescents visiting emergency department

Of adolescents visiting the emergency department for any reason, one in five girls and one in eight boys reported dating violence in the past year. According to a study published online Monday in Annals of Emergency Medicine, dating violence among adolescents was also strongly associated with alcohol, illicit drug use and depression ("Dating Violence Among Male and Female Youth Seeking Emergency Department Care").

3 Jul 2014

Indiana seeks OK for Medicaid expansion alternative; Calif. wrestles with Medi-Cal backlog

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on Tuesday requested a waiver from the federal government to expand Medicaid coverage using a state plan that he says would promote personal responsibility. Developments in California, Oregon, Georgia and Washington state are also tracked.

3 Jul 2014

University of Sydney announces major initiative in the field of fertility research and treatment

The University of Sydney today announced a major initiative in the field of fertility research and treatment, as it takes over ownership of Westmead IVF Pty Limited, the company which operates the private fertility clinic at Westmead Hospital, Westmead Fertility Centre.

3 Jul 2014

Study finds deployment-related respiratory symptoms in veterans returning from Iraq, Afghanistan

In a new study of the causes underlying respiratory symptoms in military personnel returning from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, a large percentage of veterans had non-specific symptoms that did not lead to a specific clinical diagnosis.

3 Jul 2014

Hacking of health records is 'matter of time,' say experts

Specialists in cybercrime say the health industry "is flirting with disaster" as so much patient data goes digital, Politico reports. Also, speakers at a health care conference explore the difficulties of cutting waste and medical errors.

3 Jul 2014

Study: 35% of adults with dyslexia report childhood physical abuse

Adults who have dyslexia are much more likely to report they were physically abused before they turned 18 than their peers without dyslexia, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

3 Jul 2014

New study finds link between lower socioeconomic status and higher rates of peripheral artery disease

Previous research has established a link between lower socioeconomic status and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In a new study led by Brigham and Women's Hospital, researchers have found that there are also higher rates of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in individuals with low income and lower attained education levels in the United States.

3 Jul 2014

Healthcare News

Digital mammograms may not be better at diagnosing older women, study finds

Administration cites Hobby Lobby ruling in response to challenge by religious nonprofits

Allianz Worldwide Care receives Best International Private Health Insurance Provider award

First Edition: July 3,2014

Highmark, Horizon issued positive coverage policies for Afirma Gene Expression Classifier

State highlights: Ore. mediation for medical errors; Mich. home-help aides

WHO presents new framework to eliminate TB in 33 countries

Viewpoints: Court complicates women's health care; decouple work and coverage; Cuomo's fight against AIDS

Hobby Lobby ruling creates uncertainty about contraceptive mandate

'Weekend effect' makes simple emergency surgery risky for children

Nutrition screenings should be mandatory part of comprehensive geriatric analysis

Use of stomach feeding tubes in children can lead to persistent gastrocutaneous fistulae

Medicare proposes home health payment reductions, savings

Study finds dating violence among adolescents visiting emergency department

Indiana seeks OK for Medicaid expansion alternative; Calif. wrestles with Medi-Cal backlog

University of Sydney announces major initiative in the field of fertility research and treatment

Study finds deployment-related respiratory symptoms in veterans returning from Iraq, Afghanistan

Hacking of health records is 'matter of time,' say experts

Study: 35% of adults with dyslexia report childhood physical abuse

New study finds link between lower socioeconomic status and higher rates of peripheral artery disease

Advancing Drug Safety Assessment With AI, Predictive Modeling, and Human-Relevant Data

AI-powered analytics and experimental validation

Membrane proteins in focus: Turning high-risk targets into routine workflows

Latest News