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Preventing 4.4M child deaths in next 1,000 days is possible

"To reach the goal of decreasing deaths of children who have not yet reached their fifth birthday to four million in 2015, we estimate that 4.4 million children's deaths must be averted in the next 1,000 days," U.N. Special Envoy for Malaria Ray Chambers writes in the Huffington Post's "The Big Push" blog, in the first of what he says will be a series of entries discussing successes, challenges, and actions.

30 Mar 2013

New research shows how metabolism and physiology are connected to diet

Sometimes you just can't resist a tiny piece of chocolate cake. Even the most health-conscious eaters find themselves indulging in junk foods from time to time. New research by scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School raises the striking possibility that even small amounts of these occasional indulgences may produce significant changes in gene expression that could negatively impact physiology and health.

30 Mar 2013

Parents, officials in Pakistan working to bring polio vaccine to areas under militant control

"Parents and officials are going to great lengths to immunize children after militants imposed a ban on polio vaccinations in Pakistan's restive North Waziristan Agency," with some parents "traveling long distances to get their children vaccinated" or "smuggling the vaccine back home," IRIN reports.

30 Mar 2013

Investment in women's health important for global development

"Throughout my tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives and on the Committee on Appropriations, I have had the opportunity to help shape U.S. development assistance. And I am proud of the United States' leadership in providing support and funding for critical global health initiatives that both save lives and strengthen our position in the world," Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) writes in The Hill's "Congress Blog."

30 Mar 2013

Tenn. governor refuses to expand Medicaid

Gov. Bill Haslam said he wants to expand health insurance coverage for low-income residents, but "on his own terms" by enrolling large numbers in private insurance plans.

30 Mar 2013

Mount Sinai experts to educate families on identifying signs, symptoms of ASD

The latest report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one out of 50 school-aged children has an autism spectrum disorder.

30 Mar 2013

Radiology trainees face earning challenges

For years, medical students who chose a residency in radiology were said to be on the ROAD to happiness. The acronym highlighted the specialties - radiology, ophthalmology, anesthesiology and dermatology - said to promise the best lifestyle for doctors, including the most money for the least grueling work. Not anymore.

30 Mar 2013

Physicians react to new N.D. abortion laws

Physicians on both sides of the abortion argument disagree on whether restrictions such as the hospital privileges requirement are medically necessary or whether they instead intrude upon patients' rights (Pittman, 3/27).

30 Mar 2013

Correctional policies discourage released inmates from seeking methadone therapy, researchers say

Methadone treatment for opioid dependence remains widely unavailable behind bars in the United States, and many inmates are forced to discontinue this evidence-based therapy, which lessens painful withdrawal symptoms.

30 Mar 2013

Federal court weighs Calif. progress on mental health care for prisoners

California's bid to end court oversight of the care it gives about 33,000 mentally ill inmates was heard Wednesday by a federal judge who voiced concern that he had only days to weigh thousands of pages of contradictory claims and issue a decision (St. John, 3/27).

30 Mar 2013

Capsules: Tight Medicaid eligibility leads to more adults delaying care; Audit finds shortcomings in Minn. verifications of income, other information

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, Ankita Rao reports on research related to tight Medicaid eligibility and the incidence of delayed medical care: "The research letter in the March 28 issue of the journal found this number to vary significantly across the country and to be lower in places with less restrictive eligibility criteria for Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for low-income citizens" (Rao, 3/27).

30 Mar 2013

Global community failing to address health inequalities

"The goal of the WHO -- amplified ... in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- is to ensure the attainment by the entire world's people of the highest possible level of health," Calum Macpherson, director and vice president of the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation, writes in a Devex opinion piece.

29 Mar 2013

HeCN celebrates Doctor's Day on March 30

HEALTHeCAREERS Network (HeCN), the only single-source healthcare recruiting solution for providers and job seekers, is honored to celebrate Doctor Day on March 30. This week honors the 700,000 physicians across the U.S. and their role in healthcare.

29 Mar 2013

Doctors renew lobbying to change Medicare payment formula

The American Medical Association is pushing hard to get Congress to make a permanent "doc fix," The Hill reports.

29 Mar 2013

Majority of consumers lack awareness on new health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act

In a series of nationwide focus groups conducted by Intuit TurboTax®, a majority of consumers who participated lacked awareness of their new health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as "Obamacare". In addition, a most of them did not know if they would qualify for financial assistance to help cover the cost of health insurance.

29 Mar 2013

First Edition: March 29, 2013

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including coverage of renewed interest between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans to find ways to cut Medicare costs:

29 Mar 2013

Racial disparties in autism treatment

The need for professional care of African-American children with autism can go unmet. Some of the disparity could stem from cultural differences in parental perceptions of behavior, says autism expert Margaret C. Souders, PhD, RN, assistant professor of human genetics at Penn Nursing.

29 Mar 2013

Porter Adventist Hospital to discuss TIA and their connection to future stroke risk

On Tuesday, April 9, Porter Adventist Hospital will be hosting an important community class discussing ministrokes, or transient ischemic attacks (TIA), and their connection to future stroke risk.

29 Mar 2013

Viewpoints: Budget woes leave Democrats with painful choices; David Kessler on health hazards of antibiotics in meat; the pros and cons of not hiring smokers

USA Today: Entitlements Or Investment? Democrats Must Pick Democrats therefore face a fundamental and inescapable choice: they can support funding current consumption, especially by older Americans who are not working, or future investment, particularly in scientific research and innovation.

29 Mar 2013

Medicare reimbursement cuts threaten access to care

Physicians and patients alike are feeling the impact of Medicare reimbursement cuts that went into effect on January 1, 2013. With an additional 2% sequestration cut to roll out on April 1, it's likely that physicians who treat Medicare patients will be faced with difficult decisions as operating margins continue to shrink.

29 Mar 2013