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HCA faces scrutiny about medical necessity of some cardiac procedures done at some hospitals

HCA Holdings Inc., the biggest for-profit U.S. hospital operator, told investors that federal prosecutors in Miami are probing the "medical necessity" of cardiology procedures performed at several of its hospitals in Florida. The company made an unusual statement defending its operations in anticipation of a New York Times article that appeared online late Monday.

8 Aug 2012

Greening vacant lots may reduce violent crime

Greening vacant lots may make neighborhood residents feel safer and may be associated with reductions in certain gun crimes, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

8 Aug 2012

Clinton discusses global HIV efforts with South African officials during 11-day African tour

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday visited officials in South Africa and discussed the response to HIV/AIDS, the Associated Press/Huffington Post reports. Speaking with Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane "in the second cabinet-level strategic dialogue between the two nations," Clinton said "that global efforts to stop the virus 'have saved hundreds of thousands of lives,'" the news service writes.

8 Aug 2012

Study finds only few U.S. children use age-appropriate safety restraints in cars

Despite the fact that car crashes are the leading cause of death for children older than three years in the U.S. and send more than 140,000 children to the emergency room each year, new research has found that low proportions of U.S. children are using age-appropriate safety restraints and many are placed at risk by riding in the front seat.

8 Aug 2012

Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement could restrict access to affordable, life-saving drugs

In this post in the PLoS "Speaking of Medicine" blog, Judit Rius Sanjuan, a lawyer from Barcelona, Spain, and the U.S. manager of the Access Campaign at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), says the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a regional trade agreement that currently involves 11 countries but is slated for further expansion across the Asia-Pacific region, is threatening the prospects for an AIDS-free generation.

8 Aug 2012

Plain packaging of cigarettes may help draw attention of adolescent smokers to health warnings

New research published online in the scientific journal Addiction shows that plain packaging (requiring cigarettes to be packaged in standard packages without attractive designs and imagery) may help to draw the attention of some adolescent smokers to the health warnings on the package. If so, this may in turn deter young smokers from continuing to smoke.

8 Aug 2012

Article describes feasibility and costs of active tuberculosis case finding project in Cape Town

A research article by Katharina Kranzer from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and colleagues describe the feasibility and costs of an active tuberculosis case finding project in Cape Town, South Africa.

8 Aug 2012

Safety-net hospitals brace for health law's changes in funding, other adjustments in federal programs

Safety net hospitals governed by elected officials reported higher profits than those governed by political appointees, not-for-profit boards or for-profit directors, according to a study. … Public hospitals governed by elected officials operated in competitive markets reported the highest operating margin, on average, at 7%. Hospitals governed by political appointees reported a slim average 0.7% operating margin. Safety net not-for-profit and for-profit hospitals reported margins of -0.9% and -2%, respectively.

8 Aug 2012

MU Area Health Education Center receives Eugene S. Mayer Program of Excellence Award

A University of Missouri program regarded as a model for improving access to health care has received a national award for its comprehensiveness, partnerships and responsiveness to community needs. MU Area Health Education Center (AHEC) received the Eugene S. Mayer Program of Excellence Award from the National AHEC Organization during its conference last week in San Antonio.

8 Aug 2012

Texas doctors oppose state plans on abortion; Gov. Perry caught between Medicaid and Planned Parenthood

The physicians are objecting to a proposed rule for the Texas Women's Health Program that prohibits them from discussing abortion with patients. Meanwhile, the governor, who says he opposes an expansion of Medicaid, also says he will use such an expansion to justify his cut off of funds to Planned Parenthood.

8 Aug 2012

Tips to avoid and cope with kidney stones

Summer can mean more than just an increase in temperatures, humidity and outdoor physical activity. It can also mean an increased risk of kidney stones, which affect approximately 3.8 million people in the United States and are on the rise.

8 Aug 2012

HHS selects Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to take part in GNE Demonstration

The Department of Health and Human Services has selected the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) as one of five hospitals that will take part in a nationwide initiative designed to train more nurses at a higher level.

8 Aug 2012

Survey: Employers expect health care costs to grow 7 percent next year, ready compliance with health law

A new survey of employer health benefits by the National Business Group on Health has found businesses expect their health care costs to jump 7 percent next year as they comply with new parts of the federal health care reform law. Employers also expect to increase workers' share of health care costs 5 percent, the study found.

8 Aug 2012

Healthcare professionals receive SingHealth Duke-NUS Scientific Congress abstract awards

Results of the highly anticipated Best Oral Presentation and Best Poster Awards were announced at SingHealth Duke-NUS Scientific Congress 2012, held on 3 and 4 August 2012 at the Raffles City Convention Centre.

8 Aug 2012

Medicaid news: Fla. plan to challenge state rule on managed care; N.Y. wants permission to invest savings

Florida is seeking to move seniors on Medicaid into a managed care program but one company questions part of the regulations on plans.

8 Aug 2012

IOF to hold major osteoporosis meeting from December 13-16 in Malaysia

The International Osteoporosis Foundation will hold its 3rd IOF Regionals - Asia-Pacific Osteoporosis Meeting from December 13 to 16, 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. IOF looks forward to the participation of more than 1000 health professionals from varied fields including orthopaedics, endocrinology, rheumatology, gynaecology, radiology, rehabilitation and general practice.

8 Aug 2012

RCPA’s new factsheets to breakdown the mystery of pathology

Pathology is a section of the healthcare system that takes place behind the scenes, tucked away in laboratories and, as a result, is an area of medicine that is largely misunderstood. Often pathology can open up a plethora of questions such as: why do I need a pathology test; where can I have a test; how safe is the testing; how is a pathology test fee calculated; and how should I go about genetic testing?

7 Aug 2012

First Edition: August 7, 2012

Today's headlines include reports that HCA, the largest for-profit hospital chain in the U.S., is facing scrutiny about the medical necessity of some of the cardiac procedures done at some of its facilities.

7 Aug 2012

Common myths about eyes

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article debunking—and proving—several myths regarding the eyes. Dr. William Boothe weighs in on this important conversation, as he believes that proper eye health can only be achieved if individuals understand how their eyes work, and how to take care of them.

7 Aug 2012

Study examines life expectancy by race, sex and education

Despite advances in health care and increases in life expectancy overall, Americans with less than a high school education have life expectancies similar to adults in the 1950s and 1960s.

7 Aug 2012

Healthcare News

HCA faces scrutiny about medical necessity of some cardiac procedures done at some hospitals

Greening vacant lots may reduce violent crime

Clinton discusses global HIV efforts with South African officials during 11-day African tour

Study finds only few U.S. children use age-appropriate safety restraints in cars

Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement could restrict access to affordable, life-saving drugs

Plain packaging of cigarettes may help draw attention of adolescent smokers to health warnings

Article describes feasibility and costs of active tuberculosis case finding project in Cape Town

Safety-net hospitals brace for health law's changes in funding, other adjustments in federal programs

MU Area Health Education Center receives Eugene S. Mayer Program of Excellence Award

Texas doctors oppose state plans on abortion; Gov. Perry caught between Medicaid and Planned Parenthood

Tips to avoid and cope with kidney stones

HHS selects Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to take part in GNE Demonstration

Survey: Employers expect health care costs to grow 7 percent next year, ready compliance with health law

Healthcare professionals receive SingHealth Duke-NUS Scientific Congress abstract awards

Medicaid news: Fla. plan to challenge state rule on managed care; N.Y. wants permission to invest savings

IOF to hold major osteoporosis meeting from December 13-16 in Malaysia

RCPA’s new factsheets to breakdown the mystery of pathology

First Edition: August 7, 2012

Common myths about eyes

Study examines life expectancy by race, sex and education

Directed enzyme evolution and the Nobel Prize: Making enzymes evolve in the lab

Advancing Motor Neuron Disease Diagnosis with Non-Invasive Ultrasound and AI

How agentic AI is reshaping laboratory workflows

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