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Viewpoints: The missing debate on women; The true cost of care; Fair wages for home health aides

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just reported that the nation's teen pregnancy rate is at an all-time low. Increased contraceptive use appears to have played a significant role in the decline. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that without Title X services, hundreds of thousands more teenagers would become pregnant every year. Why does GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney think eliminating the federal money for family planning - $327 million annually - is wise?

17 Apr 2012

Study looks at quality measures provided by nursing homes

While nursing homes are the place where an estimated 30 percent of Americans die, there currently exists no way to compare which institutions do a better job at managing end of life care. A new study appearing this week in the Journal of Palliative Medicine is starting a discussion over the need to create end of life quality measures in order to both inform consumers and provide nursing homes with incentive to improve care.

17 Apr 2012

Study says Mass. health reform not 'budget buster;' Some struggling cities opt out of state's health law

A study from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation says that the commonwealth's health law has amounted to only a small increase in spending on health care. In the meantime, some struggling municipalities in Massachusetts have opted out of a new law that reduces local government's share of health care costs for employees.

17 Apr 2012

Health law implementation questions include impact of Medicaid expansion, subsidies for buying insurance

News outlets report on how a range of health law provisions are taking shape, including the proposed rule on federal subsidies to buy insurance, Medicaid expansion and accountable care organizations.

17 Apr 2012

Northwestern's Stone Institute launches new program to combat mental illnesses at first signs

Early symptoms of major mental illness can be subtle personality changes. Therefore, initial warning signs can often be missed, or even ignored due to conventional wisdom that suggests it's better to wait for true behavioral deterioration and prolonged patterns of abnormality before diagnosing and treating a mental illness. But experts warn that waiting until someone is so ill that the psychological sickness is unmistakable can be detrimental and can lead to long-term health concerns.

17 Apr 2012

International Microbicides Conference to discuss state of HIV prevention research

Researchers, activists and funders are meeting this week in Sydney to discuss the state of HIV prevention research. The biennial International Microbicides Conference, which was opened on Sunday evening by the Honorable Tanya Plibersek MP, Australian Minster of Health, is taking place amid renewed optimism about development and delivery of new HIV prevention options with the potential for ending the AIDS epidemic, including anti-retroviral based microbicides and pre-exposure prophylaxis.

17 Apr 2012

AANS commemorates National Neurosurgery Awareness Week in Miami

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is commemorating National Neurosurgery Awareness Week (NNAW) April 15-21, 2012, in conjunction with its 80th Annual Scientific Meeting in Miami, held April 14-18, 2012.

17 Apr 2012

Paper points out decision-making capacity of patients with dementia

Luis Carlos álvaro, a clinical neurologist at the Hospital of Basurto (Bilbao) and lecturer at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), has had an article published on the capacity of patients with dementia to make decisions. It is entitled Competencia: conceptos generales y aplicación en la demencia (Competence: general concepts and application in dementia), and has been published in the journal Neurología.

17 Apr 2012

States roundup: Calif. mental health system grapples with controversy, shortage; Texas issues new stem cell rules

In 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state, alleging that it was violating patients' rights by heavily drugging and improperly restraining them and failing to provide appropriate treatment. The state settled, agreeing to an extensive court-supervised improvement plan at four hospitals with more than 4,000 patients. But a Times investigation found that the plan has failed to achieve the Justice Department's main objective: to raise the level of care so patients could control their violent tendencies and would not be institutionalized any longer than necessary.

17 Apr 2012

More than one third of patients with invasive cancer are undertreated for their pain

More than one third of patients with invasive cancer are undertreated for their pain, with minorities twice as likely to not receive analgesics, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

17 Apr 2012

MP3 players might increase risk of distraction in drivers

Consumers are increasingly using MP3 players in their vehicles, and auto makers have responded: Data show that 90% of new vehicles sold in the United States have MP3 connectivity. Makers of aftermarket MP3 controllers are also responding with devices that have claimed to decrease driver distraction. But according to human factors/ergonomics researcher John D. Lee and colleagues, MP3 players might increase distraction risk, depending on which devices drivers use and how long they look away from the road while searching for their favorite song.

17 Apr 2012

Regenstrief, IU develop Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation System

Researchers from Indiana University and the Regenstrief Institute have developed an automated system to help enable pediatricians to focus on the specific health needs of each patient in the short time allotted for preventive care.

17 Apr 2012

Australian nutrition researcher to receive Alexander Leaf Distinguished Scientist Award

After decades of research, scientists continue to uncover the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids - and there are many more discoveries yet to come, according to a nutrition researcher being honored for his lifetime of achievement in this field.

17 Apr 2012

Beds in pediatric intensive care unit could be used more efficiently with improved flow

The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is a precious resource. With limited number of beds and resource-intensive services, it is a key component of patient flow. A new study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine reveals that while a large PICU observed for the study delivered critical care services most of the time, periods of non-critical care services represented a barrier to access for new patients. At times when a bed was needed for a new patient, the PICU had beds being used for patients who could have been in other settings.

16 Apr 2012

Global Fund's restructuring shows organization's viability

This post by writer Cynthia Schweer in Foreign Policy Blogs Network describes the recent restructuring of the Secretariat at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, with a focus on grant management.

16 Apr 2012

HHS report finds nursing homes not prepared for natural disasters

The authors suggest that the federal government mandate better planning. At the same time, many nursing home officials are arguing that as the economy improves, states should increase their funding of Medicaid.

16 Apr 2012

Connecticut Children's Hospital and Specialty Group terminate contracts with Anthem

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) has been in discussions with Connecticut Children's Medical Center (the Hospital) and Connecticut Children's Specialty Group (the Specialty Group) for a year to continue them in our network. We recognize the Hospital and Specialty Group are important to our members and their children.

16 Apr 2012

American Red Cross in operation across the Midwest tornado affected region

The American Red Cross is responding across the Midwest where dozens of tornadoes ripped through communities overnight, destroying buildings and downing power lines. Red Cross workers are already operating shelters and providing meals, and more help is on the way.

16 Apr 2012

New deadline for Medicare EHR bonus appeals

And, in an interview, Medscape explores how medical technology is changing the practice of medicine.

16 Apr 2012

U.S. nominee Jim Kim likely to emerge as World Bank president

"Jim Yong Kim, the U.S. nominee, seems certain to become the next president of the World Bank after developing countries failed in an effort to unite behind a single candidate," the Financial Times reports, noting, "Jose Antonio Ocampo, the former Colombian finance minister, withdrew from contention and endorsed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Nigerian finance minister, after she won wider support among a group of developing countries on Friday."

16 Apr 2012

Healthcare News

Viewpoints: The missing debate on women; The true cost of care; Fair wages for home health aides

Study looks at quality measures provided by nursing homes

Study says Mass. health reform not 'budget buster;' Some struggling cities opt out of state's health law

Health law implementation questions include impact of Medicaid expansion, subsidies for buying insurance

Northwestern's Stone Institute launches new program to combat mental illnesses at first signs

International Microbicides Conference to discuss state of HIV prevention research

AANS commemorates National Neurosurgery Awareness Week in Miami

Paper points out decision-making capacity of patients with dementia

States roundup: Calif. mental health system grapples with controversy, shortage; Texas issues new stem cell rules

More than one third of patients with invasive cancer are undertreated for their pain

MP3 players might increase risk of distraction in drivers

Regenstrief, IU develop Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation System

Australian nutrition researcher to receive Alexander Leaf Distinguished Scientist Award

Beds in pediatric intensive care unit could be used more efficiently with improved flow

Global Fund's restructuring shows organization's viability

HHS report finds nursing homes not prepared for natural disasters

Connecticut Children's Hospital and Specialty Group terminate contracts with Anthem

American Red Cross in operation across the Midwest tornado affected region

New deadline for Medicare EHR bonus appeals

U.S. nominee Jim Kim likely to emerge as World Bank president

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

PhD researcher at LifeArc

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

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