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ESC Heart Failure meeting offers strong scientific programme

This year the Heart Failure Congress 2011, organised by the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology, offers a strong scientific programme featuring 11 late breaking trials and clinical updates, over 1000 original abstracts, 14 industry sponsored satellites and mini satellites and over 70 separate sessions.

7 May 2011

News outlets offer different takes on nurse supply and demand

Every few years Georgia — and the rest of the country, for that matter — experiences a severe shortage of nurses. Only this time it's different, experts say. This time there are no easy solutions — no way to import nurses from other countries to practice in the state; no way to open up more slots at nursing schools and technical colleges to crank out more registered nurses to help ease the shortage.

7 May 2011

Study analyzes breast-feeding frequency of infants in eight inner-city Philadelphia health centers

"Breastfeeding is a hot topic. We know it is beneficial for most babies and that many are not getting breastfed," said lead study author Jessica Robbins, Ph.D., a public health epidemiologist with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

7 May 2011

Summit Entertainment, Participant Media create depression awareness campaign

Inspired by Participant Media and Summit Entertainment's THE BEAVER, Participant has created a Social public Action Campaign to increase awareness about depression, teaming with three leading non-profit organizations known for effectively providing hope and help to those affected by depression and other forms of mental illness: the National Alliance on Mental Illness, To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) and the Kristin Brooks Hope Center.

7 May 2011

Vermont legislature passes bill to establish single payer health plan

The Vermont House has given final approval to an ambitious plan to move Vermont toward a universal, publicly funded health care system. The next stop for the legislation is the desk of Gov. Peter Shumlin, a strong supporter. The bill would set up a new Green Mountain Care health insurance program under which every Vermont resident would be eligible for coverage.

7 May 2011

Researchers report unexpected finding in Staph aureus study in child care facilities

A new strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria associated with exposure to livestock was recently discovered in one Iowa child care worker who reported no contact with livestock, according to University of Iowa researchers.

7 May 2011

Appellate hearing for two health law challenges scheduled for Tuesday

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit will consider two cases testing the sweeping law that requires people to buy health insurance by 2014 or face a tax penalty.

7 May 2011

Paragon's offerings and solutions to be showcased at EMC World Conference

Paragon Solutions, a business and information technology consulting firm, announced today that it will be showcasing its offerings and solutions at the 2011 EMC World Conference from May 9th to May 12th at the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

7 May 2011

U.N. officials recognize International Day of the Midwife

U.N. officials, recognizing the International Day of the Midwife on Thursday, lauded the efforts of midwives worldwide and "called for greater investment to ensure their life-saving services are available to all who need them around the world," the U.N. News Centre reports.

7 May 2011

U.S. still needs to treat health care delivery as a science, says AHRQ director

Carolyn Clancy, MD, director of the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, says that although the U.S. "leads the way" in science to develop medical methods, the country still needs to treat health care delivery as a science.

7 May 2011

Report: 76% of U.S. hospitals meet performance measures program

More than 76 percent of hospitals participating in the National Hospital Preparedness Program met 90 percent or more of all program measures for all-hazards preparedness in 2009, according to a report released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

7 May 2011

Study finds 4.5 million outpatient visits yearly due to adverse drug effects

Harmful effects of medication bring an estimated 4.5 million patients to doctors' offices and emergency rooms yearly, according to a new study, and people who take multiple medications are particularly vulnerable to unpleasant or dangerous side effects, allergic reactions and toxicity.

7 May 2011

House Energy and Commerce Committee takes on Medicare payment reform issues

During a Thursday hearing, medical societies weighed in on efforts to fix Medicare reimbursement and Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., said a repeal of the current physician payment formula is on the "short list" of things to get done this summer.

7 May 2011

In effort to find common ground on budget talks, GOP Medicare message becomes mixed

With the debt-ceiling looming and other divisive budget issues on the table, some Republican lawmakers appeared to back away from their plan to "voucherize" Medicare.

7 May 2011

Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University partner to enhance health IT workforce

Specialized one- and two-year Indiana University graduate certificate and master's programs designed to increase the number of health information technology specialists in Indiana and nationwide will expand enrollment by 50 percent, thanks in part to Recovery Act funding.

7 May 2011

Abortion bills move to governors in Texas and Florida

House lawmakers have sent the controversial abortion sonogram bill to the governor's desk — after a last-ditch effort by disability rights advocates to change language they called highly offensive.

7 May 2011

African Progress Panel report highlights status of African economies at World Economic Forum on Africa

Africa's economies are expanding, but the continent is still too dependent on the export of raw materials and trade between African nations needs to be increased, the African Progress Panel said in a report released Thursday at the World Economic Forum on Africa, which is taking place this week in Cape Town, the Associated Press/Washington Post reports.

7 May 2011

Virginia communities applaud signing of autism insurance reform into law

This afternoon, the Virginia Autism Project joined families and communities in Virginia in applauding Governor Robert McDonnell in signing House Bill 2467 and Senate Bill 1062, which will become law effective January 1, 2012.

7 May 2011

Study: 73% of Los Angeles children need dental care

In 2007, the death of 12-year-old Deamonte Driver from untreated tooth decay exposed the need for better dental care in Maryland families with limited resources. However, the problem ranges beyond a single state, researchers found when they examined poor, migrant and minority children in Los Angeles.

7 May 2011

Centric Health to acquire LifeMark Health

Centric Health Corporation, Canada's leading diversified healthcare company, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire, amongst other things, all of the common units of LifeMark Health Limited Partnership.

7 May 2011