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Thorax Institute presents 18-year experience with SynCardia Artificial Heart at Acute Cardiac Care meeting

On Oct. 17, Dr. Jean Christian Roussel from the Thorax Institute at University Hospital of Nantes presented the center's 18-year experience with the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart at the Acute Cardiac Care 2010 medical meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.

20 Nov 2010

Evelyn Y. Davis gifts $100,000 to Swedish Medical Center

Swedish Medical Center announced today that it has received an unrestricted $100,000 gift from nationally known shareholder advocate Evelyn Y. Davis and the Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation. Since establishing her Foundation in 1989, Davis – who is from Washington, D.C. – has now made significant donations across the country to leading medical centers, nationally prominent universities, and various arts organizations.

20 Nov 2010

Tackling physical, mental health of prisoners would improve public health, researchers say

Providing the more than 10 million people incarcerated around the world "with better health care could prevent outbreaks of HIV and tuberculosis from spilling over into the general population experts say," the Associated Press/Washington Post reports.

20 Nov 2010

PIPC's white paper provides guidance in defining CER procedures

The Partnership to Improve Patient Care today released a white paper that defines a Procedural Framework for the Conduct of Comparative Effectiveness Research. The paper and its executive summary provide guidance for policy-makers, patient and providers for establishing CER procedures that foster openness, transparency and patient-centeredness.

20 Nov 2010

One-third of malaria-endemic countries are complying with WHO malaria drug efficacy monitoring standards, report says

Thirty-four percent of malaria-endemic countries are complying with WHO guidelines to monitor artemisinin resistance within their borders, the agency said in a report on Thursday, CBS News reports (11/18). Reuters reports that artemisinin "is the best drug available against malaria, especially when used in artemisinin combination therapy (ACT), which combines it with other drugs that finish off the [malaria] parasite" (Nebehay, 11/18).

20 Nov 2010

Repeal, replace and revise are the new health overhaul buzzwords as congressional power changes hands

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 32 other GOP senators officially filed a brief on Thursday in favor of a court case challenging healthcare reform. McConnell filed a 16-page brief in a federal case based in Florida arguing that a key part of the new healthcare law, the requirement that all individuals have health insurance, was unconstitutional.

20 Nov 2010

Study highlights poor outcomes for patients with ESRD admitted over weekend

Patients with end-stage renal disease who are admitted to the hospital during the weekend are at increased risk of death, according to a study presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 43rd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition.

20 Nov 2010

GE Healthcare Canada wins ITAC 2010 Company of the Year Award

GE Healthcare Canada, a global leader in information technology, has won the Information Technology Association of Canada's (ITAC) 2010 Company of the Year Award. This award recognizes a distinguished for-profit healthcare IT company that has demonstrated excellence in the Canadian health informatics industry over the past twelve months. GE Healthcare won the award as the solutions provider for several major image exchange projects funded by Canada Health Infoway and eHealth Ontario.

20 Nov 2010

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Nevada receives award for Our Health Connects Us campaign

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Nevada, together with its agency, Deutsch LA, received a 2010 CLIO Healthcare Award for its "Our Health Connects Us" campaign. The bronze level award in the Integrated Campaign category was presented on November 12th at a ceremony in New York City.

20 Nov 2010

Health industry players offer insights, expectations about overhaul's impact

Republicans made major gains in the midterm election, running vowing to "repeal and replace" the health law passed with solely Democratic votes earlier this year.

20 Nov 2010

Insurers payments to hospitals vary significantly by region

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jordan Rau reports: Adding another piece to the argument that some hospitals are making huge profits from insurers, a new study finds great differences in hospital rates, with San Francisco the most expensive of eight areas that were examined (Rau, 11/18).

20 Nov 2010

No agreement on health cost containment at bipartisan commission

The Obama administration's bipartisan commission studying efforts to reduce the nation's debt remained at odds after three days of closed door meetings - on how to deal with health care costs.

20 Nov 2010

SuccessEHS Mobile EHR for iPhone helps secure access to critical data

SuccessEHS, a Birmingham-based company specializing in electronic health record (EHR / EMR) and physician practice management software systems, is pleased to announce the launch of Mobile EHR for the iPhone.

20 Nov 2010

States focus on Medicaid budget challenges

Nearly missed in the noise from newly elected politicians vowing to upend the Obama administrations health care reform law was a federal decision allowing California to start implementing it and improve its fiscal situation in the process. On Election Day, California got word it would receive $10 billion in federal Medicaid money to extend coverage to some 500,000 people who are currently uninsured. ...

20 Nov 2010

Senate acts on Medicare doctor pay fix

Although the Senate agreed to postpone for one month cuts in Medicare physician payments, the House must still act, too, in order to delay a scheduled fee reduction that will kick in Dec. 1.This very short-term approach is likely to frustrate the physician community.

20 Nov 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

New This Week In The Kaiser Global Health Policy Tracker: The President's Malaria Initiative announced a new focus country and USAID released a new fact sheet on the agency's reform initiative. Kaiser's Policy Tracker provides a timely single reference point for the latest information on congressional and administration action on global health.

20 Nov 2010

A hospital chiefs tough task in tough times: cut costs, improve quality

Kaiser Health News staff writer Peggy Girshman spoke with Judy Rich, president and CEO of the Tucson Medical Center.

20 Nov 2010

CMS grants Qutenza J-code to NeurogesX

NeurogesX, Inc. a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel pain management therapies, today announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has granted a unique, Level II Health Care Common Procedural Coding System (Level II HCPCS), commonly referred to as a J-code, for Qutenza (capsaicin) 8% patch.

19 Nov 2010

State roundup: California PPOs 'low marks'; Geriatric nursing; Physician shortages

News outlets covered a range of developments including workforce issues in Minnesota and California, and a Kentucky order for insurers to provide child-only policies.

19 Nov 2010