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SJMHS and IHA announce strategic merger to develop new integrated health network

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) and IHA, the region's leading physician group practice, both of Ann Arbor, Mich., today announced a strategic merger with the goal of developing a new integrated health network. The merger is expected to be effective on or before December 31, at which time IHA will be a member of SJMHS and will initially serve as the integrated physician enterprise for these St. Joseph Mercy Hospital markets: Washtenaw, Livingston and portions of western Wayne and south western Oakland counties.

6 Oct 2010

Bernanke: Aging, health costs challenge U.S. future

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke issued a new warning Monday about aging and health care costs.

6 Oct 2010

USP announces revision schedule for Model Guidelines Version 5.0

As the Medicare Model Guidelines-a listing of therapeutic categories and pharmacologic classes that Medicare Part D plans can utilize when developing their formularies-undergo revision for the first time in three years, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is announcing its revision schedule and the expanded opportunities for public input as it develops Version 5.0.

6 Oct 2010

Accountable Care Organizations trigger legal worries from health care providers and insurers

Kaiser Health News staff writers Jenny Gold and Phil Galewitz report: "Doctors and hospitals eager to pursue a new model of health care being promoted by the Obama administration are raising concerns that they could run afoul of antitrust and anti-fraud laws, while insurers are warning that the new arrangements could lead to higher prices for medical care" (Gold and Galewitz, 10/5).

6 Oct 2010

Sebelius: Medicare Advantage cuts won't hurt plans

Will the health law curb private Medicare insurance plans, known as Medicare Advantage, or won't it? Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told reporters Monday that it won't, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. "Ms. Sebelius said the decision by a large Massachusetts insurer to leave the Medicare Advantage market is not a harbinger of the program's decline.

6 Oct 2010

Today's OpEds: ACOs, Health care honesty and the sanctity of health insurance

This year, some workers might see a new acronym in the alphabet soup of HMOs and PPOs. This one is called ACO, and it might be just the thing our health care system needs (Dr. Paul Grundy, 10/5).

6 Oct 2010

Administaff extends arrangement for medical and dental coverage with UnitedHealthcare

Administaff, Inc., a leading provider of human resources services for small and medium-sized businesses, today announced that it has extended its arrangement for medical and dental coverage with UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group company. This new, three-year arrangement reflects the company's success in moderating the rate of health care cost increases on behalf of its covered worksite employees, as well as a further strengthening of its business relationship with UnitedHealthcare.

5 Oct 2010

CCHIT certifies Allscripts Professional EHR Version 9.2

Allscripts announced today that Allscripts Professional™ EHR, Version 9.2 is 2011/2012 compliant and was certified as a Complete EHR on Sept. 30, 2010 by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), an Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB), in accordance with the applicable eligible provider certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

5 Oct 2010

NSSHB study provides update on contemporary Americans' sexual behaviors

Findings from the largest nationally representative study of sexual and sexual-health behaviors ever fielded, conducted by Indiana University sexual health researchers, provides an updated and much needed snapshot of contemporary Americans' sexual behaviors, including a description of more than 40 combinations of sexual acts that people perform during sexual events, patterns of condom use by adolescents and adults, and the percentage of Americans participating in same-sex encounters.

5 Oct 2010

TMNG Global and Scientia Advisors partner to offer strategic consulting services for home health sector

TMNG Global a leading provider of professional services to the global communications, digital media, technology, and financial services industries, and Scientia Advisors, a global management consulting firm specializing in healthcare, life science, nutrition and biotechnology, today announced a partnership to offer strategic consulting services for the emerging home health sector.

5 Oct 2010

Interactive gaming devices cause injuries

Interactive gaming devices can cause a broad range of injuries, from abrasions and sprains to shoulder, ankle and foot injuries, according to research presented Monday, Oct. 4, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.

5 Oct 2010

HighPoint Solutions launches ICD-10 Appliance for healthcare systems

HighPoint Solutions announced today the launch of its ICD-10 Appliance, a master data solution that helps hospitals, healthcare systems, and payers with ICD-10 compliance. The ICD-10 Appliance employs master data management principles and tools to create a central business management layer with ICD-9/ICD-10 mappings, translations, and business rules that can be utilized by all applications.

5 Oct 2010

Galapagos honored with 2010 EUROPEAN BIOTECHNICA AWARD

The Belgian biotech company Galapagos has won the 2010 EUROPEAN BIOTECHNICA AWARD. Galapagos thus secures the lion's share of the prize money totalling 75,000 euros, which is offered every year in the competition staged by Deutsche Messe AG and its partners. The award celebrates innovative European companies from the biotechnology sector and the life sciences.

5 Oct 2010

Dr. Bessler joins Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

One of the world's leading experts in bone marrow failure and related blood disorders recently joined The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Hematology researcher Monica Bessler, M.D., Ph.D., arrived at the hospital this summer to establish a new program, the Pediatric and Adult Comprehensive Bone Marrow Failure Center.

5 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 5, 2010

Today's headlines include reports on the midterm elections and recent polls as well as the latest developments related to Medicaid expansion.

5 Oct 2010

Data shows Take Care Clinics’ quality of care exceeds national benchmarks

Take Care Health Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens and the nation's largest and most comprehensive manager of convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers, today announced that an analysis of de-identified data collected through the company's electronic medical record (EMR) system by the Jefferson School of Population Health showed that the quality of care delivered in Take Care Clinics for treatment of pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat) and upper respiratory infections (URI) meets or exceeds the quality of the care delivered in other settings.

5 Oct 2010

EU called upon to tackle problem of chronic non-communicable diseases

Members of the European Parliament are calling on the Presidency of the EU and Member States to tackle urgently the problem of chronic non-communicable diseases that are responsible for 86% of all deaths in the WHO European Region. Their call is supported by an alliance of European health professionals, including ECCO - the European CanCer Organisation - and ESMO - the European Society for Medical Oncology.

5 Oct 2010

AACR to host special conference on colorectal cancer

This October, the American Association for Cancer Research will host the special conference Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Hundreds of scientists, physicians and allied health professionals will gather and discuss new data on new screening methods and emerging therapies.

5 Oct 2010

GPs less successful in identifying depression in older people

Depression in the elderly is frequently unrecognized by physicians. This study attempts to understand why. Studies that examined the unassisted (clinical) ability of general practitioners (GPs; primary care physicians) to identify depression were divided into those of older adults, younger adults and mixed populations.

5 Oct 2010

International experts to discuss effect of diet on children's mental and behavioral development

Can diet affect our children's long-term mental and behavioural development. This question will be addressed by a number of international leading experts on child nutrition next 6th of October in York, at a public event organized within the 7th Framework Programme Nutrimenthe, entitled "Effect of diet on the mental performance of children".

5 Oct 2010