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Today's OpEds: U.S. and AIDS; Mass. example on health reform?; Unions and health costs

George W. Bush made an impressive commitment to the international fight against AIDS when he formed the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program. … Thanks to these efforts — and similar initiatives ... the number of African patients with access to AIDS drugs jumped tenfold from 2003 to 2008. Since 2004, the AIDS-related mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa has dropped 18 percent. Yet President Obama added only $366 million to the program this year — well below the $1 billion per year he promised to add when he was on the campaign trail (Desmond Tutu, 7/20).

22 Jul 2010

Medicare Star Support Program launched to help Medicare Advantage plans boost star ratings

Health Dialog today announced that it has launched its Medicare Star Support Program to help Medicare Advantage plans boost their Health Plan Quality and Performance ("Star") Ratings and ensure that seniors are getting the best care possible. Star ratings are calculated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and can range from 1 to 5, with 5 representing the highest quality.

21 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 21, 2010

Today's headlines include news regarding specific examples of what could happen at the state level if Congress doesn't extend enhanced federal Medicaid funding.

21 Jul 2010

Jericho Systems selected to provide key components of NHIN

Jericho Systems Corporation, a leader in distributed enterprise identity and access management solutions for evolving SOA environments, is one of only eight civilian companies selected to provide key components of the new Nationwide Health Information Network that facilitates the exchange of clinical data between the Department of Defense, Veterans Administration, and private healthcare providers.

21 Jul 2010

First hospital in U.S. to use portable heart/lung machine

The Methodist Hospital is the first in the U.S. to use a portable heart/lung machine to move critically ill patients easily and safely to different areas of the hospital for medical tests or from outlying hospitals to the medical center for specialized treatment. Recently approved for use in the U.S. by the FDA, the device has been used in Europe since 2008 with excellent results.

21 Jul 2010

Study: Americans with stand-alone vision insurance plans more likely to receive annual eye examination

According to a new study conducted for the National Association of Vision Care Plans by an independent research firm, health care consumers who participate in full service, stand-alone vision insurance plans are two times (33.3 percent) more likely to receive an annual comprehensive eye examination than those consumers that have vision care coverage "bundled" with their major medical plan (16.3 percent).

21 Jul 2010

Clinical research updates on interventional cardiology techniques that affect patient care

TCT 2010 will provide significant clinical research updates to technologies and practices in interventional cardiology that will directly affect patient care.

21 Jul 2010

Study finds sepsis 10 times more common and lethal than heart attacks, blood clots

New research from The Methodist Hospital in Houston shows that sepsis is 10 times more common and more lethal than other more well-known surgical complications including heart attacks and blood clots. These results, published today in the Archives of General Surgery, show a greater need for sepsis awareness and early recognition during and after surgery.

21 Jul 2010

Medivo co-founder to discuss importance of maintaining physician oversight for genetic laboratory tests

Medivo, a provider of virtual healthcare services for individuals and organizations, announces that Dr. Destry Sulkes, physician and co-founder of Medivo, will discuss the value and importance of maintaining physician oversight and support for individuals requesting genetic laboratory tests. Dr. Sulkes will present his views today at the FDA/CDRH Public Meeting on Oversight of LDTs, in Hyattsville, Maryland.

21 Jul 2010

ATLIS 2010 shows gap in patient-physician dialogue that may negatively impact patients' quality of life

Results from the landmark AIDS Treatment for Life International Survey, a multi-country survey of more than 2,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, revealed a significant gap in patient-physician dialogue about critical health-related conditions that may negatively impact patients' overall long-term health, quality of life, and treatment outcomes.

21 Jul 2010

Factory Reimbursement announces update of country-specific medical device Reimbursement Reports

Factory Reimbursement announced a complete update of its popular catalog of country-specific medical device Reimbursement Reports. Additionally, the Reimbursement Reports are now available for two new markets: The Netherlands and Belgium. Formerly known as the Jacoti Reports, the ready-to-download reports offer the most comprehensive information available about today's medical device reimbursement regulations in seven European Union countries.

21 Jul 2010

Community based alcohol control reduces college drinking: Study

While many have implicated heavy student drinking in recent disturbances -- even tragedies -- on college campuses, few schools and communities have united successfully in curbing alcohol access, a new study suggests.

21 Jul 2010

Study examines UK's NICE as model producer of HTA

GfK HealthCare, one the largest providers of fully integrated custom health care marketing research in the world, announced today the undertaking of a first-ever research study aimed at examining the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence as a model producer of Health Technology Appraisals, and its impact on decision making in ex-UK health care systems.

21 Jul 2010

GE Healthcare IT announces Meaningful Use-ready software release for Centricity Enterprise

GE Healthcare IT, a leading provider of healthcare information technology solutions, announced the availability of its Meaningful Use (MU)-ready software release for Centricity Enterprise - the integrated cross-continuum clinical, financial and administrative software solution for hospitals.

21 Jul 2010

WHO, UNAIDS and PSI call for scale up of male circumcision in Eastern, Southern Africa

The U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby and the World Health Organization's Director of HIV, TB, and Malaria, Africa Regional Office, Dr. David Okello, joined PSI (Population Services International) today in calling for greater efforts to rapidly and efficiently scale up male circumcision service delivery in Eastern and Southern Africa.

21 Jul 2010

Sleep Center established for patients with sleep disorders

A good night's sleep is crucial to daily function, but more than 40 million Americans live with an undiagnosed or untreated sleep disorder in the United States. At Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, the sleep-challenged can find help at the Sleep Center, now conveniently located at the Hawthorne Inn to provide patients with the highest quality of care in a comfortable and relaxing environment.

21 Jul 2010

Early HIV treatment can save more children's lives

Efforts worldwide on access to treatment for children with HIV have reached a new milestone, with 355 000 children receiving life-saving HIV treatment at the end of 2009, compared to 276 000 at the end of 2008; but many more lives could be saved if more infants started on medication earlier according to new recommendations from WHO.

21 Jul 2010

Study shows Guided Care physicians are satisfied with patient/family communications

Physicians who provided Guided Care, a primary care enhancement program for patients with multiple chronic conditions, reported higher levels of satisfaction with their patient/family communications and their knowledge of their patients' clinical characteristics, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

21 Jul 2010

Iced tea increases risk of kidney stone formation and surgery

Unfortunately, for health reasons, Mulac has been forced to go cold turkey. All the iced tea he was downing helped to bring on an excruciating bout of kidney stones that eventually led to surgery at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood, Ill.

21 Jul 2010

Company creates cottages for aging, disabled relatives; Report examines rising costs for elderly health care

"On Monday, N2Care, a company formed by a Methodist minister in Salem, Va., showed off its first MedCottage, a 12-by-24-foot prototype filled with biometric technology that would allow a family and health-care providers to monitor the condition of an aging or disabled relative. … [T]he Virginia General Assembly this year passed legislation, HB1307, that supersedes local zoning laws and allows families to install such a dwelling on their property with a doctor's order."

21 Jul 2010

Healthcare News

Today's OpEds: U.S. and AIDS; Mass. example on health reform?; Unions and health costs

Medicare Star Support Program launched to help Medicare Advantage plans boost star ratings

First Edition: July 21, 2010

Jericho Systems selected to provide key components of NHIN

First hospital in U.S. to use portable heart/lung machine

Study: Americans with stand-alone vision insurance plans more likely to receive annual eye examination

Clinical research updates on interventional cardiology techniques that affect patient care

Study finds sepsis 10 times more common and lethal than heart attacks, blood clots

Medivo co-founder to discuss importance of maintaining physician oversight for genetic laboratory tests

ATLIS 2010 shows gap in patient-physician dialogue that may negatively impact patients' quality of life

Factory Reimbursement announces update of country-specific medical device Reimbursement Reports

Community based alcohol control reduces college drinking: Study

Study examines UK's NICE as model producer of HTA

GE Healthcare IT announces Meaningful Use-ready software release for Centricity Enterprise

WHO, UNAIDS and PSI call for scale up of male circumcision in Eastern, Southern Africa

Sleep Center established for patients with sleep disorders

Early HIV treatment can save more children's lives

Study shows Guided Care physicians are satisfied with patient/family communications

Iced tea increases risk of kidney stone formation and surgery

Company creates cottages for aging, disabled relatives; Report examines rising costs for elderly health care

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

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