Healthcare News

RSS

Today's OpEds: Reform battles, state challenges to law loom over elections

In its rush to blunt public opposition to the newly enacted health reform law, the Obama administration is on a collision course with Republicans as the November midterm elections loom. On behalf of his reform agenda, President Barack Obama in recent weeks bypassed the Senate to make a "recess" appointment of a new Medicare and Medicaid administrator, Donald Berwick, while Congress was adjourned for the Independence Day holiday.

7 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 6, 2010

In today's health policy headlines, news reports about the Senate's passage of a state aid package that includes an extension of Medicaid enhanced funding, and the latest report from the Medicare Trustees.

6 Aug 2010

State Department employees face 'stigma' for seeking mental health help

The State Department is attempting to change how it handles mental health services for employees with high-stress jobs, "but there's still a great deal of stigma attached to seeking this kind of help," an internal report says.

6 Aug 2010

Study uncovers leading causes of non-fatal injuries among older adults in China

Falls are the most common injury for both urban and rural elderly in China, responsible for more than two-thirds of all injuries in people 65 and older, according to a new study by researchers from China and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Injury Research and Policy. This is the first study to uncover the leading causes of non-fatal injuries among older adults in China, who make up 9 percent of the total population.

6 Aug 2010

VA commits last of its Recovery Act funds to increase access to health care, services to Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs committed the last of its $1.8 billion in Recovery Act funds July 31, one of the first federal agencies to achieve that milestone. Projects at more than 1,200 sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will increase access to health care and services to Veterans, while creating jobs and stimulating the economy.

6 Aug 2010

Select Medical teams up with Baylor, joint venture to provide quality health care

Baylor Health Care System and Select Medical Corporation announced today a proposed partnership between Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Select that is designed to create a regional rehabilitation network to serve the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. This joint venture is subject to governmental approvals and it is anticipated that the joint venture will be approved and finalized within the normal process for governmental review.

6 Aug 2010

Recession pushes cancer patients to forego treatment

In 2009 and 2010, as the economic collapse shuddered across the globe, oncologists in California noticed a troubling trend: Three patients who had had serious tumors under control for as long as eight years reappeared in the clinic with massive cancer regrowth which, in one case, required emergency surgery.

6 Aug 2010

AAHSA applauds Senate's passage of legislation on increasing Medicaid funding

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging applauds the Senate's passage of legislation to extend the temporary increase in federal Medicaid funding through June 30, 2011.

6 Aug 2010

Ingenix CareTracker practice management, EHR system available to Federally Qualified Health Centers

Ingenix, a leading health information technology and services company, today announced it is making a specially-designed version of its Ingenix CareTracker practice management and electronic health record system available to Federally Qualified Health Centers. Ingenix CareTracker, which provides all of the capabilities physicians need to demonstrate "Meaningful Use," will offer these community health centers a cost-effective, Web-based, practice management and EHR option that will help them improve operational efficiency and patient care, and qualify for incentives offered by the federal government for demonstrating Meaningful Use of health IT.

6 Aug 2010

Nemours applauds Senate for passing bi-partisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

Nemours, an integrated children's health system, congratulates the United States Senate on passing the bi-partisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, prior to the September 30th expiration of the child nutrition legislation. We applaud Senators Lincoln and Chambliss for their leadership in advancing this historic legislation.

6 Aug 2010

Search for meaning in Missouri's rejection of health law provision

Republicans are holding up a Missouri ballot measure, which voters approved with 71% support, to reject a key health overhaul provision as evidence that the public does not like the law, The Washington Post reports.

6 Aug 2010

Lawmaker questions regulators about preventive-care provisions in health law

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) has asked federal regulators to make sure new rules banning cost-sharing for preventive care don't inadvertently preclude employers from rewarding cost-effective care.

6 Aug 2010

Knapp Medical Center improves hospital's clinical performance with QualityConnect's QualityAdvisor program

Knapp Medical Center of Weslaco, Texas, saved $2.8 million in one year using the Premier healthcare alliance's QualityConnect™ performance improvement program.

6 Aug 2010

Death rates of patients who have heart bypass surgery drop: AHRQ

The proportion of patients who died in the hospital after having heart bypass surgery fell from 42 deaths per 1,000 admissions for the procedure to 24 per 1,000 - a rate of 43 percent between 2000 and 2006, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

6 Aug 2010

Research shows variations in care that kidney disease patients receive before starting dialysis

The wealth or poverty of kidney disease patients' communities impacts the quality of care patients receive before starting dialysis, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology. The results suggest that medical professionals need to improve care for patients who have not yet started dialysis.

6 Aug 2010

Need for trained medical professionals to treat medical emergencies in high school athletes

As summer football practice gets into full swing, it's essential to be aware of the risk of exertional heat stroke (EHS) in high school athletes, according to a Safety Alert in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, official research journal of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

6 Aug 2010

GAO: Medicaid managed care contracts need better CMS oversight

The Government Accountability Office released a report Wednesday that says the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services needs better oversight of Medicaid managed care contracts.

6 Aug 2010

CDS introduces new course on brain injury into its curriculum

The College of Direct Support, an internet-based college for Direct Support Professionals and managed in partnership by Elsevier/MC Strategies and the University of Minnesota's Research and Training Center, has introduced its fourth Disability Intensive Course into the CDS Curriculum - "Brain Injury."

6 Aug 2010

Electronic health records improve patient outcomes: FSMB

The Federation of State Medical Boards announced today that it recognizes widespread adoption of electronic health records could be used by doctors to both improve patient outcomes and assess ongoing clinical competence for purposes of medical licensure. The FSMB made the announcement at the "Advancing Electronic Health Records Adoption and Meaningful Use" forum hosted by the Health Industry Forum of Brandeis University and Health Affairs.

6 Aug 2010

HHS Secretary announces $159.1M in grants to health care workforce training programs

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today will announce $159.1 million in grants to health care workforce training programs. These grants build on the multimillion dollar investments made under the Affordable Care Act and Recovery Act to strengthen and grow our primary care workforce. The grants will target three types of programs: Nursing Workforce Development programs; interdisciplinary geriatric education and training programs; and Centers of Excellence programs for underrepresented minority students.

6 Aug 2010

Healthcare News

Today's OpEds: Reform battles, state challenges to law loom over elections

First Edition: August 6, 2010

State Department employees face 'stigma' for seeking mental health help

Study uncovers leading causes of non-fatal injuries among older adults in China

VA commits last of its Recovery Act funds to increase access to health care, services to Veterans

Select Medical teams up with Baylor, joint venture to provide quality health care

Recession pushes cancer patients to forego treatment

AAHSA applauds Senate's passage of legislation on increasing Medicaid funding

Ingenix CareTracker practice management, EHR system available to Federally Qualified Health Centers

Nemours applauds Senate for passing bi-partisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

Search for meaning in Missouri's rejection of health law provision

Lawmaker questions regulators about preventive-care provisions in health law

Knapp Medical Center improves hospital's clinical performance with QualityConnect's QualityAdvisor program

Death rates of patients who have heart bypass surgery drop: AHRQ

Research shows variations in care that kidney disease patients receive before starting dialysis

Need for trained medical professionals to treat medical emergencies in high school athletes

GAO: Medicaid managed care contracts need better CMS oversight

CDS introduces new course on brain injury into its curriculum

Electronic health records improve patient outcomes: FSMB

HHS Secretary announces $159.1M in grants to health care workforce training programs

Fourier 80: bringing benchtop NMR systems to the laboratory

How industrial hygiene flow calibration supports defensible exposure data

How electrical engineering ensures accurate calibration and patient safety

Latest News