Healthcare News

RSS

Medical options to help prostate cancer patients make informed treatment decisions

While the dreaded words "You have prostate cancer" often leave patients confused, the impact of the diagnosis can extend to the entire family, especially wives, says a top expert.

10 May 2010

28% of crashes attributed to cell phone talking, texting while driving

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has joined forces with the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) on a public service announcement (PSA) urging drivers to NEVER text while driving. Simply put, texting is a deadly distraction that can cause accidents, severe orthopaedic injuries or even death. Orthopaedic surgeons not only treat, but want to prevent accidental traumas.

10 May 2010

Integrated NextGen platform to be implemented at Aunt Martha's Youth Service Center

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc., and leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, today announced it has executed an agreement with Aunt Martha's Youth Service Center to deploy NextGen® EHR, NextGen® Practice Management and electronic dental records from Quality Systems.

10 May 2010

Groups vie for a piece of health law's $15 billion prevention fund

Kaiser Health News staff writer Julie Appleby reports: "If you had $15 billion to spend on preventing disease in the U.S., where do you think it would do the most good? Fighting obesity? Smoking? Maybe encouraging exercise?

10 May 2010

ASR increases production of new 5-in-1 non contact thermometers

American Scientific Resources, Inc. announced today that the Company has increased production of its new line of affordable, revolutionary 5-in-1 non contact thermometers to allow for various distribution channels to take full advantage of ASR's production capabilities.

10 May 2010

Parents, young adult children eagerly await health insurance expansion

The provision of the new health law that allows young adults to stay on their parents' insurance plan is in the news.

10 May 2010

$Free online fracture-risk calculator$

Free online fracture-risk calculator

FRAX- is a free online fracture-risk calculator (http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/) that has been developed by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases at the University of Sheffield, UK. More and more physicians around the world are using the tool as an aid in making informed treatment decisions in the course of a clinical assessment of their patients.

10 May 2010

Costs and quality of cancer care in the U.S.

A new analysis finds that the costs of treating cancer have nearly doubled over the past two decades and that the shares of these costs that are paid for by private health insurance and Medicaid have increased.

10 May 2010

General internists leaves practice sooner than internal medicine subspecialists, says ACP survey

A survey conducted by the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) found that 9 percent of all internists originally certified between 1990 and 1995, including a significantly larger proportion of general internists (17 percent) than internal medicine subspecialists (4 percent), are no longer working in general internal medicine or one of its subspecialties about a decade after their original certification by ABIM.

10 May 2010

President says health reform already delivering 'real benefits'

The Associated Press: "The new health care law already is helping millions of people through tax breaks for small businesses and assistance for families with young adults, President Barack Obama said Saturday" (Babington, 5/8).

10 May 2010

Urgent care and retail health clinics can reduce treatment costs for allergy sufferers

In this economy, allergy sufferers are looking for relief from more than sneezing, runny noses, and itchy eyes. And, according to a recent study, they can find relief for both their symptoms and their wallets, saving anywhere from $50 to $400 in out-of-pocket costs per visit if they skip the emergency room and head to urgent care and retail health clinics when they are unable to see their primary physician.

10 May 2010

Canada commemorates National Nursing Week

The theme of this year's National Nursing Week - Nursing: You Can't Live Without It! - reflects the value of the profession to the health system and celebrates the largest group of health-care providers in Canada who, each day, make important personal and professional contributions to the health and lives of Canadians.

10 May 2010

AARP and coalition group urge Governor to enact legislation

Legislation that will bring a sweeping reform to the way in which for-profit nursing homes operate in Illinois and that will greatly improve the quality of care and safety for institutionalized residents passed the State Senate today, and is on its way to the Governor's desk.

10 May 2010

New e-health scheme could save thousands of lives and billions of dollars: report

In an analysis just released it is revealed that with an effective health IT system in place Australia would save up to 5,000 deaths and prevent two million GP and outpatient visits and 310,000 hospital admissions. This can also save up to $7.6bn in health costs annually. The savings would include $2.6 bn each year in medication errors, $2.3bn from improved care and prevention. There will be a reduction in unnecessary lab tests by more than 7.3 million, X rays by over 3 million.

9 May 2010

GP practices to get funds to employ full time nurses

There are nearly 40 percent GP practices in Australia who do not employ the services of a trained nurse. Authorities believe that there are 441,000 unnecessary hospital admissions each year only because of inability of patients to manage their chronic diseases due to lack of knowledge, or their inability to get adequate follow up care.

9 May 2010

Texas CHIP program faces budget uncertainties while Arizona Governor restores funds for health care programs for the poor

Seven years ago, state leaders working to close a $9.9 billion budget gap took a hatchet to government health insurance for children of the working poor. Thousands of children paid the price when officials tightened eligibility rules and whacked dental, vision and mental health benefits. Gradually, benefits were restored to the Children's Health Insurance Program and, this month, enrollment reached roughly the same level as in 2003.

7 May 2010

PCMA releases statement on PBM Audit Reform and Transparency Act of 2010

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have pioneered tools - including incentivizing the use of generic medications, e-prescribing, and mail-service pharmacies - that improve savings, access, and safety for consumers and payers. Since the key to access is affordability, payers and policymakers alike should explore broader use of PBMs' cost-savings tools and reject approaches that make prescription drugs more expensive.

7 May 2010

States consider action on health care reform

State leaders around America are considering their options in complying with or challenging the new health law.

7 May 2010

IBM to analyze best way to cut childhood obesity

IBM "will put computer models to work analyzing the reams of available data on the different factors that might affect obesity - things such as consumer behavior, the location of grocery stores, the availability of physical activity facilities and even community transportation options - and see how those factors interact.

7 May 2010

New report: Evaluation of Biomarkers and Surrogate Endpoints in Chronic Disease

Claims about the health benefits of foods and nutritional supplements have proliferated in recent years, most of them based on studies measuring ingredients' effects on biomarkers as substitutes for actual clinical outcomes.

7 May 2010