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Greenwire/New York Times examine water, sanitation in Kenya

Greenwire/New York Times examines how water "binds urban sanitation with energy, tourism, agriculture and other sectors throughout sub-Saharan Africa," with a focus on Kenya's "water woes." Kenya's problems have been compounded by changing weather, population growth, "volatile politics," and cultural taboos around sanitation, the article states.

6 May 2010

Premier healthcare alliance to host series of Healthcare Reform Executive Briefings

To prepare healthcare providers for the strategic implications of reform and the tools needed for future success, the Premier healthcare alliance will host a series of Healthcare Reform Executive Briefings.

6 May 2010

Sermo Category Report: About 30% of patients suffer from depression

Sermo, the world's largest online community for physicians, today announced a Sermo Category Report titled Antidepressant Treatment Behaviors. The report surveyed more than 200 primary care physicians and covers a variety of topics including product choice drivers, treatment paths, referring habits, and overall issues in depression management.

6 May 2010

Opinions: G8's track record; Maternal, child health; Chan on N. Korea; USAID, DDT in Haiti

In a Vancouver Sun opinion piece, columnist Barbara Yaffe writes about the "disappointing track record of delivery on past G8 aid promises" in light of recent concern over Canada's announcement that it will not fund abortion in its G8 initiative.

6 May 2010

Urgent changes needed to ‘prep’ doctors to care for aging America

Leading physician policy experts are calling for changes in medical education policy at multiple levels to ensure that doctors are prepared to treat the country's aging adult population.

6 May 2010

States face Medicaid losses, low-income patients struggle to find lasting health care sources

"Until now, stimulus money spared governors and state lawmakers from making some of the most brutal budget cuts. But with this lifeline running out, officials are looking at making significant cutbacks to public services, particularly schools and health programs.

6 May 2010

Bar-code eMAR combination of technologies reduce transcription, medication administration errors

Using bar-code technology with an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) substantially reduces transcription and medication administration errors, as well as potential drug-related adverse events, says a new study funded by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study is published in the May 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

6 May 2010

Increase in antibiotic resistance found in soil microbes

A team of scientists in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are reporting disturbing evidence that soil microbes have become progressively more resistant to antibiotics over the last 60 years. Surprisingly, this trend continues despite apparent more stringent rules on use of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture, and improved sewage treatment technology that broadly improves water quality in surrounding environments.

6 May 2010

Sebelius: Hotline coming soon

In this Kaiser Health News short take, staff writer Mary Agnes Carey reports: "Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that "within a couple months we will have a very robust call center operation" to answer consumers' questions about the new health overhaul law" (Kaiser Health News).

6 May 2010

New York federal court jury favors Merck in Maley FOSAMAX case

Merck today said a unanimous federal court jury in New York found in its favor in the Maley v. Merck case, rejecting the claims of a plaintiff who blamed her dental and jaw-related problems on her FOSAMAX use.

6 May 2010

Sebelius urges states to investigate Wellpoint math on rate hikes

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said states should investigate if WellPoint Inc. made math errors in how it justified rate hikes this year, The Wall Street Journal reports.

6 May 2010

WWP applauds President Obama for signing new law to care for wounded warriors

Wounded Warrior Project applauds President Obama for signing into law a measure that, for the first time, will ensure that families of veterans severely wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan receive comprehensive, coordinated financial and other support that will enable them to provide these warriors with needed home-care.

6 May 2010

Study: Hospital follow up can curb readmission rate for heart patients

"Hospitals can slow the revolving door that shuttles heart failure patients back into bed within a month of going home by following up promptly to ensure patients get the right outpatient care, a study shows," USA Today reports.

6 May 2010

Experts propose policy solutions to help the U.S. prepare for increasing number of geriatric patients

Leading physician policy experts are calling for changes in medical education policy at multiple levels to ensure that doctors are prepared to treat the country's aging adult population.

6 May 2010

Officials in 25 states probe American Trade Association insurance

The Fiscal Times: "Authorities in over 25 states are investigating [the] insurance company, American Trade Association (ATA), and have uncovered what they believe is a deep well of scams that ensnared an estimated 12,000 people who paid about $14 million in premiums. ATA and its lawyer did not respond to repeated requests from The Fiscal Times for comment.

6 May 2010

New HR Compliance solution simplifies healthcare database

HighRoads, an industry leader in employer health care database and benefits management, today announced the launch of HR Compliance™, a new solution designed to simplify and automate the creation and update of Medical Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs) so that they comply with new health care reform language.

6 May 2010

Early extension of health insurance for some young adults faces legal roadblocks

The Associated Press reports, in a Q & A, that the provision in the health reform law that requires insurers to allow dependents to stay on plans up to the age of 26 is being enacted early by many health insurance companies but not all in the same way. "These voluntary extensions come with a host of qualifications. Whether your child gets one also can depend on your employer."

6 May 2010

Officials investigate if use of surgical robot led to injuries

The Wall Street Journal: Injuries at a small New Hampshire hospital that uses a surgical robot have some questioning the use of such machines in the care of people. The machine, which is named after Leonardo da Vinci, has been linked to surgeries where patients have been hurt, including two with lacerated bladders and one woman who required four subsequent surgeries after errors using the machine.

6 May 2010

GOP's 'repeal health law' strategy may backfire in general election

Politico reports that several goals of Republicans -- including the repeal of the health care law -- "put them at odds with the majority of voters, according to a new survey by Resurgent Republic," a nonprofit polling and research group established by "GOP operative" Ed Gillespie to assist conservatives and Republicans.

6 May 2010

Book excerpt -- Landmark: The Inside Story of America's New Health Care Law and What It Means for Us All

Kaiser Health News looks at sections of a new book, Landmark: The Inside Story of America's New Health Care Law and What It Means for Us All, in which the staff of The Washington Post writes about various provisions of the new health law.

6 May 2010