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Endovascular aortic abdominal aneurysm repair utilization associated with disease prevalence

While health policy researchers commonly suggest that geographic variations in the amount of medical care provided can be attributed to hospital costs or physician practice patterns, a new study examining regional utilization of a specific surgical procedure - minimally invasive aneurysm repair - shows that is not the case.

3 Apr 2010

AAPC's membership continues to grow

The American Academy of Professional Coders announced today its membership reached a record high 90,000. Donna Peters, from Yorba Linda, CA was the 90,000th member and to reward her, the AAPC is giving her a CPC® certification exam free of charge.

3 Apr 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

"Achieving the [Millennium Development Goal] MDG 4 target of reducing newborn and child mortality will require concerted efforts to scale up evidence-based interventions, especially community-based preventive and therapeutic strategies in primary care," according to a Lancet comment that reflects on the challenges associated with developing "the appropriate mix of strategies" to improve maternal health.

3 Apr 2010

Debate and skepticism over the healthcare reforms

A few years back a law that was meant to cover millions of elderly extending their prescription drug coverage backfired with many who could not access their medicines or were charged more all because of computer generated errors. Administration, industry and consumer groups are gearing up to prevent the same thing from happening after the healthcare bill became law last week.

2 Apr 2010

Verizon charges $970 million due to the health care bill

The recent health care reform bill has shown its impact on corporate tax structure this Thursday when Verizon Communications Inc. a phone company announced it will record a related $970 million non-cash charge in the first quarter.

2 Apr 2010

EMA selected to staff RWJ Rahway's Emergency Department

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway (RWJ Rahway), a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Health System, has announced the selection of Emergency Medical Associates (EMA), one of the country's premier emergency physician groups, to staff its Emergency Department. EMA began staffing the Emergency Department on April 1, 2010.

2 Apr 2010

Utilizing "synthetic population" in simulating spread of infectious outbreaks

Did you know that filling out your census card will help computer scientists model how diseases spread in the United States?

2 Apr 2010

Controversial healthcare reform bill evaluated on 106.3FM

ABC7 and NBC5 cameras didn't miss a beat as fathers' rights attorney and guru Jeffery M. Leving and Congressman Danny K. Davis analyzed the historic healthcare bill on 106.3FM Sunday, March 28, 2010. Phones were ringing off the hook during Leving's Fathers' Rights Legal Show as the dynamic duo evaluated the controversial healthcare reform bill answering burning questions on every American's mind.

2 Apr 2010

CCE recognizes Good Samaritan Hospital with CAPE Silver-level Eureka award

Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles was recognized with a California Awards for Performance Excellence (CAPE) Silver-level Eureka award for its performance excellence by the California Council for Excellence (CCE). Good Samaritan Hospital was one of four organizations recognized with the Silver-level Eureka award. CCE also awarded 1 Gold-level Eureka award and 3 Bronze-level Eureka awards. Organizations represent the business, education, non-profit, health care and military sectors. In addition 25 businesses received the lower-level Prospector award.

2 Apr 2010

Elsevier adds extensive FDA Advisory Committee content to new PharmaPendium

PharmaPendium, Elsevier announces a new release that adds extensive FDA Advisory Committee content to the online resource for authoritative preclinical, clinical and post-market drug information. These documents provide preclinical and clinical drug development and regulatory affairs departments with a substantial collection of comparative scientific and regulatory data that may not be included in final FDA Approval Package documents.

2 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 2, 2010

Today's headlines highlight President Obama's speech yesterday in Maine, during which he continued stumping for the new health reform law and urged patience as the measure kicks in.

2 Apr 2010

PIH to acquire DRMC, signs non-binding letter of intent

Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital (PIH) and Downey Regional Medical Center (DRMC) today announced they had each signed a non-binding letter of intent with plans to execute a definitive agreement calling for PIH's acquisition of DRMC. This will bring together two not-for-profit hospitals both with long standing histories of being dedicated to providing quality care to the communities they serve. The nonbinding letter of intent would allow for the continuation of a nonprofit hospital serving the greater Downey community.

2 Apr 2010

No doughnut hole in global mail-order pharmacy

Thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010, Medicare enrollees who enter the dreaded "doughnut hole" -- the Medicare Part D coverage gap that has made seniors responsible for all their drug costs between $2,830 and $6,440 -- will save $250 in 2010. But Betterthanmedicare.com is already saving seniors thousands of dollars, because the global mail-order pharmacy has no doughnut hole.

2 Apr 2010

Findings support value of advance directives, living wills and other means of making end-of-life treatment preferences known

One in four elderly Americans require someone else to make decisions about their medical care at the end of their lives, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Apr 2010

Pfizer shares details of financial relationships with U.S. healthcare professionals and researchers

Pfizer Inc. today released detailed information about how and why the company works with a range of healthcare professionals and researchers to advance patient care and develop lifesaving medicines. The information reflects payments or exchanges of value received by licensed U.S. healthcare professionals who consulted with Pfizer about the development and marketing of new medicines and helped to educate other healthcare professionals about the safe and appropriate use of its products.

2 Apr 2010

Larger taxes on soft drinks may help reduce consumption among children

Small sales taxes on soft drinks in the range currently in force in some states are insufficient to reduce consumption of soda or curb obesity among children, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

2 Apr 2010

American Career College offers new training program in health IT

American Career College President Al Nederhood today announced that it will offer an Associate of Occupational Science Degree in Health Information Technology at its Anaheim campus beginning May 2010.

2 Apr 2010

MinuteClinic launches health condition monitoring services for diabetes, asthma and high cholesterol patients

MinuteClinic, the largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has introduced a series of convenient health condition monitoring services to help patients previously diagnosed with diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure overcome the challenges of living with their conditions. Health condition monitoring is available at MinuteClinic locations in CVS/pharmacy stores in 20 states and the District of Columbia. MinuteClinic is the retail health care division of CVS Caremark (CVS).

2 Apr 2010

Passage of health reform bill promotes clinical and community prevention plans

The passage of HR 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, introduces important funding and provisions that could transform the nation's illness-oriented, reactive medical care model to a more proactive, wellness-oriented approach.

2 Apr 2010

Substantial number of older Americans need others to make decisions about end of life care

More than one in four elderly Americans lacked the capacity to make their own medical care decisions at the end of life, according to a study of 3,746 people to be published April 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Apr 2010