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CVS calls on FDA to suspend use of contaminated rotavirus vaccines

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) convened a panel of experts to review recent findings that rotavirus vaccines given to infants in the U.S., Rotateq, produced by Merck Pharmaceuticals and Rotarix produced by GlaxoSmithKline, are contaminated with DNA from pig viruses PCV1 and PCV2. On March 22nd the FDA Commissioner asked doctors to suspend use of the Rotarix vaccine due to the contamination. Upon additional testing, Rotateq was also found to be contaminated.

10 May 2010

Companies get help to insure early retirees

Reporting for Kaiser Health News and USA Today, KHN staff writer Christopher Weaver reports: "The White House unveiled details last week of a $5 billion program to provide financial relief to companies that offer health coverage to early retirees.

10 May 2010

CHRISTUS Health selects Wolters Kluwer Health's ProVation Order Sets electronic solution

Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information for healthcare professionals and students, announced today that CHRISTUS Health has selected ProVation® Order Sets, powered by UpToDate® Decision Support, as its electronic order set solution. In addition to automating development and maintenance, ProVation Order Sets will provide clinicians at 24 CHRISTUS facilities with point-of-care access to order sets and other intuitive clinical decision support tools.

10 May 2010

Companies await health IT windfall

The Washington Post: A Virginia firm, Vangent, is positioning "itself for a surge of federal spending on health information technology" by setting up a health IT strategy group. "Vangent is likely to face stiff competition for those dollars, but company officials say they expect the firm's reputation as a health-related services provider to serve it well as it bids on contracts." The firm is also involved in civil, defense and national security work, but health services are its largest business.

10 May 2010

ACM receives Health Utilization Management Accreditation from URAC

Akeso Care Management®, Inc. (ACM®) announced today that it has been awarded Health Utilization Management Accreditation by URAC, a leading health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry. ACM provides medical management services to domestic and international insurance carriers, self-insured employers and third party administrators.

10 May 2010

Nearly half of IT security professionals believe personal healthcare information is less secure than before

Forty-seven percent of IT security professionals believe their personal healthcare information is less secure than it was 12 months ago according to a recent survey by nCircle, the leading provider of automated IT security and compliance auditing solutions.

10 May 2010

CFMG to adopt eClinicalWorks EMR system

eClinicalWorks®, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, today announced that California Forensic Medical Group (CFMG), which provides health care to correctional facilities in 25 counties in the state, has selected eClinicalWorks electronic medical records (EMR) system. Using eClinicalWorks will allow the group to streamline operations and improve the quality of care provided through reporting capabilities and the ability to share data across the counties. This will help in the continuity of care for inmates.

10 May 2010

Healing Arts Cooperative Medical Marijuana to open new location in San Diego

International Merchant Advisors, Inc. announced today that the company's client, Healing Arts Cooperative Medical Marijuana is opening a new location in San Diego. IMAI has previously signed a management agreement to operate all of the Healing Arts Cooperative Medical Marijuana dispensaries and to operate the cooperative as the manager of the facility on behalf of its non profit owners. Healing Arts is a cash flow generating non profit, fulfilling the needs of medical marijuana patients in California and planning further expansion in the state.

10 May 2010

First Edition: May 10, 2010

Today's health policy headlines include the feature coverage of aspects of health reform implementation, including how "gradfathering" will be defined in regulations and the latest details on the early retiree reinsurance program.

10 May 2010

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