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HHS donates more than $119 million to support health promotion initiatives

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today awarded more than $119 million to states and U.S. territories to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking-the four most important actions for combating chronic diseases and promoting health

6 Feb 2010

Ohio hospitals advertise ER wait times on billboards, internet

Akron General Health System, a hospital system in Ohio, "recently began advertising up-to-the-minute wait times for its emergency rooms on billboards throughout town," the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

6 Feb 2010

Local organizations team up to support Haiti's healthcare system

Injured Haitians desperately in need of medical treatment will soon have advanced technology available to the medical professionals providing their care. Through a partnership of Stamford Hospital, FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA (Fujifilm), and AmeriCares, a portable digital x-ray system is being donated to the Haitian relief effort and will be sent to a hospital where currently x-ray capabilities are simply non-existent.

6 Feb 2010

Health bill stall creates uncertainty for drug makers

"With the possible demise of health care legislation, getting back to business as usual may not be the best thing for the nation's drug makers," The New York Times reports. "After all, in return for the prospect of tens of millions of newly insured customers and a large degree of regulatory certainty, the pharmaceutical industry had agreed to pay a relatively small price: $8 billion a year in discounts and fees.

6 Feb 2010

UCLA Family Commons launches first wellness center in Santa Monica

The first UCLA Family Commons wellness center officially opened its doors yesterday during its grand opening and community open house. Santa Monica residents, city officials and media were all invited to join the festivities as the UCLA Family Commons celebrated its official opening with a ribbon cutting, guest speakers and entertainment.

6 Feb 2010

Obama: 'Take time' on health reform, Democrats haggle on next steps

ABC News: "Summoning the message back that once mobilized his grass-roots campaign, the president spoke tonight in front of the same people - Organizing for America and DNC members - whose poll show some are feeling somewhat discouraged by the first year of the Obama administration. ... The president outlined in broad strokes what he'd like to see happen [on health reform]. 'What I'd like to do is have a meeting where I'm sitting with the Republicans, sitting with the Democrats.

5 Feb 2010

Bipartisan legislation in House, Senate targets violence against women worldwide

Members of the U.S. House and Senate on Thursday introduced the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), a bill that "would make violence against women worldwide a priority of the United States government and an enhanced component of its foreign policy and foreign assistance programmes," Inter Press Service reports (Fromm, 2/4).

5 Feb 2010

IPC acquires hospitalist practice of Arizona Medical Services

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., a leading national hospitalist physician group practice company, announced today that it has acquired the hospitalist practice of Arizona Medical Services, P.C., d.b.a. Old Pueblo Medical Consultants (Old Pueblo) in Tucson, Arizona.

5 Feb 2010

Congressmen, citing reports of fraud, seek accounting for AIDS funding

"Two Republican congressmen who help oversee billions of dollars for people with AIDS are asking the federal government for an accounting of fraud and mismanagement complaints leveled against AIDS programs nationwide," The Washington Post reports.

5 Feb 2010

Anthem Blue Cross of California raises rates as much as 39 percent

Los Angeles Times: "California's largest for-profit health insurer is moving to dramatically raise rates for customers with individual policies, setting off a furor among policyholders and prompting state insurance regulators to investigate.

5 Feb 2010

DOD to investigate mental health care at Camp Lejeune, also will stock morning-after pill

The Associated Press reports that, according to Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., "The Defense Department will investigate complaints of substandard mental health care for Marines at Camp Lejeune. ... Public questions about the quality of mental health care provided by a private contractor at the base were raised last year by the September firing of Dr. Kernan Manion, a brain trauma specialist who had complained to commanders about poor facilities, inadequate care programs and weak security.

5 Feb 2010

Centerphase Solutions and Mayo Clinic collaborate to speed up clinical trials for new medical treatments

Centerphase has entered into a collaboration with Mayo Clinic to speed the introduction of new medical treatments developed by the biopharmaceutical industry. The Company addressed the root causes historically plaguing the clinical trials process: the lack of a systematic, structured approach for evaluating and optimizing protocols and the tremendous burdens associated with trial start-up administration.

5 Feb 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

A Lancet study examines childbirth practices and the relationship between these practices and maternal and perinatal outcomes in nine Asian countries, as assessed by a WHO global survey. Based on the analysis of over 107,000 deliveries, the authors conclude, "To improve maternal and perinatal outcomes, caesarean section should be done only when there is a medical indication" (Lumbiganon et al., 2/6). These findings "should help us to prioritise our strategies to reduce unnecessary interventions in childbirth," write the authors of a Lancet comment.

5 Feb 2010

Radiation oncologists push for safety standards

The New York Times: "The leading professional organization dedicated to radiation oncology has called for enhanced safety measures in administering medical radiation, including the establishment of the nation's first central database for the reporting of errors involving linear accelerators — machines that generate radiation — and CT scanners.

5 Feb 2010

Voila helps restore and set up public safety communication networks in Haiti relief efforts

Haiti telecom operator Voila has been busy since the January 12 earthquake providing local and international service to over a million Haitian customers and thousands of incoming relief workers. However, Voila technicians are also assisting a host of agencies – from the US Coast Guard to international NGOs – to set up or restore public safety communications networks and to launch new text services tailored specifically for disaster relief.

5 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 5, 2010

Today's headlines reflect Democrats' continuing efforts to regroup and advance a legislative strategy that includes health reforms.

5 Feb 2010

P.A.D. Task Force Committee: BioMedix Vascular Solutions invited to participate

BioMedix Vascular Solutions, Inc. announced today that John Romans, CEO and Meg Heim, RN, Vice President of Marketing have been invited to participate as members of the P.A.D. Task Force Committee on behalf of the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, The California Podiatric Medical Association and the California Department of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention (CDPH). The committee will meet today, February 4th, 2010 in the California State Capitol, Governors conference room.

5 Feb 2010

News piece may highlight the importance of cord blood donation among Hispanic and Latino community

CORD:USE Cord Blood Bank and its program at South Miami Hospital are being featured on CNN en Espanol's show "Salud." This story on the importance of cord blood donation aired this week and can be seen Friday, February 5 at 9:30 a.m. EST and Sunday, February 7 at 9 a.m. EST and 3 p.m. EST on CNN en Espanol.

5 Feb 2010

'Doctor Shopping': Data from California's prescription monitoring program

Research presented at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 26th Annual Meeting provides early published data analyzing information gathered from California's prescription monitoring program, known as the Controlled Substances Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES). The analysis found a two-fold increase in the likelihood of individuals receiving opioids from multiple providers or "doctor shopping" when they were also being simultaneously prescribed a single additional class of a controlled substances, such as benzodiazepines or amphetamines.

5 Feb 2010

Budget Request for FY 2011: Veterans laud Administration's proposed funding increases and benefits

The coauthors of The Independent Budget (IB)—AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars who collectively represent millions of veterans—are applauding the Administration's recently released Budget Request for FY 2011. The budget request includes significant funding increases for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits, and for the first time, advance appropriation recommendations for the VA FY 2012 budget.

5 Feb 2010