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First Edition: February 23, 2010

Today's headlines focus on President Obama's revamped health reform proposal, what it includes and how Democrats, Republicans and the insurers are reacting to it.

23 Feb 2010

Connecticut policy makers providing cost effective dental care to children, says report

Connecticut is a national leader in addressing the dental health needs of its children, according to a report released by the Pew Center on the States. The Cost of Delay: State Dental Policies Fail One in Five Children, released with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the DentaQuest Foundation, grades each state's policy responses to the urgent challenges in dental health among America's children.

23 Feb 2010

Prevention of preterm birth and stillbirth: Global collaborative efforts needed

A new report identifies the enormous global impact of preterm birth and stillbirth—and what can be done to decrease it. Globally, an estimated 13 million babies are born preterm each year. Newborn deaths now account for more than 42 percent of mortality in children under the age of five, a rise from 37 percent in the year 2000. Additionally, an estimated 3.2 million are stillborn each year, and many of these losses are linked to maternal deaths.

23 Feb 2010

USPSTF mammography recommendations: Avon Foundation for Women survey confirms states denying coverage

A recent Avon Foundation for Women survey confirms what the American College of Radiology and other experts warned would happen: states are using deeply flawed and widely discredited U.S. Preventative Services Task Force mammography recommendations to deny women coverage for mammograms, and many women are foregoing long proven, life-saving mammography care based on the mistaken USPSTF recommendations.

23 Feb 2010

Senior-services funding needs a higher priority, finds Pennsylvania Poll

In a new statewide poll released by PANPHA, which conducted a head-to-head comparison of the state's most important issues, Pennsylvanians believe senior care services should be one of the top funding priorities, placing it ahead of roads and bridges, environmental programs and the arts.

23 Feb 2010

Healthland's EMR solution product enhancements to be showcased at 2010 HIMSS Conference

Healthland, America's market leader of healthcare information solutions for small community and critical access hospitals, today announced it will exhibit at the 2010 Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibit, March 1- 4, 2010, in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center. At the event, Healthland will conduct product demonstrations including its new Emergency Department Information System and Healthland Analytics, report results from a recent customer survey about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and meaningful use, and announce recent client success stories.

23 Feb 2010

Innovative 3-D interactive anatomy learning tools

Elsevier, the world's leading content provider of science and health information, today announced the availability of the InteractElsevier Series. Powered by CyberAnatomy, an Iowa-based company that creates interactive learning systems for students, the innovative 3-D interactive anatomy series applies advanced gaming technology to reviewing, learning and teaching anatomy. InteractElsevier has two levels of offerings - Web interactive (online) and virtual reality (stereoscopic).

23 Feb 2010

OUTCOME, REACH Call partner to integrate stroke-telemedicine data into Get With The Guidelines–Stroke program

Outcome Sciences, Inc., the leading provider of patient registries, studies, and technologies for evaluating real-world outcomes, and REACH Call, the leading provider of web-based telemedicine services, today announced a partnership to integrate stroke-telemedicine data into the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines®–Stroke program.

23 Feb 2010

HealthPort announces addition of eDelivery to ROI process

HealthPort, a top-25 company in the healthcare information technology industry, today announced that it has added electronic delivery functionality (eDelivery) to its release of information (ROI) process. In compliance with HIPAA mandates under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) HITECH provision, the new eDelivery functionality allows healthcare facilities with HealthPort ROI outsourced or Partner services the ability to quickly and easily fulfill medical record requests for patients who want to receive them electronically.

23 Feb 2010

Northern Michigan Regional Hospital selects Medicity for implementing HIE

Medicity – the standard for health information exchange (HIE) solutions that empower physicians, hospitals and communities to improve care collaboration – today reported that Northern Michigan Regional Hospital has selected Medicity to electronically exchange health information among its hospitals and physicians across the 22 counties it serves. The health system, which was named to the 2009/2010 Most Wired list by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, cites health information exchange (HIE) as a vital initiative toward realizing its strategic plan for patient-centered care and meeting meaningful use requirements.

23 Feb 2010

Dental health needs of children: Louisiana receives failing grade

Louisiana is failing to ensure the dental health needs of its children, according to a report released by the Pew Center on the States. The Cost of Delay: State Dental Policies Fail One in Five Children, released with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the DentaQuest Foundation, grades each state's policy responses to the urgent challenges in dental health among America's children.

23 Feb 2010

Strategies to reduce inappropriate treatment by clinicians

Clinicians may use one of several approaches to deny patient requests for an inappropriate treatment while preserving the physician-patient relationship, according to a report in the February 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

23 Feb 2010

Improving health care quality for children: HHS Secretary announces $100M grant to explore new technologies

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $100 million in federal grant funds to 10 states to improve health care quality and delivery systems for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

23 Feb 2010

Unitrin to sell Reserve National Insurance to Physicians Mutual

Unitrin, Inc. today announced that it has reached an agreement in principle to sell its health insurance subsidiary, Reserve National Insurance Company, to Physicians Mutual®. The transaction is subject to negotiation and execution of a definitive purchase agreement, completion of due diligence and regulatory approval. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2010. Terms of the transaction were not announced.

23 Feb 2010

Multidisciplinary rounds may facilitate implementation of best clinical practices: Study

Multidisciplinary care teams consisting of clinicians, nurses and other health care professionals appear to be associated with a lower risk of death among patients in the intensive care unit, according to a report in the February 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. A second report finds that an increasing number of surgical patients are being managed jointly by a surgeon and another clinician, such as a hospitalist or internal medicine sub-specialist.

23 Feb 2010

National public service campaign to raise mental health awareness in young African American adults

Officials from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Ad Council and the Stay Strong Foundation will unveil a national public service campaign designed to raise awareness of mental health problems among young adults in the African American community. The event is part of Black History Month and it is being held to coincide with the first annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Mental Health Awareness Day. The launch will be telecast to colleges and universities nationwide.

23 Feb 2010

U.S. health insurers need to expand globally for sustaining high rates of growth and profitability

U.S. health insurers must focus on overseas expansion opportunities if they seek continued high rates of growth and profitability, according to a new study by Conning Research & Consulting.

23 Feb 2010

Pelosi calls for passage of comprehensive, affordable health insurance reform

"The President today made available to all Americans the Administration's health insurance reform proposal, which contains positive elements from the House and Senate-passed bills. I look forward to reviewing it with House Members and then joining the President and the Republican leadership at the Blair House meeting on Thursday. This discussion will continue a year-long historic level of transparency and open debate of this crucial reform effort.

23 Feb 2010

Multidisciplinary, team-based approach can reduce mortality rates in ICUs

The severe shortage of specially-trained intensivist physicians has hospital intensive care units (ICUs) nationwide struggling to staff units with critical care teams led by intensivists, even though the presence of these specially trained physicians reduces the risk of death for patients in the ICU.

23 Feb 2010

Cross- province initiatives to address uncertainity of small, rural, northern health care

The Ontario Health Coalition in partnership with dozens of community groups in rural and northern Ontario, are announcing a series of cross- province activities. This group initiative is a direct response to the uncertain future of small, rural and northern health care, as a result of hospital restructuring.

23 Feb 2010

Healthcare News

First Edition: February 23, 2010

Connecticut policy makers providing cost effective dental care to children, says report

Prevention of preterm birth and stillbirth: Global collaborative efforts needed

USPSTF mammography recommendations: Avon Foundation for Women survey confirms states denying coverage

Senior-services funding needs a higher priority, finds Pennsylvania Poll

Healthland's EMR solution product enhancements to be showcased at 2010 HIMSS Conference

Innovative 3-D interactive anatomy learning tools

OUTCOME, REACH Call partner to integrate stroke-telemedicine data into Get With The Guidelines–Stroke program

HealthPort announces addition of eDelivery to ROI process

Northern Michigan Regional Hospital selects Medicity for implementing HIE

Dental health needs of children: Louisiana receives failing grade

Strategies to reduce inappropriate treatment by clinicians

Improving health care quality for children: HHS Secretary announces $100M grant to explore new technologies

Unitrin to sell Reserve National Insurance to Physicians Mutual

Multidisciplinary rounds may facilitate implementation of best clinical practices: Study

National public service campaign to raise mental health awareness in young African American adults

U.S. health insurers need to expand globally for sustaining high rates of growth and profitability

Pelosi calls for passage of comprehensive, affordable health insurance reform

Multidisciplinary, team-based approach can reduce mortality rates in ICUs

Cross- province initiatives to address uncertainity of small, rural, northern health care

Digital pathology and the PathoVerse: A conversation with Dr. Singh

Bioprocess Efficiency with Cell Density Monitoring

Exploring electron microscopy for plant and microbial imaging at the John Innes Centre

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