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Religion and spirituality: Barrier and bridge to medical care

Pediatricians and pediatric oncologists express differing views on religion and spirituality, largely based on the types of patients they treat, according to a survey that will appear in the current edition of the journal Social Problems.

12 Nov 2009

NMO patients are misdiagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, says Mayo Clinic neurologist

Thousands of Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) patients are potentially being misdiagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), according to Mayo Clinic Neurologist Sean Pittock, M.D., largely due to lack of awareness of NMO within the medical community.

12 Nov 2009

USTeleradiology achieves Joint Commission accreditation for second time

USTeleradiology, LLC's reaccreditation survey by The Joint Commission was completed on September 10, 2009 with USTeleradiology achieving Joint Commission accreditation - the gold standard within the health care field - for the second time.

12 Nov 2009

IMS Health to launch comprehensive analytical tool for oncology market

IMS Health, the world’s leading provider of market intelligence to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, today announced the upcoming launch of IMS Oncology QuantifierTM, a comprehensive, clinically rich analytical tool that enables the company’s clients to assess treatment opportunities and guide commercial decisions in the $48 billion global oncology market.

12 Nov 2009

UMass Memorial Health Care renews its supply chain relationship with Broadlane

Broadlane, the leading cost-management company for healthcare providers, announced today that UMass Memorial Health Care, the largest healthcare system in Central and Western Massachusetts, has renewed its supply chain relationship with Broadlane for another three years.

12 Nov 2009

New research center established to improve cardiac safety

The University of Rochester Medical Center has announced the creation of a new center that will assist researchers studying the electrical activity of the heart with the goal of improving drug safety, understanding cardiac arrhythmias, and developing new electrocardiograph technologies.

12 Nov 2009

New strategies required to curb health care spending: Study

Slowing the growth in U.S. health care spending will most likely require adoption of an array of strategies as well as an improved approach to moving promising strategies into widespread use, according to a new analysis by the RAND Corporation.

12 Nov 2009

U.S. News & World Report rates HealthPlus' plans as one of the nation's best for the fifth year in a row

For the fifth year in a row, HealthPlus of Michigan's commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans are recognized by U.S. News & World Report/NCQA as among the nation's best.

12 Nov 2009

Video to improve patient-doctor communication

Amid growing concerns about racial, ethnic and language disparities in health care, The Joint Commission and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights have released a video, entitled “Improving Patient-Provider Communication,” which supports language access in health care organizations.

12 Nov 2009

Issue of uninsured Americans takes center stage this weekend in New Orleans

The issue of uninsured Americans takes center stage this weekend in New Orleans as the Morial Convention Center, which served as a temporary medical clinic in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, will become the nation's largest physicians' office for a day with free health care for uninsured Louisiana residents. Up to 2,000 patients are expected to be treated by several hundred physicians and other volunteers at the C.A.R.E. (Communities Are Responding Everyday) Clinic.

12 Nov 2009

Hualapai Mountain Medical Center receives licensure by the Arizona Department of Health Services

MedCath Corporation, a healthcare provider focused on high acuity healthcare services, today announced it has received licensure by the Arizona Department of Health Services and accreditation by The Joint Commission for its new 70-bed Hualapai Mountain Medical Center in Kingman, Ariz, which opened October 15th.

12 Nov 2009

South Florida man inspires "Ian's Law," fights against discriminatory health insurance practices

McClatchy/The Miami Herald reports on Ian Pearl, a South Florida man born with muscular dystrophy who is drawing attention to discriminatory health insurance practices against the disabled. Pearl is the "inspiration for 'Ian's Law,' legislation being introduced by two New York state legislators that would require insurance companies to get approval from the state before dropping coverage plans for existing clients."

12 Nov 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

"Traditional" infectious diseases — those, like flu and tuberculosis, that are caused by viruses or bacteria — are not the only aspects of health that can spread from one person to another. Taking up smoking is contagious; so is quitting. Obesity is contagious. So is happiness (Olivia Judson, 11/10).

12 Nov 2009

Psychiatrist delivers high-risk meds, poor care in Chicago nursing homes

ProPublica/The Chicago Tribune examine the case of a controversial psychiatrist who delivered an anti-psychotic medication to thousands of Medicaid patients in Chicago's nursing homes. "Dr. Michael Reinstein is one of the most prolific providers of psychiatric care in Chicago-area nursing homes and mental health facilities. But he is trailed by lawsuits and complaints while getting government reimbursement for seeing a large number of patients."

12 Nov 2009

Lawmakers call for emergency sick-leave requirement

Lawmakers are calling for new legislation that would require businesses to provide paid emergency sick-leave because of the swine flu pandemic.

12 Nov 2009

Health care legislation not fair to Hispanic small businesses and families

A number of Hispanic organizations have united to address major problems with the health care legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and urge the Senate to come up with a bipartisan solution for real healthcare reform. They are especially concerned the health care legislation will create a greater tax burden and unfair government mandates on Hispanic small businesses and families. During this critical health care debate, these organizations want their voices to be heard and believe that the current approach will lead to loss of jobs and reduced wages for Hispanic workers.

12 Nov 2009

Tentative agreement reached with Oklahoma lawmaker stalling veterans' health bill

Congressional Quarterly: "Senate Democratic leaders reached a tentative agreement with Tom Coburn, R-Okla., on Tuesday night that averted the necessity of filing cloture on a veterans' health care omnibus measure and could lead to passage of the bill early next week. ... On Monday, Coburn said he objected to the bill because its five-year, $3.7 billion cost was not offset" (Oliveri, 11/10).

12 Nov 2009

Health reform has fiscal, political burdens for states

"Bills in both the Senate and the House of Representatives would make more people eligible for Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor that states administer with reimbursements from the federal government," Reuters reports.

12 Nov 2009

AARP urges U.S. Senate to pass H.R. 3962 and H.R. 3961

The U.S. House of Representatives' historic vote on health care reform was a decisive step to fix our broken health care system - but for millions of Americans struggling with soaring health care costs the Senate must take the next step, and pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) and the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act (H.R. 3961). Over 3 million Illinoisans stand to particularly benefit from key provisions in the bill.

12 Nov 2009

Hoyer: House could be in session until late December

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) today said "he is prepared to extend the House healthcare schedule into late December in order to pass healthcare reform," The Hill reports. "Two weeks ago, Hoyer said that the House could work as late as Nov. 24 in order to pass healthcare reform. Now he says that the House could be in session as late as Dec. 22 to vote on a final bill should it emerge from conference" (Fabian, 11/11)

11 Nov 2009