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Advisory vote begins on California long-term care local union

SEIU healthcare members began casting ballots this week in an advisory vote on two reorganization plans.

19 Nov 2008

Poor understanding of medicare leads to worse healthcare access

A study appearing in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that Medicare beneficiaries' understanding of their healthcare benefits may affect their ability to access needed care effectively and could lead them to the delay or avoid seeking care.

18 Nov 2008

Seniors happy with Medicare drug coverage just the way it is

Ninety-two percent of seniors enrolled in the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit in 2008 are satisfied with their coverage according to a national phone survey by RetireSafe, a nationwide education and advocacy group for older Americans.

18 Nov 2008

Sexuality and nursing home residents

They are also a way to give nursing home residents some privacy for sexual expression, according to Kansas State University aging experts.

18 Nov 2008

Ethnic disparities in treatment of trauma patients

The initial evaluation and management of injured patients from minority ethnic groups nationwide appears to be similar to that of non-Hispanic white patients, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Surgery.

17 Nov 2008

Financial incentives motivates doctors to reduce ethnic differences in heart disease treatments

Financial incentives for doctors can improve the management of coronary heart disease (CHD) and reduce ethnic differences in quality of and access to care, according to Dr. Christopher Millett, Consultant in Public Health at Imperial College Faculty of Medicine in London in the UK, and his colleagues.

17 Nov 2008

Cost of health insurance rises 33% with state pricing rule

New research shows that the cost of health insurance for a typical family increases about $100 per month when state governments limit price adjustments based on factors like age, health or risky behaviors such as smoking.

17 Nov 2008

Doctors' questions about end-of-life legalities may result in patient pain

When treatment options dwindle or are exhausted, terminally ill-patients often opt for pain management and comfort over life-extending therapies. However, a team of researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, University of Rochester Medical Center and Unity Health System, report that a lack of thorough understanding about the laws governing end-of-life care may be leaving many medical providers with an ethical dilemma and causing some terminally-ill patients considerable, unnecessary pain.

13 Nov 2008

Study looks at ways to improve doctors well-being

Short term counselling followed by a modest cut in work hours may help reduce emotional exhaustion (burnout) and sick leave in doctors, according to a study published on bmj.com.

12 Nov 2008

New study highlights potential for cost effective NHS policy

A new University of Leicester study reveals that screening people who are at risk of developing diabetes could be a cost-effective health policy and improve the lives of patients.

11 Nov 2008

One in five U.S. hospital admissions are for patients with mental disorders

According to the latest figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in the United States, one in five hospital admissions are for patients with mental disorders.

11 Nov 2008

New legislation addresses Massachusetts primary care crisis

Massachusetts has taken an important step towards addressing its primary care provider shortage. Recently passed legislation (Chapter 305), championed by Senate President Therese Murray, addresses issues of access, quality and transparency in health care. The recognition of nurse practitioners as primary care providers is vital to this legislation and will immediately and dramatically increase the number of providers available to residents.

10 Nov 2008

One in ten patients harmed in Australian hospitals

Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) plan to tackle underlying problems in Australia's health system which harm in one in ten hospital patients each year.

10 Nov 2008

Initiative by world-recognized specialists in heart disease and diabetes to reduce residual vascular risk

Residual Risk Reduction Initiative (R3i) Calls for Action to Reduce the Lipid-Related Residual Vascular Risk Unaddressed by Current Standards of Care in Millions of Patients With Heart Disease and Diabetes.

10 Nov 2008

Impact of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) Medicare reform explained

The end-stage renal disease (ESRD) Medicare reform measures recently passed by Congress represent the most significant ESRD reforms in decades.

8 Nov 2008

Education, health care expected to be among Obama's priorities

Guthrie is professor of Public Policy and Education; director, Peabody Center for Education Policy; and chair, Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations at Vanderbilt's Peabody College.

8 Nov 2008

Accelerated education alleviates nation's nursing shortage

The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University is among the first institutions in the nation to receive funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program.

7 Nov 2008

More hospitals discharging patients to nursing homes for rehabilitation

The rate of patients discharged from hospitals but who still needed home health care increased 53 percent (from 2 million to 4 million) between 1997 and 2006, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

6 Nov 2008

Nurse practitioners gather in London to discuss new horizons

Nurse practitioners (NPs) from across the province are gathering in London this week to embrace new horizons in their practice at the annual Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO) conference.

6 Nov 2008