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Enhancing quality and safety of care for patients across Europe

This discussion derives from the ongoing debate on the directive proposal for the application of cross-border healthcare patients' rights presented by the European Commission (EC) in July this year.

5 Nov 2008

$Healthy bones program reduces hip fractures by 37 percent$

Healthy bones program reduces hip fractures by 37 percent

Proactive measures can reduce hip fracture rates by an average of 37.2 percent -- and as much as 50 percent -- among those at risk, according to a study conducted by Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

5 Nov 2008

Australian doctors are working less - but there are more of them

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) while the number of medical practitioners rose between 2002 and 2006, the supply of primary care doctors fell.

5 Nov 2008

Survey finds health care in the U.S. must be fundamentally reformed

Leaders in health care and health care policy feel strongly that the way we pay for health care in the U.S. must be fundamentally reformed.

4 Nov 2008

Are Canadian physicians passing the test?

Canada is not keeping pace with countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom in revalidating the competence of its physicians, writes Dr. Wendy Levinson, chair of the University of Toronto's department of medicine.

4 Nov 2008

More family doctors desperately needed in U.S.

The U.S. desperately needs to increase its numbers of family doctors to improve patients' care and reduce their costs, particularly for those most vulnerable in society.

3 Nov 2008

Harvard study looks at quality of hospitals across the United States

The quality of hospitals across the United States is inconsistent. To address this issue, the federal government and private organizations have begun to publicly report data, such as how well hospitals treat certain conditions.

31 Oct 2008

Newspapers examine effect of economic downturn on prospects for candidates' health proposals

The current economic downturn and the recent enactment of a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street firms could have implications for the next president's health care proposal, as well as other plans, the Chicago Tribune reports.

28 Oct 2008

Ontario Hospital Association campaign highlights importance of effective hand hygiene

The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) launched the "Clean Hands Protect Lives" program - a program specifically designed to educate Ontario health care patients about the importance of effective hand hygiene. This campaign is sponsored by Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

23 Oct 2008

Junior doctors in Australia struggling to cope

A new study by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has found close to half of Australia's junior doctors think their heavy workload could compromise patient care.

20 Oct 2008

Cumulative spending on Medicaid benefits projected to reach $4.9 trillion over 10 years

Under current law, spending on Medicaid is expected to substantially outpace the rate of growth in the U.S. economy over the next decade, according to a new annual report released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

19 Oct 2008

Health care questions we want to hear answered tonight

How does a $5000 tax credit help when the average family health care plan now costs more than $12,500/year, and how are working families expected to pay the difference?

15 Oct 2008

New advert questions entrusting health care reform to the same people who created the banking crisis

A new ad appearing in today's New York Times asks if "we will let conservatives do to health care what they did for banking?" The ad is the fifth in a seven-part campaign series sponsored by the Institute for America's Future encouraging Americans to demand a real debate focused on major crises facing the nation.

14 Oct 2008

North Carolina County officials face lawsuit after denying permit to build health clinic expected to serve low-income residents

The North Carolina Tri-County Community Health Council has filed a lawsuit against Johnston County, N.C., alleging discrimination by county commissioners who denied a zoning permit to build a health clinic in a rural community that would serve low-income residents, the Raleigh News & Observer reports.

13 Oct 2008

More Arizona Hispanics uninsured in 2005 than whites, new census analysis finds

In 2005, 34.6% of Hispanics in Arizona were uninsured, compared with 12.7% of whites, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released Thursday, Cronkite News/Arizona Republic reports (Konopken, Cronkite News/Arizona Republic, 10/10).

13 Oct 2008

Voters pick Obama to tackle nation's health care problems

Health care - cost and coverage - has been a hot topic among presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 4 election.

13 Oct 2008

Private health plan spending growth slows in Minnesota, report finds

Spending by private health plans in Minnesota increased by 4.3% from 2006 to 2007, the lowest growth rate since 1997, according to a report released Tuesday by the Minnesota Department of Health, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

5 Oct 2008

Pennsylvania Governor revises health insurance expansion proposal

In a letter to several state Senate Republicans on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) described two alternative funding mechanisms for a scaled-down version of his proposal to expand health coverage to more uninsured state residents, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

5 Oct 2008

Florida regulators try to determine specifics of new law that allows some adults to stay on parents' health policies up to age 30

A Florida state law allowing certain workers to keep dependents on their health insurance policies until age 30 was scheduled to take effect on Wednesday, but some of the specifics of the law still are being discussed, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

5 Oct 2008

Medicare stops paying for 10 reasonably preventable medical errors

Medicare starting Wednesday will no longer pay hospitals for additional care resulting from "reasonably preventable" errors, the New York Times reports.

5 Oct 2008