Eye News and Research

Latest Eye News and Research

Disparity in Medicare provider payments in Oregon, data show

Information gleaned from the federal government's Medicare data dump shows that Oregon providers and provider groups were paid $508 million in 2012. However, some providers made more than others. Meanwhile the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that arising from the data, Wisconsin Congressional members want physicians rated on quality of care.

16 Apr 2014

Prestige Brands Holdings signs agreement for acquisition of Hydralyte

Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. today announced the signing of a purchase agreement for the acquisition of Hydralyte in Australia and New Zealand from The Hydration Pharmaceuticals Trust of Victoria, Australia. The acquisition is expected to close, subject to customary closing conditions, during the first quarter of fiscal 2015, which began on April 1, 2014.

15 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: Sebelius withstood attacks, but wasn't 'warrior' for law; Burwell offers GOP chance to focus on law's problems

Kathleen Sebelius was known for her patience and cool under savage attack by Republicans, who treated her as a stand-in for the health law. She sat through hearings calmly reciting talking points while they fumed and fulminated for their audience. But that turned out to be one of her biggest liabilities ... What the health law needed in its first years was a cheerful, populist warrior who could laugh at the truly ridiculous distortions and lies Republicans invented about it, and roar back with the truth. Instead, she came across as a mild technocrat. She never emerged from the defensive crouch she assumed after the law's calamitous debut (David Firestone, 4/11).

15 Apr 2014

Conservatives continue health law attack barrage

Leading Republicans readying for a White House run in 2016 also unofficially kicked off their campaigns in New Hampshire Saturday by hammering the health law.

15 Apr 2014

MRI information can speed onset of effective treatments for concussion patients

Researchers using information provided by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique have identified regional white matter damage in the brains of people who experience chronic dizziness and other symptoms after concussion.

15 Apr 2014

Medicare doctor payment data reveals much about health system

The trove of data has the potential to reveal faults in drug pricing, potential fraud and could help regulators and consumers track medical spending -- but could take years to sort out.

15 Apr 2014

Students competing in Center for Medical Innovation’s Annual Bench-to-Bedside Competition win nearly $72,000

University of Utah students competing in the Center for Medical Innovation's Annual Bench-to-Bedside Competition were awarded nearly $72,000 in prize money on April 9 at the Utah State Capitol.

15 Apr 2014

Highlights: Va. mental health care task force; pharmacist duties in N.C.; nurse practitioners in Conn.

A selection of health policy stories from Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Florida, Iowa and Oregon.

11 Apr 2014

Analysis of Medicare pay shows variations in drugs used and earnings by specialists

The Washington Post examines how drugs administered by doctors is different in various regions of the country. Other outlets look at other issues, including how eye doctors are among the highest paid specialty.

11 Apr 2014

Taking a close-to-home look at the Medicare billing data

Other news outlets offer localized takes on the Medicare data, including the Miami Herald's coverage of a physician who emerged as the federal program's top-paid doctor, the Philadelphia Inquirer's look at an ambulance business' billing patterns and the Seattle Times' examination of ophthalmologists.

11 Apr 2014

Researchers win 2014 Joint Team Science Award to improve care for depression in low-income areas

A team of community leaders and researchers from UCLA and RAND has been awarded the 2014 Joint Team Science Award in recognition of a 10-year effort to conduct community engaged, population-based translational science to improve care for depression in low-income areas.

10 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 10, 2014

Today's headlines include a range of stories taking additional looks at the Medicare physician payment data released yesterday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

10 Apr 2014

CMS releases trove of Medicare physician billing data

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is making this information available for the first time in 35 years. Meanwhile, in their first run at the data, news outlets report that a small number of doctors account for a large share of Medicare costs.

10 Apr 2014

Novel discovery could lead to new therapy to combat obesity, diabetes

By manipulating a biochemical process that underlies cells' energy-burning abilities, investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have made a novel discovery that could lead to a new therapy to combat obesity and diabetes.

10 Apr 2014

Researchers demonstrate advantages of HOPE fixation strategy

They discovered that the so-called HOPE method allows tissue samples to be treated such that they do not only meet the requirements of clinical histology, but can still be characterised later on by modern methods of proteomics, a technique analysing all proteins at once.

9 Apr 2014

Loyola doctor offers precautionary measures against burn injury

With a chilly start to spring many families are breaking out their fire pits or starting bonfires to recover from cabin fever and start enjoying being outside. Though fire pits and campfires are a great way to connect with friends and family they also can be dangerous to adults and kids.

4 Apr 2014

ER physicians discount early signs of strokes among women, minorities, younger people

Analyzing federal health care data, a team of researchers led by a Johns Hopkins specialist concluded that doctors overlook or discount the early signs of potentially disabling strokes in tens of thousands of American each year, a large number of them visitors to emergency rooms complaining of dizziness or headaches.

4 Apr 2014

Doctors overlook early signs of strokes in people each year

4 Apr 2014

Ryan budget plan stirs opposition on both sides of the aisle

The proposal from House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., would cut $5 trillion over the next decade by repealing the Affordable Care Act and making sharp cuts to health care programs for the middle class and the poor. Democrats are incorporating the proposal into their midterm campaign strategy, while some Republicans, angered by the House leadership's handling of the 'doc fix' vote, are also expressing doubts.

4 Apr 2014

Researchers receive President of Ireland Young Researcher Award from Science Foundation Ireland

President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, has today received three recipients of the Science Foundation Ireland, President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (PIYRA) at áras an Uachtaráin.

4 Apr 2014