Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Study finds lower mortality at hospitals that treat high volume of SAH cases

For patients with a severe type of stroke called subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), treatment at a hospital that treats a high volume of SAH cases is associated with a lower risk of death, reports a study in the November issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

25 Oct 2014

Safety and protocol measures for humanitarian volunteers in the Ebola epidemic

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness Journal has released a novel, informative article that speaks to volunteers within the Ebola epidemic. The article, contributed by a consortium of Boston-based hospitals, is entitled Sign Me Up: Rules of the Road for Humanitarian Volunteers during the Ebola Outbreak.

25 Oct 2014

High risk for congenital heart defects in Down syndrome provides tool to identify changes in genes

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality in humans, involving a third copy of all or part of chromosome 21. In addition to intellectual disability, individuals with Down syndrome have a high risk of congenital heart defects. However, not all people with Down syndrome have them – about half have structurally normal hearts.

25 Oct 2014

Enhanced dental care reduces respiratory tract infection risk in ICU patients

New research shows vulnerable patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) who received enhanced oral care from a dentist were at significantly less risk for developing a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), like ventilator-associated pneumonia, during their stay.

25 Oct 2014

US hospitals lack infection prevention staff, resources to fight Ebola

Only 6 percent of U.S. hospitals are well-prepared to receive a patient with the Ebola virus, according to a survey of infection prevention experts at U.S. hospitals conducted October 10-15 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

24 Oct 2014

State highlights: Health care takes center stage in debates in Maine, Arizona, Missouri

The three candidates for governor clashed Tuesday in their final debate, highlighting their differences on a wide range of issues, including health care and welfare. Partisan sparks flew early and often between Republican Gov. Paul LePage and Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, who are running in a dead heat in the race, far ahead of independent Eliot Cutler, two weeks before Maine residents go to the polls (10/21).

24 Oct 2014

Longer looks: Obamacare in the midterm campaign; watching Ebola mutate; lessons on dying

According to Kantar Media, a firm that tracks political advertising, health care is the main subject of campaign ads, especially Republican ones. Obamacare is unpopular - over half of Americans disapprove of it. Republicans talk about it constantly on the campaign trail, though not as intemperately as they did during their own party's primaries. Democrats scarcely mention it (10/18).

24 Oct 2014

Aseptika selected for Discovery Start-Ups 2014 award

Aseptika Limited was selected as one of five winners out of the eighteen strong field of UK start-up companies pitching for the winning prizes at the Discovery Start-Ups 2014 event held on Wednesday, 22nd October at Deloitte’s in London.

24 Oct 2014

Report: Wide variation in state exchange plans' covered benefits

University of Pennsylvania researchers find that the variations are significant. Other news about the online health marketplaces that open next month include Oregon's decision to ditch the old system for Medicaid enrollment, a review of navigators' roles in Georgia, and Maryland officials' assurances that their system will be ready.

24 Oct 2014

The PROBEAT-RT Proton Beam Therapy System incorporating real-time tumor-tracking is approved in Japan

Hokkaido University and Hitachi, Ltd. have announced that the approval under Japan’s Pharmaceutical Affairs Law has been granted to Hitachi for the manufacture and sales of the PROBEAT-RT, a proton beam therapy treatment system combining spot scanning irradiation and Real-time Tumor-tracking Radiation Therapy.

23 Oct 2014

Global hospital sector investing in new equipment to drive efficiency gains & profitability, GE Capital research finds

Hospitals across the globe are becoming increasingly confident about their growth prospects for the year ahead despite rising costs and ongoing economic uncertainty, according to GE Capital’s inaugural Hospital Sentiment Research – a report based on interviews with more than 380 senior hospital executives with responsibility for budget decisions over eight international markets.

23 Oct 2014

Aseptika launches Contactless Thermometer and Pulse Oximeter

With the winter flu and cold season almost upon us we can stock up and take some steps to prepare at home for this eventuality. Having a flu jab, eating well, getting lots of exercise and sleep, and maintain good personal hygiene all help in preventing flu and colds.

23 Oct 2014

Lucideon to run Biodensol together with the University of Lyon

Lucideon is pleased to announce that, together with the University of Lyon, it has been successful in its application to run ‘Biodensol’, a 7th framework European project to provide a network for initial training in the field of dentistry.

From Lucideon 23 Oct 2014

Hospitals' purchase of doctors' practices boosts costs, study finds

Hospital ownership of physician groups increased patient care costs by as much as 20 percent, according to the UC Berkeley study. Meanwhile, another study by Harvard researchers finds that switching to for-profit status may boost hospitals' financial health but has no effect on quality of care.

23 Oct 2014

Employers devise strategies to avoid Obamacare fines

With large companies facing potential fines next year for not offering health insurance, some are looking at approaches such as enrolling employees in Medicaid, reports The Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, the federal government posts a notice Tuesday saying that it will continue to fund an optional health insurance program for the working poor in 2016.

23 Oct 2014

SAHF report highlights method to address misunderstanding of diabetes in the South Asian community

A new report published today, by the South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF) highlights that misunderstanding of diabetes in the South Asian community can be addressed by culturally appropriate education programmes.

22 Oct 2014

Study identifies new signaling pathway that leads to inflammatory bone erosion in RA patients

A new study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery identifies a new signaling pathway that contributes to the development and progression of inflammatory bone erosion, which occurs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects millions of adults worldwide.

22 Oct 2014

Medicaid expansion, health exchanges dominate gubernatorial debates

In Georgia, where a runoff is considered likely, Gov. Nathan Deal went on the offensive and criticized a third-party candidate's support for expanding Medicaid. In Maryland, Republican candidate Larry Hogan slammed Democratic Lt. Governor Anthony Brown for his role in the state's troubled health exchange launch.

22 Oct 2014

Einstein, Montefiore receive grant to establish home health services for people with IDD

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center in collaboration with Developmental Disabilities Health Alliance of New York and Community Resource Center for the Developmentally Disabled, Inc., have received a $2.4 million grant to integrate medical and mental healthcare for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

22 Oct 2014

Innovative treatment option for children with plastic bronchitis

A case study published recently in the journal Pediatrics describes an innovative, minimally invasive procedure that treated plastic bronchitis, a potentially life-threatening disease, in a six-year-old boy with a heart condition. Using new lymphatic imaging tools and catheterization techniques, physician-researchers eliminated bronchial casts, which are an accumulation of lymphatic material that clogged the child's airway.

22 Oct 2014