Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Young adults with depression symptoms may benefit from computerized avatars

Young adults, in a period of transition, are often reluctant to seek treatment for mental health problems because of the stigma, inadequate insurance coverage and difficulty finding a mental health care provider.

12 Feb 2013

Roadblocks continue despite efforts to address causes of hospital readmissions

Hospital readmissions are miserable for patients, and a huge cost -- more than $17 billion a year in avoidable Medicare bills alone -- for a nation struggling with the price of health care. Now, with Medicare fining facilities that don't reduce readmissions enough, the nation is at a crossroads as hospitals begin to take action.

12 Feb 2013

Congressional Republicans focus on Tavenner nomination, doc fix, Medicaid costs

News outlets covered a variety of Medicare and Medicaid news, including prospects for Marilyn Tavenner to be confirmed as head of CMS.

12 Feb 2013

U.S. hospitals continue to make progress in reducing health care-associated infections

Hospitals in the U.S. continue to make progress in the fight against central line-associated bloodstream infections and some surgical site infections, according to a report issued today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Catheter-associated urinary tract infections remained unchanged between 2010 and 2011.

12 Feb 2013

Skilled Healthcare fourth quarter revenue increases 2.4% to $219.2 million

Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc. today announced its consolidated financial operating results for the three and twelve-month period ended December 31, 2012.

12 Feb 2013

Omega reports operating revenues of $95.0 million for fourth quarter 2012

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. today announced its results of operations for the three- and twelve-month period ended December 31, 2012. The Company also reported Funds From Operations ("FFO") available to common stockholders for the three-month period ended December 31, 2012 of $61.4 million or $0.55 per common share.

12 Feb 2013

Maryland Higher Education Commission awards university status to Tai Sophia Institute

Maryland now has an accredited university dedicated to integrative health. Howard County–based Tai Sophia Institute announced today that it has been awarded university status by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and will change its name to Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) effective March 1.

11 Feb 2013

Higher arm reading ‘overestimates true BP’

Using the higher of left and right arm single blood pressure readings taken sequentially leads to an overestimation of patients’ “true” level as determined by ambulatory monitoring, UK researchers warn.

11 Feb 2013

Pelosi again rejects proposal to change Medicare

House Democratic leader, in television interview discussing scheduled budget cuts and the national economy, says she hasn't seen evidence that raising the Medicare eligibility age will save money. Republican Rep. Cantor, on a different Sunday morning program, says the government has to find a way to cut spending.

11 Feb 2013

Majority of Americans not aware of detrimental effects of obesity

A recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research suggests that few Americans realize the many ways obesity can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancer, arthritis, sleep apnea and other less common conditions.

11 Feb 2013

DW Healthcare Partners completes fundraising for third fund

DW Healthcare Partners, a healthcare-focused private equity firm, announced today that it has completed fundraising for its third fund, which has closed with $265 million of committed capital, exceeding its original target of $250 million.

11 Feb 2013

Bishops reject HHS plan for contraception coverage

The Catholic leaders say the compromise doesn't offer enough safeguards for religious institutions, and that they will continue to fight the administration on the mandate.

11 Feb 2013

Bipartisan duo introduces Medicare 'doc fix' bill in House

The effort, by Reps. Schwartz and Heck, would change the system known as the sustainable growth rate for Medicare physician payments.

10 Feb 2013

HHS turns down Miss. Insurance Commissioner's bid for exchange

Commissioner Mike Chaney wanted to set up a state-based marketplace for insurance to open next year as part of the health overhaul, but federal officials said the Mississippi governor's opposition made it impossible for the exchange to function as required by law.

10 Feb 2013

AHRQ, CMS announce new children's EHR format

The benefits of electronic health records (EHRs) may become more widely available to children through an EHR format for children's health care announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

10 Feb 2013

NGOs document thousands of cases of Indian women undergoing unnecessary hysterectomies, C-sections

"Thousands of women in India are being given hysterectomies and caesareans that they do not need by doctors and hospitals that can make substantial sums of money out of the operations," Guardian health editor Sarah Boseley reports in her "Global Health Blog."

10 Feb 2013

Research roundup: 'Shared decision making' can reduce costs, improve care; Effects of mental health parity

With shared decision making, patients and their clinicians collaboratively review the risks and benefits of available treatments options while also considering the patients' preferences and values.

10 Feb 2013

Care Investment Trust enters joint venture with affiliates of Calamar

Care Investment Trust Inc., a real estate investment company that invests in healthcare and seniors-related real estate, today announced that effective as of February 1, 2013, it entered into a joint venture with affiliates of Calamar Enterprises, Inc., owned 75% by affiliates of Care and 25% by affiliates of Calamar, for the acquisition of two senior apartment communities from affiliates of Calamar with an aggregate value of $23.3 million.

10 Feb 2013

First Edition: February 8, 2013

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about Marilyn Tavenner's nomination to run Medicare and the Catholic bishops' rejection of the Obama administration's contraception plan announced last week.

9 Feb 2013

Certain nutrients may play an underlying role in short and long sleep duration

"You are what you eat," the saying goes, but is what you eat playing a role in how much you sleep? Sleep, like nutrition and physical activity, is a critical determinant of health and well-being. With the increasing prevalence of obesity and its consequences, sleep researchers have begun to explore the factors that predispose individuals to weight gain and ultimately obesity.

9 Feb 2013