Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Centralized network may reduce inappropriate filled prescriptions

Implementing a centralized network that links province-wide pharmacy and hospital data could reduce the number of inappropriate filled prescriptions, show Canadian study results.

7 Sep 2012

Children and young patients with chronic HBV infection do have a protective immune response

Scientists from A*STAR's Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), together with clinical collaborators from London , discovered for the first time that children and young patients with chronic Hepatitis B Virus infection (HBV carriers) do have a protective immune response, contrary to current belief, and hence can be more suitable treatment candidates than previously considered.

7 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 7, 2012

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, Sarah Varney reports on California Gov. Jerry Brown, his absence from the Democratic convention and efforts to implement the health law: "California's Jerry Brown, the governor of the most populous state in the union, a state that has aggressively pushed ahead with the Affordable Care Act even when it wasn't the "in-thing," is sitting out this year's Democratic National Convention.

7 Sep 2012

Democratic speakers rally around health law

During Wednesday's convention proceedings, speakers criticized what they described as Republican plans to "voucher-ize Medicare" and touted provisions of the 2010 health law already in effect, such as coverage for children with pre-existing medical conditions, the closing Medicare Part D "doughnut hole" and the ability to keep young people on their parents' policies until age 26.

7 Sep 2012

Clinton skewers GOP on Medicare, offers strong defense of Obama on health law

In former President Bill Clinton's speech to nominate Barack Obama for re-election, he made a point-by-point case to return Obama to a second term, lauding his efforts to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid and to pass the health law.

7 Sep 2012

Conservatives say Dems' characterization of GOP Medicare plan is 'misleading attack'

Republican pundits dispute the description of their plans to overhaul Medicare as as a defined-contribution, rather than a defined-benefit program 'vouchercare,' and say that repealing the health law would spur innovation.

7 Sep 2012

Kalidex announces presentation of data on KPI-10 against MDR strains at ICAAC

Kalidex Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held anti-infective company, today announced the presentation of data on its lead development candidate KPI-10, a broad spectrum, next-generation fluoroquinolone, at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in San Francisco, September 9 through 12.

7 Sep 2012

Cleaning capsule danger highlighted

Physicians in the UK are calling for improved warnings and more child-proof packaging for liquid cleaning capsules after a number of incidents in which toddlers were hospitalized after swallowing them.

6 Sep 2012

Quality diabetes care comes at a price

Researchers say that the Quality and Outcomes Framework that was introduced to UK general practice in 2004 may not be worth the expense of implementing it in terms of benefiting patients.

6 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 6, 2012

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, Ankita Rao reports: "While policymakers debate whether doctors should be paid by the number of services they provide or the outcomes of their treatment, shared decision could have an impact on the ground by reducing demand for medical procedures.

6 Sep 2012

NSA launches new Faces of Stroke mini-campaign

National Stroke Association has launched a new Faces of Stroke(SM) mini-campaign designed to educate about the connection between stroke and Afib, a type of irregular heartbeat that increases risk of stroke by five times.

6 Sep 2012

Expenditures for treatment of back and neck problems have nearly doubled since late 1990s

Expenditures for treatment of back and neck problems have nearly doubled since the late 1990s—mainly from increased spending for care provided by medical specialists, according to a report in the September 1 issue of Spine.

6 Sep 2012

GOP group jabs at health law

As the Democratic convention began, a Republican-leaning non-profit organization unveiled a new advertisement criticizing the health law. Meanwhile, national health issues are picking up steam in House and Senate races.

6 Sep 2012

Convention news: Dems embrace health law

In speeches from the podium and in the buzz from the convention floor, it was apparent on the first day of the Democratic National Convention that delegates and speakers aimed to reclaim the health law as an important accomplishment of the Obama administration.

6 Sep 2012

Same illness, but very different treatment costs

A new study published in the September issue of Health Affairs focuses on the cost of care delivered by nearly 250,000 doctors to non-elderly adults.

6 Sep 2012

Maine sues CMS seeking Medicaid cuts resolution

Maine -- unhappy with how long a decision is taking -- is suing the federal government over its request to lower Medicaid eligibility.

6 Sep 2012

Ways and Means panel to review IRS mission in health law

A prominent House committee will continue its case against the healthcare law just one day after the conclusion of August recess. On Sept. 11, the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight will look at how the law's implementation could strain the Internal Revenue Service.

6 Sep 2012

Party platforms reveal two very different visions for the nation

The Democratic platform, which was released Tuesday, includes many health care policy references, but it is light on specifics about what health initiatives would come during a second Obama term.

6 Sep 2012

Latest round of health IT regs will be topic of Capitol Hill hearing

The House hearing is planned in order to give lawmakers a chance to review a proposed rulemaking regarding incentives for so-called "meaningful use" of health information technology.

6 Sep 2012

Out-of-pocket spending on health care in old age puts significant strain on finances

The protection of the savings of the elderly-one of the primary goals of Medicare-is under threat from a combination of spiraling healthcare costs and increased longevity. As the government attempts to reduce Medicare costs, one suggestion is that the elderly could pay a larger proportion of the costs of their healthcare. But exactly how much would this be and what impact would it have on their finances?

6 Sep 2012