Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

VA plans big boost in mental health staff

The Department of Veterans Affairs will increase its corps of mental health professionals to try to cope with the increased demand from vets of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

21 Apr 2012

23andMe, Khan Academy partner to celebrate DNA Day

To celebrate DNA Day, Khan Academy, the world's online classroom, and 23andMe, a leading personal genetics company, are working together to promote the importance of genetics education. 23andMe's Genetics 101 and Human Prehistory 101 video series are now available on KhanAcademy.org.

21 Apr 2012

Orthopaedic research studies in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery

Below are highlights of orthopaedic research studies appearing in the April 18th issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), as well as the issue's full Table of Contents.

21 Apr 2012

IHW study reveals high prevalence of CVD risk factors in India

The Indian Heart Watch (IHW) study has revealed the truth behind the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of key risk factors that are driving the country's growing cardiovascular disease (CVD) epidemic, in a first-of-a-kind presentation of data at the World Congress of Cardiology today.

21 Apr 2012

Study finds under-treatment of RHD in India, Africa

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is significantly under-treated in Africa and India according to the preliminary findings of a new global study presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology.

21 Apr 2012

Sequana Medical's ALFApump System safe and effective in managing ascites

Sequana Medical announced that initial results from the PIONEER Clinical Study of its ALFApump System were presented today at the 47th annual European Association for Study of the Liver Meeting in Barcelona.

21 Apr 2012

Standard Register first quarter total revenues decline 4% to $157.6M

Standard Register today announced its financial results for the first quarter 2012. The Company reported revenue of $157.6 million and a net loss of $5.1 million, or $0.18 per share. The results compare to prior year revenue of $164.9 million and net income of $0.4 million, or $0.01 per diluted share.

21 Apr 2012

New wiki of medical devices designed for resource-limited settings

In parts of the world without reliable electricity, a pedal-powered nebulizer could provide life-saving asthma treatments. Small wax-filled sleeping bags could keep premature infants warm. A salad spinner centrifuge for blood samples could help clinicians diagnose anemia.

20 Apr 2012

National award celebrates landmark discovery in gut flora and cardiovascular disease

Stanley Hazen, M.D., Ph.D., was recently honored with an inaugural Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award from an organization comprised of the nation's most acclaimed academic medical centers and other groups, in recognition of Dr. Hazen's Nature article, "Gut flora dependent metabolism of dietary phosphatidylcholine contributes to cardiovascular disease."

20 Apr 2012

Obama administration will expand use of competitive bidding in Medicare

A year-long experiment found that the competitive bidding approach saved money without harming beneficiaries. It also made inroads against waste and fraud.

20 Apr 2012

Health law implementation news: Most red states slow walk health exchanges

Politico reports that most GOP-controlled states are holding off on building insurance exchanges until the Supreme Court issues its decision. Meanwhile, the Internal Revenue Service's ability to enforce the health law is the topic of a Capitol Hill hearing and a former White House advisor offers his views during a Madison speech.

20 Apr 2012

GE Healthcare, NXT2B partner to develop micro-scale radiotracer infrastructure

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company, and NXT2B, a privately owned venture capital company, today announced they have entered into a joint financing agreement with the goal of developing a micro-scale radiotracer infrastructure including cyclotron and PET tracer production.

20 Apr 2012

Budget consideration continues in both the Senate and the House

In the Senate, a "voteless" markup was held on Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad's, D-N.D., presentation of the Bowles-Simpson plan. Meanwhile, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., says he will bring the House GOP budget plan advanced by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., up for a vote by the full Senate later this year.

20 Apr 2012

First Edition: June 20, 2012

Today's headlines include reports that the Veterans' Administration will increase its mental health staffing.

20 Apr 2012

New data shows consolidation of interferon-free revolution in HCV treatment

New data presented at the International Liver Congress 2012 shows consolidation of the interferon-free (IFN) revolution in HCV treatment. The much anticipated data from a number of clinical trials confirm that combinations of antivirals offer the hope of shorter, more effective treatment with fewer side effects.

20 Apr 2012

Survey: Gaps in health insurance coverage, knowledge persist

A Commonwealth Fund survey found that many U.S. adults ages didn't have health insurance over the course of a year.

20 Apr 2012

Obama and Romney start long-distance debate over Medicare

President Barack Obama and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney have started a long-distance, health care debate, fighting over how to reform the Medicare system. Other politicians are getting in on the act too, as Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Mass. Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren give their two cents on the health reform law.

20 Apr 2012

Fingertip Formulary launches iPad apps at AMCP annual meeting

Fingertip Formulary, the leading provider of access and insight into formulary data, announced the launch of their iPad applications today at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) annual meeting.

20 Apr 2012

Roundup: State spending drops $290 billion in 5 years; Emory hospital loses data on 315,000 patients

News outlets examine a variety of state health policy issues, including articles from California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Oregon.

20 Apr 2012

N.Y. Medicaid audit finds $42M in improper payments; Minn. commissioner to testify before congressional committee

Auditors in New York have found $42 million in improper payments were doled out to Medicaid providers. In the meantime, Minnesota's human services commissioner will testify before a congressional committee next week about financing and a payment made to the state by a managed care plan with Medicaid contract.

20 Apr 2012