Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Study finds dramatic increase in hospital 'observation care' for Medicare patients

Although patients don't often know the difference between observation and inpatient care, observation care leaves them on the hook for a much larger bill. A study published in Health Affairs finds this circumstance becoming more common.

6 Jun 2012

Hospital at home program provides good outcomes and patient satisfaction, study finds

The program in Albuquerque also lowered costs while providing some patients acute care at home.

6 Jun 2012

Bayer announces updated data from radium-223 dichloride Phase III trial on CRPC

Bayer HealthCare today announced updated data from the pivotal Phase III ALSYMPCA (ALpharadin in SYMptomatic Prostate CAncer) trial for its investigational drug radium-223 dichloride in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and symptomatic bone metastases.

6 Jun 2012

inVentiv Health acquires Kazaam Interactive

inVentiv Health, Inc., offering best-in-class clinical, commercial and consulting services to the healthcare industry, today announced that it has acquired Kazaam Interactive, a full-service interactive agency providing comprehensive solutions and services for healthcare agencies and brands.

6 Jun 2012

BioMed Protect’s Sanotracin RTU rapidly and effectively kills C. difficile within 3 minutes

In the United States Clostridium difficile or "C. difficile" is now recognized as one of the most dangerous and fastest growing Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAIs) in existence. Now surpassing even Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), C. difficile infections tripled between 2000 and 2005.

6 Jun 2012

GE Healthcare acquires XPRO

Today, GE Healthcare announced the acquisition of XPRO, a Brazilian Interventional X-ray equipment manufacturer company with over 15 years of experience and with more than 120 systems installed at private customer sites.

6 Jun 2012

Siemens Healthcare, HLI partner to offer ICD-10 remediation services

Health Language, Inc. (HLI), the global leader in healthcare terminology management, today announced its partnership with Siemens Healthcare, Malvern, Pa., to offer enterprise-wide ICD-10 remediation services.

From Siemens Healthineers 5 Jun 2012

Republicans schedule repeal votes to bring attention to health law

One of the highest profile efforts involves the repeal of the health law's medical device tax, and one proposal also includes language that would trim the measure's insurance subsidies for low- and middle-income taxpayers.

From Medtronic 5 Jun 2012

Fate of pre-existing condition insurance pools, health exchanges may hinge on high court ruling

News outlets report on what might become of programs such as high risk pools and health exchanges if some or all of the health law is overturned by the Supreme Court.

5 Jun 2012

Bloomberg's proposed super-size soda ban is latest attack on portion size in war against obesity

New York City mayor seeks to limit the size of sugary beverages but the plan draws scorn from the soft drink industry and heightens the debate about how involved government should be in efforts to "steer individual behavior in the name of health."

5 Jun 2012

HDL to offer testing services based on Critical Diagnostics' Presage ST2 Assay

Critical Diagnostics, a U.S.-based biomarker company focused on cardiovascular diseases and Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL, Inc.), announced today an agreement under which HDL, Inc. will soon offer ST2 testing services based on Critical Diagnostics' Presage ST2 Assay.

5 Jun 2012

Ways to improve care and reduce the high cost for Medicare beneficiaries highlighted by Hopkins study

It’s well known that a relatively small percentage of chronically ill patients account for a disproportionate amount of health care dollars. Now, a multicenter study led by Johns Hopkins researcher Bruce Leff, M.D., might provide insights into how to cut Medicare costs while improving health care for older adults suffering from chronic health conditions.

5 Jun 2012

Force 3 acquires secureRAD

Force 3, delivering innovative technology solutions, today announced the acquisition of secureRAD, a provider of disruptive technology solutions for the medical imaging industry.

5 Jun 2012

LifePoint to acquire Woods Memorial Hospital

The Woods Memorial Hospital Board of Directors today announced it has signed an asset purchase agreement for the acquisition of the hospital by LifePoint Hospitals, a leading hospital company focused on providing quality healthcare close to home.

5 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 4, 2012

Today's headlines include the latest news on implementation of the health law, on the pending Capitol Hill effort to repeal the medical device tax and reports from the states.

4 Jun 2012

Prisoners need education on the appropriate use of topical antibiotic products

Prisoners need education on the appropriate use of topical antibiotic products, according to a study released today at the 39th Annual Educational Conference and International Meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

4 Jun 2012

Study shows valuable role of Mammostrat in assessing ER+ postmenopausal breast cancer patients

GE Healthcare today announced results from the Tamoxifen and Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational (TEAM) Trial at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

4 Jun 2012

Affibody, GE Healthcare partner to develop Her2-targeted PET imaging agent

GE Healthcare signed an agreement with Affibody AB to collaborate on the development of a Her2-targeted PET imaging agent, which is scheduled to begin clinical trials later this year.

4 Jun 2012

Socioeconomic status of patient linked to choice of treatment

Though it would seem logical, cancer patients don't always choose therapies with the best chance for survival-cost and side effects are also major considerations. Little has been known about the extent to which cost and side effects influence a patient's treatment decision. Now, new findings by Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers reveals that a patient's socioeconomic status, more than any other characteristic-such as age or disease site-is predictive of whether he or she will favor high efficacy, low cost or low toxicity when choosing a treatment.

2 Jun 2012

High costs can limit access to potentially life-saving technology

More than one-fifth of people who have received referrals to test for cancer-causing genes say they will only undergo testing if their insurance covers the cost-just as more insurers are instituting cost-sharing for medical services like genetic testing, according to new findings from Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia released at this year's 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on Saturday, June 2.

2 Jun 2012