Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Latest attacks in Jonglei, South Sudan, perpetuate a pattern of extreme violence, says Médecins Sans Frontières

In the state of Jonglei in South Sudan, civilians continue to bear the brunt of inter-communal fighting. Wounded patients are still arriving at the Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Pibor, three weeks after the violent attack on the town and outlying villages in Pibor County. Many were injured in the bush, where thousands have remained, afraid to come out of hiding. Médecins Sans Frontières medical teams are now treating serious wound infections, some several weeks old. Since re-launching emergency medical activities in Pibor on 7 January, Médecins Sans Frontières has treated 47 patients with gunshot wounds – 16 women and 8 children. A further 43 patients have so far been treated for stab wounds, beatings or wounds sustained while fleeing in the bush.

24 Jan 2012

Aquilent awarded new IT contracts by the HHS

Aquilent, the recognized leading provider of Web-based solutions shaping the next generation of technology for the federal government, today announced it has been awarded more than a dozen new contracts within the past several months supporting numerous operating divisions and programs within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

24 Jan 2012

More efficient diagnostic tools are not always used for neuropathy patients

Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed the tremendous cost of diagnosing peripheral neuropathy and found that less expensive, more effective tests are less likely to be used.

24 Jan 2012

Researchers analyze tremendous cost of peripheral neuropathy diagnosis

Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed the tremendous cost of diagnosing peripheral neuropathy and found that less expensive, more effective tests are less likely to be used.

24 Jan 2012

Catholic Healthcare West separates from Catholic Church

With a name change and an end to its governing board's affiliation with the Catholic Church, Catholic Healthcare West will become Dignity Health.

24 Jan 2012

What to look for in the SOTU address

President Obama, who offered to work with Republicans last year to revamp the health care reform law, is expected to adopt a much different tone in Tuesday's State of the Union address. Bruised from the huge GOP electoral gains in 2010, Obama said he wanted to work in a bipartisan fashion on health care in last year's speech. Republicans scoffed at what was called an olive branch, and worked to repeal the entire law. While the GOP-led House passed such a measure, the legislation was defeated in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

24 Jan 2012

Medical groups maintain pressure for 'doc fix'

The medical lobby continues to push for a longer-term solution as the current temporary patch to the Medicare physician payment formula is set to expire March 1. Also, what's to become of the IPAB in the upcoming congressional session?

24 Jan 2012

HealthGrades releases list of America's Top Cities for Hospital Care

HealthGrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a physician or hospital, today released a list of America's Top Cities for Hospital Care.

24 Jan 2012

Covidien releases results of TurboHawk and SpiderFX combination study on P.A.D.

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today released the results of the DEFINITIVE Ca++ study.

24 Jan 2012

Perrigo files ANDA and confirms Astepro Nasal Spray patent challenge

Perrigo Company announced that it has filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray (0.15%) and has notified Meda Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the owner of the New Drug Application (NDA) of its filing. The ANDA filing involved contributions from both Perrigo and Impax Laboratories, Inc., who will share costs and benefits of this project.

24 Jan 2012

Elderly patients more likely to develop respiratory or gastrointestinal infections after ED visits

Elderly patients who have visited an emergency department (ED) are three times more likely to develop respiratory or gastrointestinal infections in the week following their return to a long-term care facility, such as a Centre d'H-bergement de Soins de Longue Dur-e.

24 Jan 2012

State news: Rate hikes approved in Mass., Va. families still wait for autism coverage, health IT booming

State regulators have approved premium increases averaging 2.3 percent for health insurance covering hundreds of thousands of residents, the most modest hikes in at least a decade and a sign that years of efforts to control costs may be working. The new rates are in Massachusetts' "small group'' market, which includes tens of thousands of small businesses as well as self-employed and formerly uninsured individuals.

24 Jan 2012

ClearCollar cervical collar receives Premier Technology Breakthroughs award

The Premier healthcare alliance today announced that Clear Advantage Collar of Charlotte, N.C. has been awarded a Premier Technology Breakthroughs award for its ClearCollar cervical collar.

23 Jan 2012

First Edition: January 23, 2012

Today's health policy headlines include reports looking ahead to President Barak Obama's State-of-the-Union address and others examining the health law.

23 Jan 2012

Welch Allyn's Connex IWS, EVD System and ProBP 3400 to be showcased at Arab Health 2012

Welch Allyn, a leading global provider of medical diagnostic devices headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, NY, will showcase its newest generation of connected solutions designed to address the needs of busy medical practices this week at Arab Health 2012 in Dubai.

23 Jan 2012

Ryan says House GOP will again seek to revamp Medicare

Republicans in the House of Representatives will put forward a budget plan this year that will seek substantial reforms to health benefits for the elderly and make aggressive strides toward reducing deficits, a senior lawmaker said on Friday. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan said he wanted his budget plan to offer voters an alternative vision to the "cradle-to-grave welfare state" that he says Democratic President Barack Obama is promoting.

23 Jan 2012

A*STAR, GE Global Research join forces in integrated advanced medical imaging technologies

GE Global Research, the central technology development arm for GE Healthcare and all of GE's businesses, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Singapore's Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). This agreement will focus on advancing current medical imaging technologies and diagnostics to enable more accurate, earlier and faster clinical diagnoses of cancer and other diseases. The partnership between A*STAR and GE Global Research brings together two world-class research institutions, integrating their deep domain expertise in biomedical, science, and engineering capabilities to support this effort.

22 Jan 2012

Health law, abortion among hot topics in S.C. Republican primary debate

The GOP presidential hopefuls clashed on a range of issues related to the health law, its individual mandate and efforts to repeal it. Candidates' positions on abortion were also flashpoints.

21 Jan 2012

Health law policy topics: ACO deadline, hospital pay fix

Modern Healthcare reports that today's the last day to sign up for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' ACO program, which starts in April. Politico Pro, meanwhile, reports that a coalition of state hospitals is pushing the White House to address what they see as a "gaming of Medicare payments" that allows Massachusetts hospitals to collect higher Medicare reimbursements than other states.

21 Jan 2012

HHS gives some religious employers an extra year to comply with birth control rule

Press reports indicate that the Obama administration will not significantly change the requirement that most employers cover FDA-approved contraceptives as part of a health plan. The health law includes a requirement that most workplaces cover preventive services for free.

21 Jan 2012