Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Health literacy linked with proper daily care and management for heart failure patients

A patient's education level is not a fail-safe predictor of how well they will manage symptoms related to complicated chronic diseases, such as heart failure, according to a Purdue University study.

16 Dec 2011

GOP presidential candidates promise limits on abortion

Republican presidential contenders Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum appeared at the screening of an abortion documentary hosted by former candidate Mike Huckabee. They each spoke for about 10 minutes, and offered descriptions of the steps they'd take to limit abortion if elected president.

16 Dec 2011

Young adults make insurance coverage gains under health law

Data from the Department of Health and Human Services estimate that 2.5 million young adults have remained on their parents' health insurance plans as a result of the 2010 health law.

16 Dec 2011

Health law implementation efforts drawing praise from some critics

The LA Times reports that the Obama administration is taking steps to ease some of the requirements of the health law in an effort to "prevent further backlash." Also in the news, the latest on the essential benefits rule and more on the early retiree program.

16 Dec 2011

Readmission rates and hospitalization use linked

A new study finds that efforts to keep patients from being readmitted to the hospital might involve efforts to keep them out in the first place.

16 Dec 2011

As shutdown looms, differences persist on payroll tax cut, spending bills

Among the items held up in the end-of-year negotiations is the Medicare physician reimbursement fix, which would prevent a 27 percent cut in doctors' payments from taking effect. A House Republican plan to pay for the "doc fix" with dollars from the health law's prevention fund is opposed by some Democratic senators.

16 Dec 2011

State roundup: Florida awaits Medicaid waiver news

Now, nurses regularly do everything from give insulin shots to empty urinary catheter bags. At the same time, state budget cuts mean the number of school nurses in California is shrinking. As a result, nurses say, they are responsible for more students every year and are largely consumed with keeping "medically fragile" children in class.

16 Dec 2011

Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges to develop new diagnostics for tropical diseases

Grand Challenges Canada and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have teamed up on an unprecedented global effort to discover and develop affordable, easy-to-use tools to help developing country health workers rapidly diagnose diseases in rural communities. The expected result: more timely and appropriate treatment of illnesses in poor countries, potentially saving countless lives.

16 Dec 2011

IQWiG publishes report on Esbriet benefit assessment for treatment of IPF

InterMune, Inc. today reported that the private Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has today published its report on the benefit assessment of Esbriet (pirfenidone) for the treatment of mild to moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

16 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Wyden and Ryan on their Medicare plan; Frist on the need for international health aid

Few issues draw more heated partisan rhetoric than the future of Medicare. Seniors are a reliable and powerful voting bloc, and both Republicans and Democrats are guilty of exploiting Medicare to frighten and entice voters. But turning discussions of Medicare's future into the third rail of American politics does nothing to guarantee that Medicare will continue to be a lifeline for America's seniors.

16 Dec 2011

Metabolomx' colorimetric sensor array can identify subtype of lung cancer

Metabolomx, a diagnostic company focused on the detection of the metabolomics signature of cancer from exhaled breath, today announces publication of results from the first clinical study demonstrating a breath test that can both detect lung cancer and differentiate between types of lung cancer in humans.

16 Dec 2011

Hologic receives FDA approval for Cervista HTA system to detect cervical cancer

Hologic, Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostic products, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Cervista HTA (high throughput automation) system for use with the Company's previously approved Cervista human papillomavirus (HPV) HR test.

From Hologic, Inc. 16 Dec 2011

New $100M Cooper Cancer Institute in Camden to break ground in April 2012

Sandra and George Norcross today announced a $5 million pledge to Cooper University Hospital. It is the first commitment in a $50 million capital campaign to help fund the rapid expansion of one of New Jersey's preeminent medical centers.

15 Dec 2011

Virco Lab launches HIV/AIDS EHR technology

Virco Lab, Inc., the U.S. affiliate of Virco BVBA, today announced the launch of AVIGA and AVIGA REPORTER. AVIGA is a web-based electronic health record (EHR) solution with HIV/AIDS disease-specific functionality and AVIGA REPORTER is a web-based, data-reporting module designed specifically for the purposes of conducting HIV/AIDS research and providing reporting capabilities.

15 Dec 2011

FUJIFILM to acquire SonoSite

FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, a diversified technology company that operates in healthcare, highly functional materials, and document solutions, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with SonoSite, Inc., a pioneer and leader in bedside and point-of-care ultrasound technology, pursuant to which Fujifilm will acquire SonoSite for approximately $995 million.

15 Dec 2011

Lockheed Martin, Johns Hopkins partner to create safer and more efficient ICU model

The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality of Johns Hopkins Medicine is collaborating with the Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and technology company, to create a safer and more efficient hospital intensive care unit (ICU) model.

15 Dec 2011

Much in play for health interests as congress works on payroll tax cut measure

A two-year fix to the formula that sets Medicare payments for physicians was included in yesterday's House-passed version of this bill. Still, the fix's future is not certain. Meanwhile, other health interests are trying to protect their own funding, which has so far been targeted as a way to pay for the payroll tax holiday extension.

15 Dec 2011

Administration report finds 2.5 million young adults gain health insurance coverage

A report to be released today by the Obama administration finds that the number of people between the ages of 19 and 25 who have gained coverage exceeds earlier estimates.

15 Dec 2011

House approves payroll tax cut extension, but 'strings attached' could stall end-of-session progress

The House measure was approved on a largely party-line vote and was met with immediate promises of opposition from Senate Democrats and the White House. Caught in the crossfire is the Medicare "doc fix" and, possibly, a separate omnibus spending bill to provide government funding through next September.

15 Dec 2011

Mayo Clinic to build new cancer treatment facility

Mayo Clinic broke ground today for a cutting edge cancer therapy facility at its Phoenix campus. Construction begins this month on a $182 million facility to house Mayo Clinic's Proton Beam Therapy program - marking the beginning of a new era in cancer treatment.

15 Dec 2011