Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Lawmakers move closer to completing legislative to-do list

Still remaining on the list, however, is action to prevent a scheduled reduction in Medicare payments for physicians. A proposal to avert this cut is included in a broader measure that would extend the payroll tax break.

13 Dec 2011

Book on hot health topics

The intersection of health care, politics and policy is a controversial one. A new book of lively essays takes on all of today's hot health topics: alternative medicine, swine flu, health care reform, screening mammograms, taxes to decrease soda consumption, gun control and many more.

13 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 13, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz talked with former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Donald Berwick, who defended these federal health programs, but said they are trapped in a U.S. health system that promotes wasteful spending and inefficient care.

13 Dec 2011

Retiree health funds run low, program to close early

A notice in Friday's Federal Register made clear that the fund designed to help cover health insurance for early retirees would stop taking claims for expenses incurred after Dec. 31.

13 Dec 2011

WPI to develop smart phone app for foot ulcers, advanced diabetes

An interdisciplinary research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has received a $1.2 million award from the National Science Foundation to develop a smart phone application that will help people with advanced diabetes and foot ulcers better manage their disease.

13 Dec 2011

House 'doc fix' proposal provides temporary relief to physicians, draws hospital concern

The "payment patch" would largely be paid for by charging higher Medicare premiums to affluent seniors and by cutting hospital payments.

13 Dec 2011

Patients on contact precautions more likely to develop delirium during hospital stay

A new study finds that patients who are moved into isolation during a hospital stay are nearly twice as likely to develop delirium, a potentially dangerous change in mental status that often affects hospital patients. Patients who began their stay in isolation were not at increased risk.

13 Dec 2011

Roundup: Iowans question Wellmark premium hikes; Fla. Medicare audit; Mich. nursing home scandals

The Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield vice president faced dozens of angry customers and tried to explain why the health insurer wants to increase their premiums by 9.4 percent. ... Barbed questions flew throughout the hearing before the state insurance commissioner, who will decide whether to grant Wellmark's proposed increase for 86,000 Iowans who buy their own insurance policies.

13 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Blocking an abortion option for military women; Plan B pushback; Solving Wis. doc shortage

Republican Senate leaders have an odd way of showing gratitude for the dedication and sacrifices of the more than 200,000 women on active duty in the military. Late last month, they blocked consideration of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have lifted the statutory ban that denies female service members coverage for abortion care in cases of rape and incest.

13 Dec 2011

Parents blame swine flu vaccine for son’s narcolepsy

A six year old boy’s parents have claimed that he developed narcolepsy after a swine flu vaccination. Caroline Hadfield said son Josh lost muscle control and started sleeping up to 19 hours a day three weeks after being given Pandemrix nearly two years ago.

12 Dec 2011

Abortion does not raise risk of mental ailment: Experts

A major review by experts concludes that abortion does not raise the risk of a woman suffering mental health problems. Data from 44 studies showed women with an unwanted pregnancy have a higher incidence of mental health problems in general. This is not affected by whether or not they have an abortion or give birth.

12 Dec 2011

IRIDEX announces data from MicroPulse laser therapy study on DME

IRIDEX Corporation today announced that data from a clinical study compiled over 10 years demonstrates the safety and efficacy of MicroPulse laser therapy for treating diabetic macular edema (DME) without the retina tissue damage associated with conventional laser therapy.

12 Dec 2011

QSI enters agreement to acquire ViaTrack

Quality Systems, Inc., a leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire ViaTrack Systems, a developer and provider of information technologies that enhance electronic data interchange (EDI) offerings.

12 Dec 2011

Washington Hospital opens Central Utility Plant

Washington Hospital, the local provider of healthcare for the Tri-City area and one of the region's best medical facilities, today opened a state of the art Central Utility Plant that will provide energy for the campus' expansion and modernization for decades to come.

12 Dec 2011

FDA builds public-private coalition to prevent surgical fires

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is building a coalition of public and private healthcare organizations to prevent a medical error — the surgical fire.

12 Dec 2011

Romney assails Gingrich for remarks about GOP Medicare plan

At his campaign stop in Cedar Rapids, (GOP presidential candidate Mitt) Romney reminded voters (former Speaker Newt) Gingrich had attacked U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's Medicare plan last spring as "right-wing social engineering."

12 Dec 2011

New gift to create Morsani College of Medicine building at USF Health

The University of South Florida has renamed its medical college the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in honor of the philanthropic commitment of Frank and Carol Morsani. In total, the Morsanis have given $37 million to USF Health and a total of $43 million to the university.

12 Dec 2011

Most patients with AKI do not see kidney specialists within a year

Most patients with an abrupt kidney injury that does not get better do not see a kidney specialist within a year, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

12 Dec 2011

PubMed Health, CRD announce new partnership

A new partnership between the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) at the University of York and PubMed Health is launched today.

11 Dec 2011

New guidelines for managing latent tuberculosis from CDC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new guidelines on treating so-called “latent” tuberculosis (TB) infection in the United States. They suggest the course of the therapy from about 9 months could be shortened to 3 months.

11 Dec 2011