Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Hope for fertility spreads through postcards

The campaign sends a multiplied message of hope for fertility in form of postcards with stories, including the key message on prevention and treatment. Thousands of postcards with moving stories are expected to cross Europe until October 2011.

4 Jul 2011

Primiparity, maternal smoking and BMI linked to risk of pre-term birth

In Sweden almost 40 000 children have now been born after IVF, around 3 500 each year, and IVF children constitute 3% of all newborns. "This represents a large number of children and any adverse outcomes related to IVF are therefore a major public health issue," said Dr. Antonina Sazonova, from Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden, who carried out the research with colleagues from the hospital and from Lund University.

4 Jul 2011

LuCED test can improve utility of low-dose CT screening for early lung cancer detection

VisionGate, Inc., a company developing a revolutionary non-invasive test for the early detection of lung cancer, today announced that it will present data showing how adjunctive use of its LuCED- test can improve the utility of low dose x-ray computed tomography (CT) screening for the early detection of lung cancer in high risk individuals.

4 Jul 2011

HEI names CPMC as 2011 leader in LGBT healthcare equality

California Pacific Medical Center - part of the Sutter Health network - achieved a perfect score for its non-discrimination policies in creating a welcoming environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients.

2 Jul 2011

Patients to get satisfaction survey when they leave hospitals

A provision of the 2010 health care law that seeks patient feedback on hospital stays goes into effect today. Also, federal officials issued a new rule designed to streamline paperwork requirements for the health care industry.

2 Jul 2011

State insurance officials' panel seeks protection for insurance brokers

By voice vote, the task force called on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to endorse legislation by Rep. Mike Rogers that would exclude fees paid to agents and brokers when calculating how much health plans are spending on administrative costs versus medical care.

2 Jul 2011

States must make do without stimulus dollars for Medicaid; judge freezes Ariz. cuts

As healthcare costs for the poor soar across the United States, perhaps no state will feel the loss of federal stimulus money more than Florida. America's fourth-most-populous state, Florida is second only to Texas in the percentage of residents without health insurance and its struggles are emblematic of problems afflicting many states.

2 Jul 2011

Antimicrobial copper surfaces reduce risk of acquiring hospital infection

Professor Bill Keevil, Head of the Microbiology Group and Director of the Environmental Healthcare Unit at the University of Southampton, has presented research into the mechanism by which copper exerts its antimicrobial effect on antibiotic-resistant organisms at the World Health Organization's first International Conference on Prevention and Infection Control.

2 Jul 2011

Medicare to cover 2 expensive cancer drugs

Medicare confirmed on Thursday that it would continue to pay for two expensive cancer drugs that had been at the center of debate — Avastin from Genentech for breast cancer and Provenge from Dendreon for prostate cancer.

2 Jul 2011

Only half of obese Mexican-American adults receive diet, exercise advice from physicians

Only half of obese Mexican-American adults receive diet and exercise advice from their physicians, a new study finds, although obesity is on the rise for this group.

2 Jul 2011

Roundup: Mass. doctors eye care management funds; Fla. groups fear Scott will block federal grants

It's clear from the data that hospitals and doctors can do a lot better at coordinating care for their patients. On the final day of hearings on controlling health care costs today, state officials estimated that at least $2 billion was spent in Massachusetts in 2009 on potentially avoidable emergency room visits, hospitalizations and readmissions.

2 Jul 2011

First Edition: July 1, 2011

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about sleep deprived medical residents, decisions by Medicare officials on covering two expensive drugs and states struggling with budget cuts.

1 Jul 2011

HEI report names Rush University Medical Center as Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality

For the third consecutive year, Rush University Medical Center has been named a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality in the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) report, an annual survey of U.S. hospitals regarding treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients and their families and hospital employees.

1 Jul 2011

Liverpool scientists receive medical innovation award for dental device

A team of scientists from the University of Liverpool has won an award for developing a device that can identify early tooth decay and plaque before it is visible to the human eye.

1 Jul 2011

AHRQ releases data on disparities involving hospitalization of children for asthma

Black children were four times more likely than white children to be hospitalized for a severe asthma attack in 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

1 Jul 2011

AHRQ and Ad Council announce new campaign, 'Explore Your Treatment Options'

"Explore Your Treatment Options," a new multimedia ad campaign announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Ad Council, encourages patients to become more informed about their options before choosing a treatment for a health condition or illness.

1 Jul 2011

Novel cerebrospinal fluid proteins found in greater concentrations in Alzheimer's patients

Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, have identified a series of novel proteins in human cerebrospinal fluid. The proteins, which carry specific sugar molecules, are found in greater concentrations in patients with dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease than in patients with dementia caused by other diseases. This gives hope for new forms of treatment in the future.

1 Jul 2011