Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Toshiba introduces women's imaging configuration for Aplio XG at RSNA 2010

Many healthcare providers use ultrasound as a first-line diagnostic tool in detecting and monitoring women's health conditions. To help meet the needs of healthcare providers administering women's imaging, Toshiba has introduced a women's imaging configuration for the Aplio™ XG at this year's Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting in Chicago, Nov. 28 - Dec. 3, 2010.

1 Dec 2010

Toshiba showcases new Vantage Titan 3T open bore MR at RSNA 2010

For many patients, claustrophobia and acoustic noise can make MR imaging uncomfortable. Understanding this challenge, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. developed a 3T MR system designed to improve patient compliance and comfort while offering advanced radiology capabilities for healthcare facilities.

1 Dec 2010

Medical, socioeconomic, and gender-based factors impact global women's health issues

Access to quality reproductive healthcare for women around the globe is a fundamental aspect of a woman's human rights, freedom, equity, and right to control her own body. A Special Section on Global Women's Reproductive Health in the current issue of Journal of Women's Health, a peer-reviewed publication published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., explores the compelling medical, socioeconomic, and gender-based factors that impact global women's health issues. The Special Focus articles are available free online.

1 Dec 2010

CRN says increased DRI for vitamin D a step in right direction, but still falls short

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the dietary supplement industry's leading trade association, today called the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine's (IOM) newly released report on the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) levels for vitamin D "a modest step in the right direction that fell short of truly capturing the extensive and positive research that has consistently supported the need for people to significantly raise their vitamin D levels."

1 Dec 2010

Key factors in evaluating Medicare Part D plans

More than 1,100 Medicare prescription drug (Part D) plans are available for 2011. Most consumers have about 33 plans to choose from in their area during annual enrollment, which is Nov. 15 to Dec. 31. However, Part D plans with the lowest premiums may not be the best match for Medicare beneficiaries' individualized needs, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services.

1 Dec 2010

Halek Energy donates funds to Scott & White Healthcare

Taking a page from the personal playbook of Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy, Halek Energy LLC has made a donation to Scott & White Healthcare of Temple, Texas.

1 Dec 2010

Arsenic contamination of drinking water in Bangladesh leads to slow-developing diseases

The well-reported arsenic contamination of drinking water in Bangladesh called the "largest mass poisoning of a population in history" by the World Health Organization and known to be responsible for a host of slow-developing diseases has now been shown to have an immediate and toxic effect on the struggling nation's economy.

1 Dec 2010

Bosch receives 2010 Europe Product Quality Leadership Award in Remote Patient Monitoring Market

Frost & Sullivan announced today it has presented the 2010 Europe Product Quality Leadership Award in the Remote Patient Monitoring Market to Robert Bosch Healthcare. The Product Quality Leadership Award is given to the company that has excelled in product performance, reliability, design, usability and perceived value. Bosch Healthcare's telehealth systems, which include the Health Buddy® patient interface and Bosch Telehealth Plus System, are designed to optimize providers' operations and approach to care, while improving the way patients with chronic illness manage their disease.

1 Dec 2010

AHRQ selects Outcome to develop new Registry of Patient Registries database

Outcome Sciences, Inc. (OUTCOME), the leading provider of patient registries, studies, and technologies for evaluating real-world outcomes, today announced that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has awarded Outcome a task order to design and develop a new Registry of Patient Registries (RoPR) database.

1 Dec 2010

TRSI, ScribeAmerica partner to deliver online training program for Medical Scribes

TRS Institute (TRSI), the nation's leading provider of AHDI-approved online medical transcription and speech recognition training programs, announces an exclusive partnership with ScribeAmerica, the nation's pioneer in medical scribe training and management. The two organizations will combine and leverage training expertise to deliver an affordable self-study, self-paced online training program for Medical Scribes.

1 Dec 2010

GE Healthcare showcases low-dose CT innovations at 96th RSNA

For decades GE Healthcare has invested in leading, state of the art technology for significantly lowering dose in computed tomography (CT) procedures. At the 96TH annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago, GE Healthcare is showcasing some of its latest CT innovations that provide dose-reducing options to customers to help ensure better diagnoses.

1 Dec 2010

New tool helps gauge care for people with neurological disorder

A national conversation continues about the best ways to improve both the quality of medical care and to contain costs. So far, developing quality measurements has focused on primary care or highly prevalent, chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes. But what about brain disorders? To date, the number of measures that apply to neurologic care has been limited.

1 Dec 2010

Migraine headache with aura increases risk of stroke among women: Research

Women with a history of migraine headache with aura (transient neurological symptoms, mostly visual impairments) are at increased risk of stroke. However, according to new research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association stroke events in women with migraine with aura are more likely to have mild or no disability compared to those without migraine.

1 Dec 2010

Washington State Hospital Association makes public surgical infection rates

Today, the Washington State Hospital Association is releasing hospital-specific surgical infection rate data. This is the first time this information has been made public.

1 Dec 2010

Philips Electronics introduces IntelliSpace Portal to improve patient care

Royal Philips Electronics today introduced the Philips IntelliSpace Portal, a multimodality workspace that uses advanced networking capabilities to facilitate collaboration between radiologists and referring clinicians that may lead to faster, more accurate and informed patient care.

From Philips Healthcare 1 Dec 2010

Alpha II integrates CodeWizard software with First Medical Suite

Alpha II, a leader in healthcare coding, compliance and reimbursement, announced today the integration of Alpha II's CodeWizard software with First Medical Solutions' First Medical Suite, a combination of FirstEMR and First Medical Office (PMS) software.

1 Dec 2010

Underwood-Memorial Hospital joins Jefferson Neuroscience Network as New Jersey participant

Underwood-Memorial Hospital of Woodbury, New Jersey has joined the Jefferson Neuroscience Network (JNN) as one of the first New Jersey participants. Through this collaboration, Jefferson and Underwood will provide some of the most sophisticated care and expertise available to patients with time-sensitive neurovascular diseases.

1 Dec 2010

Health law causing ripples in Congress, insurance industry, among doctors

The Washington Post: "One of the most significant savings envisioned in the new health- care law - limiting payments to the private health plans that cover 11 million older Americans under Medicare - is, so far, bringing little of the turbulence that the insurance industry and many Republicans predicted. ... Early clues to the actual effects have now materialized, as elderly Americans may sign up for a health plan for 2011 during an enrollment period through the end of the year, and the warnings of swift, serious damage to the program are not borne out.

1 Dec 2010

Medical records and medical device interests gain attention from big names, congressional delegation

The Hill: "The new lobby shop of former Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) and his son Tom has registered its first client. The San Francisco-based tech company Resilient Networks Systems has hired Tauzin Consultants to help lobby on the deployment of electronic medical records under the healthcare reform law among other issues, according to lobbying disclosure records.

30 Nov 2010

Lame duck update: Congress delays Medicare payment cuts, fails to roll back health law's 1099 provision

Congress on Monday agreed to delay for one month a cut in Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors, giving a short-term reprieve to a looming crisis over treatment of the nation's elderly.

30 Nov 2010