Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

AARP under attack in GOP efforts against health law

House Republicans issued a report Wednesday and plan to hold a hearing Friday to investigate AARP's support for the health law as well as the organization's business interests.

1 Apr 2011

New data confirms antiviral activity of fluvastatin in patients with HCV

New data presented today at the International Liver CongressTM confirm the antiviral activity of fluvastatin -- commonly used as a cholesterol-lowering treatment -- in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

1 Apr 2011

Middle-aged adults with diabetes more likely to develop age-related ailments

Middle-aged adults with diabetes are much more likely to develop age-related conditions than their counterparts who don't have diabetes, according to a new study by the University of Michigan Health System and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

1 Apr 2011

Study: Electronic faucets more likely to become contaminated with bacteria

Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have determined that electronic faucets are more likely to become contaminated with unacceptably high levels of bacteria, including Legionella spp., compared with traditional manually operated faucets.

1 Apr 2011

Medicare moves to pay for Provenge

On Wednesday, Medicare officials signaled the federal insurance program will pay for this costly prostate cancer drug, a move that National Journal described as heading off "accusations that the [government] would be 'rationing' care."

1 Apr 2011

Roundup: Minn. and Fla. weigh changes in programs for disabled, poor; Iowa lawmakers consider new abortion restrictions

Due to a shockingly large deficit, Gov. Rick Scott is planning to invoke his emergency powers and make deep cuts to the rates charged by group homes and case workers who help the developmentally disabled. Scott could announce a 15 percent rate cut as early as Thursday to close the $170 million budget gap in the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, according to lawmakers who were briefed Wednesday.

1 Apr 2011

HHS unveils ACO details

During a Thursday morning press call, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Donald Berwick unveiled the long-awaited federal rule on accountable care organizations.

1 Apr 2011

Catheter-related bloodstream infections in children

Hospitals can reduce the risk of life-threatening bloodstream infections in children with peripherally inserted central venous catheters by assessing daily the patient’s progress and removing the device as early as possible, according to a new Johns Hopkins Children’s Center study published online March 31 in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

31 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 31, 2011

In today's news, reports on continuing congressional efforts to reach a deal on the current-year budget and on a move by Medicare to cover Provenge, a prostate cancer drug.

31 Mar 2011

PSTX closes common stock financing for $7.1 million

Patient Safety Technologies, Inc. today announced the closing of a $7.1 million common stock financing. The investors, led by a new institutional investor, together with several existing shareholders and certain members of senior management, purchased 9.48 million shares of common stock at a price of $0.75 per share.

31 Mar 2011

Pacira reports net loss of $7.0 million for quarter ended December 31, 2010

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2010, provided an update on the execution of its pre-commercial and launch strategies for EXPAREL and established 2011 financial guidance.

31 Mar 2011

New report examines MSIS feasibility to fulfill requirements outlined in CHIPRA

A new report, published in Perspectives in Health Information Management, by The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services Department of Health Policy, examines the feasibility of using the Medicaid Statistical Information System, an existing data source, to fulfill some of the requirements outlined in section 401 of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009.

31 Mar 2011

McKesson releases Horizon Cardiology 12.2 cardiovascular information system

With its new 12.2 software release, McKesson's Horizon Cardiology™ is the industry's only cardiovascular information system (CVIS) system that offers a single database, including hemodynamics, and presents the entire patient history from fetal to adulthood.

31 Mar 2011

Foundation for nationwide consensus on access to genetic information

Health privacy is a serious concern, but as genetic testing becomes more common, access to your genetic information raises questions the healthcare industry has never faced before. It is particularly important that we begin to address these questions now that genomic information is being collected to improve the diagnosis and treatment of children.

31 Mar 2011

Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine create Texas Children's Center for Global Health

Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) today announced the creation of the Texas Children's Center for Global Health and the appointment of renowned physician-scientist Dr. Russell E. Ware as director.

31 Mar 2011

International experts meet to focus on impact of vaccines on global health at a time of public scepticism and complacency

International experts gather in Prague today for a three day meeting focused on the impact of vaccines on public health, at a time of increasing concern that public scepticism and complacency could undermine the positive impact of current and future vaccine campaigns.

31 Mar 2011

EPA approves Clorox DISPATCH disinfectant towels registration to fight against C. difficile

The Clorox Company announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the registration of DISPATCH Hospital Cleaner Disinfectant Towels with Bleach to kill Clostridium difficile spores in five minutes, the fastest C. difficile contact time available.

31 Mar 2011

Cellectis 2010 total operating revenues increase 55% to EUR 15.8M

Cellectis, the genome engineering specialist, has announced its consolidated financial results for the financial year ended December 31, 2010.

31 Mar 2011

Bipartisan senate bill would set process to review future Medicare provider cuts

The measure would bar any cuts from taking place before the Health and Human Services secretary determines they are necessary. Meanwhile, in other Medicare news, ProPublica reports that federal regulators are in the process of making kidney dialysis clinic data more accessible to the public.

31 Mar 2011

Revenues grow, but states wrestle with shortfalls in Medicaid needs

A new Census Bureau report find revenues for local and state governments are growing but many states are still having difficulty funding Medicaid programs. In Conn., the governor says he has reservations about a proposal to create a new entity to oversee state health care. California and New Jersey officials are having trouble finding cuts to balance the budget. And hospital officials in Texas are urging lawmakers to not trim health care.

31 Mar 2011