Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

CHCF invests $10-million to improve health care in California

The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) has launched a $10-million investment fund targeting nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies with innovative services, devices, and technologies that can significantly reduce costs and improve access to care in California.

9 Nov 2010

Government cutting premiums for Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan

The federal government is trying to spur enrollment in a new health insurance program for uninsured people with pre-existing medical conditions by slashing rates.

8 Nov 2010

Republicans talk strategy to repeal – or revise – health law

Republicans do not have enough seats to marshal through a full repeal if Democrats remain steadfast in their support. Even if Republicans were able to sway enough Democrats to support their effort, it would face a certain veto from Obama.

8 Nov 2010

Flaws in the selection process of surgical specialists

One of the Canberra orthopedic surgeons who missed out on being selected for a contract with ACT Health has alleged that the selection process is unfair. Two of the orthopedic surgeons were given contracts to work as visiting medical officers (VMO) in ACT Health. These doctors were colleagues of some members of the selection panel. The question of conflict of interest on these grounds was raised by the two unsuccessful candidates. One of them was Dr Paul Miniter.

8 Nov 2010

Eli Lilly to acquire Avid Radiopharmaceuticals

Safeguard Scientifics, Inc., a holding company that builds value in growth-stage life sciences and technology companies, today announced that partner company Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. has signed a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Eli Lilly and Company.

8 Nov 2010

TB Alliance launches three-drug combination trial for drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant TB

In advance of the 41st Union World Conference, the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) today announced the launch of the first clinical trial to test a novel tuberculosis regimen in a new development paradigm designed to speed new treatments to patients. This novel three-drug combination shows promise to treat both drug-sensitive (DS-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), and alter the course of the TB pandemic by shortening and simplifying treatment worldwide.

8 Nov 2010

MedCath to sell Texsan Heart Hospital

MedCath Corporation announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell substantially all the assets of Texsan Heart Hospital, owned by MedCath and its physician investors, to Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio. The transaction is expected to close during MedCath's second fiscal quarter of 2011, which ends March 31, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

8 Nov 2010

First Edition: November 8, 2010

Today's health policy headlines include more post-mortem reports about the health law's impact on the election.

8 Nov 2010

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust selects Carefx Fusionfx clinical portal

Carefx Corp., a leading provider of interoperable workflow solutions, today announced that West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust (West Herts) has chosen the Fusionfx solution suite to provide simplified access to an aggregate view of patient information within a singular portal. The portal is a component of the Trust's strategy to "Connect All," rather than "Replace All."

8 Nov 2010

Chindex 2011 second quarter revenue increases 18.6% to $45.2 million

Chindex International, Inc. a leading independent American provider of Western healthcare products and services in the People's Republic of China, today announced financial results for the second quarter and first half of fiscal year 2011, which ended September 30, 2010.

8 Nov 2010

HHS gives states technical guidance for Medicaid system while some video game companies start to focus on medical field

Modern Healthcare: "HHS will give states financial aid and technical guidance to help them set up information technology systems to streamline enrollment in Medicaid or health insurance exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a news release from the department. HHS proposes that states will be able to receive federal dollars to cover 90% of design and development costs and 75% of operating and maintenance costs of Medicaid eligibility systems.

8 Nov 2010

Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II announces acquisition of Athens Long-Term Acute Care Hospital

Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II, Inc. today announced that it has acquired Athens Long-Term Acute Care Hospital, a single-story, 32,000-square-foot, Class A single-tenant medical facility in Athens. The acquisition closed on Oct. 29.

8 Nov 2010

Screening heavy smokers for lung cancer reduces chance of death, federal study finds

The Boston Globe: "Screening heavy smokers with sophisticated medical scanners modestly reduced their chance of dying from lung cancer, according to a federal study released yesterday that provides the first convincing evidence that testing could reduce the toll from the leading cause of cancer deaths. The preliminary findings from the National Cancer Institute were based on a gold-standard study that randomly assigned 53,000 current or former smokers without symptoms to be screened with a CT scanner or standard chest X-ray.

8 Nov 2010

Vapor rub improves sleep for children with cold symptoms

Applying a vapor rub is effective for treating children with night-time cough and congestion and improves sleep for children with cold symptoms, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

8 Nov 2010

ContextVision and Neusoft Medical enter strategic collaboration

ContextVision, the software imaging partner for the most recognized medical imaging manufacturers worldwide, today is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd (Neusoft Medical, hereafter "NMS"), a leading provider of a broad range of medical equipment & IT solutions and healthcare services in China. NMS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Neusoft Corporation, which is a leading IT solutions and services provider in China with revenue in excess of $600 million in 2009.

8 Nov 2010

Medicare announces contracts for competitive bidding on equipment while docs worry about payment cuts

News outlets offer a variety of stories about Medicare, including details of a new bidding process for medical equipment and the scheduled cut in physician reimbursement.

8 Nov 2010

MitoSciences awarded $244,000 grant under IRS Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project

MitoSciences Inc. today announces that it has been awarded a $244,000 grant under the IRS Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project. This award was made in support of MitoSciences' efforts to develop the world's most advanced set of assays for unlocking the role of metabolism in cancer and other critical diseases, and for helping researchers to design and monitor the most effective therapies for those conditions.

8 Nov 2010

Party leaders stake out individual positions for new debate on health overhaul

Individual Republicans and Democrats began staking out their positions on the health overhaul quickly after the elections.

8 Nov 2010

Rcopia-MU certified as EHR Module by CCHIT

DrFirst announced today that Rcopia-MU, Version 3, is 2011/2012 compliant and was certified as an EHR Module on November 4, 2010, by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), an ONC-ATCB, in accordance with the applicable eligible provider certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

8 Nov 2010

Amgen wins Scrip Best New Drug award for Prolia

Amgen is pleased to announce that it has won the Best New Drug award for Prolia™ (denosumab), a novel treatment approved in the United States (U.S.) for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis at high risk for fracture, at the 2010 Scrip Awards ceremony Nov. 4 in London. Named one of TIME's Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2009, Prolia is the first treatment specifically designed to target osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone.

8 Nov 2010