Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Cancer patients getting unnecessary tests: Study

US researchers revealed that many cancer patients with only a few years to live often continue to get routine mammograms or blood tests for prostate cancer even though they are not likely to live long enough to benefit from them. This not only wastes money but also exposes patients to unnecessary worry and distress.

12 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 12, 2010

Today's early morning highlights from major news organizations look at a probe of a California hospital chain, the effect that the governors' races around the country will have on the federal health law and a review of prescription purchases that shows more Americans are foregoing their medicines.

12 Oct 2010

CAB and Gilardi lead cost-effective approach to obtain FICA refunds for medical residents, employers

Charles A. Barragato & Co. LLP and Gilardi & Co., the nation's preeminent claims administrator, are leading the efforts in the New York Metropolitan region to assist prominent medical centers as they seek to obtain FICA refunds for medical residents and themselves as employers.

12 Oct 2010

Boyden reports 35% increase in demand for Senior R & D Managers in Life Sciences sector

Fresh hiring decisions are being made at senior management levels, due to CEOs' bold moves to reshape businesses to the more permanent competitive reality, according to the quarterly Boyden Executive Outlook, released today by Boyden Global Executive Search.

12 Oct 2010

AMGA launches Workshop and Retreat Service

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) today unveiled the AMGA Workshop and Retreat Service, which harnesses the expertise of leaders in AMGA's member group to help medical groups and organized systems of care accelerate their learning curve in key strategic areas.

12 Oct 2010

VNSNY adopts advanced information technology to improve patient care

Unlike most home healthcare agencies, which have restricted the use of computer programs to such non-patient-care items as billing, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York has adopted advanced information technology in order to improve patient care. One of the results, documented in a new publication, is a significant 10% reduction in patient episodes ending in hospitalization, from 37% to 27% over the years 2001-2009.

12 Oct 2010

Alimera to present Iluvien Phase 3 clinical trial data at AAO annual meeting

Alimera Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development and commercialization of prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, today announced that data from its Phase 3 (FAME) clinical trials for Iluvien will be presented this month at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) in Chicago.

12 Oct 2010

ACE educational program launched to promote awareness on anaphylaxis

Many of the approximately 1,500 deaths in the U.S. each year due to anaphylaxis, a sudden serious allergic reaction, could be prevented if more people knew the symptoms and the immediate treatment needed to survive.

12 Oct 2010

DHHS awards Medicare fraud contract to TerraMedica

Healthcare Technology firm TerraMedica LLC announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)/Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. TerraMedica will conduct an assessment of fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare claims utilizing a pre-payment predictive scoring system.

12 Oct 2010

Woman’s socioeconomic status impacts clinicians' decisions for contraception: Study

A woman's race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status impact whether health care providers recommend one of the most highly effective forms of contraception, a UCSF study confirms. The results also indicate that the interaction of both factors plays a role in clinicians' decisions.

12 Oct 2010

Older people who do not get vaccinated rely on indigenous health practices

Eating steamed pears, having a soothing massage or bathing in a herbal mixture are just some of indigenous health practices used by older people to ward off or treat influenza, according to research published in the October issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

12 Oct 2010

New data-driven strategy helps to reduce healthcare costs

As rising health care costs continue to outpace inflation, some companies are trying a new data-driven strategy, reports the October Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

12 Oct 2010

Most men with prostate cancer not referred to hospice care early enough

More than half of men dying of prostate cancer use hospice care - a significant increase over the last two decades - but most wait too long to enroll so they can't take full advantage of the palliative care that could make their deaths easier, a study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found.

12 Oct 2010

Covidien presents hernia and abdominal wall repair products at EHS Meeting

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, announced that its hernia and abdominal wall repair products were featured in 18 podium presentations at the 32nd International Congress of the European Hernia Society (EHS).

12 Oct 2010

Cerner, MedAssets announce reseller agreement to increase revenue capture

Cerner Corporation and MedAssets announced a reseller agreement that increases the interoperability of Cerner's revenue cycle offerings and gives Cerner clients access to a broader suite of solutions to increase revenue capture, accelerate cash flow and reduce administrative costs.

12 Oct 2010

Microsoft to shift part of health care costs to workers

Dow Jones Newswires/The Wall Street Journal: "Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), the world's largest software company, said on Friday it will trim its generous healthcare benefits for employees starting in 2013 because of rising coverage costs. In a staff meeting, the Redmond, Wash. company told employees they will be required to contribute some portion of their annual healthcare insurance premiums, although it didn't detail what portion staff members would be asked to shoulder.

12 Oct 2010

Loyola continues mandatory employee flu-vaccination policy for second straight year

The best way to prevent the spread of the flu to patients in a medical setting would be to require all health-care workers to get an annual flu shot, says the American Academy of Pediatrics.

12 Oct 2010

Proper treatment for scoliosis may help children to lead active lives

Scoliosis may sound like a frightening diagnosis, but proper treatment enables children with the condition to lead normal, active lives. Scoliosis refers to an abnormal curvature of the spine. Small curves are a normal part of spine anatomy and are not cause for concern, according to Dr. Daniel Green, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. But when the curvature exceeds a certain range, children require medical attention.

12 Oct 2010

Fertility concerns of cancer survivors inadequately addressed, study finds

Many cancer survivors experience changes in sexual function that leave them feeling guilty and a longing for intimacy, Australian researchers told at the 35th Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in Milan, Italy. The researchers say that these sexuality and fertility concerns are often not adequately addressed by doctors.

11 Oct 2010

ImaginAb and Imanet enter master service agreement for pre-clinical and clinical imaging

ImaginAb, Inc. and Imanet have signed a master service agreement for pre-clinical and clinical imaging. This agreement supports the development strategy for ImaginAb's pipeline of next generation diagnostic imaging agents based on recombinant antibody fragments. The Imanet™ network of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging sites provides assistance in all aspects of PET imaging-based clinical trials: from proof-of-concept radiochemistry to clinical imaging, with more than 40 PET research tracers.

11 Oct 2010