Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

GBCAs carry new warnings on their labels about risk of NSF: FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requiring that gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) carry new warnings on their labels about the risk of a rare and potentially fatal condition known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, if the drug is administered to certain patients with kidney disease.

10 Sep 2010

Overhaul's effect on health spending minimal, government study says

The health overhaul and other recent legislative and regulatory changes will only modestly increase the nation's health tab through 2019, according to a government study published today, Kaiser Health News reports.

10 Sep 2010

FDA approves pediatric use of Protopam Chloride

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the pediatric use of Protopam Chloride (pralidoxime chloride), a drug used to treat poisoning by organophosphate pesticides and chemicals (e.g., nerve agents). The drug is approved to be administered either by intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) injections.

10 Sep 2010

Employers predict health costs to rise nearly 6 percent next year

The Wall Street Journal reports that a survey from Mercer finds employers are expecting their health costs to rise an average of 5.9% next year after shifting some cost-sharing for health plans to employees.

10 Sep 2010

Democrats position for November fight using health care while GOP leader draws line in the sand

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine is defending his party's accomplishments on health care as he paints Democrats as underdogs in November's elections, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. "Kaine, a former governor of Virginia, blasted the Republicans as obstacles to progress for seven decades, warning supporters gathered at the University of Pennsylvania that President Obama's agenda was at risk with less than two months before the Nov. 2 election.

10 Sep 2010

Happening on the hill: Extending liability protections, a new 9/11 vote

Legislation to provide federal medical liability coverage to volunteers at community health clinics will cost more than earlier expected, The Hill's Healthwatch Blog reports.

10 Sep 2010

Calif. regulators seek $9.9 billion fine from insurer; Few Iowans sign up for high risk pool; N.D. Court rejects ballot measure on drug store ownership

California regulators are seeking fines of up to $9.9 billion from a unit of health insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc, citing mismanaged medical claims, failure to pay doctors and other lapses.

10 Sep 2010

ECRI Institute PSO launches Patient Safety E-lerts to reduce healthcare events' risk

In response to adverse event reports received by ECRI Institute PSO and to promote such learning, ECRI Institute PSO has begun disseminating periodic Patient Safety E-lerts to participating organizations. The Patient Safety E-lert will bring attention to these issues and is concisely formatted to stimulate discussion and action by interdisciplinary committees focused on reducing the risk of healthcare events.

10 Sep 2010

PracticeMax acquires Medinomics, expands healthcare and technology expertise

PracticeMax, a provider of revenue cycle management and software services, today announced it has acquired Medinomics, of Shreveport, La., expanding the operations and geographical footprint of PracticeMax throughout the southern United States.

10 Sep 2010

National Dementia Awareness Week

This National Dementia Awareness Week 15-22 September, Alzheimer’s Australia and National Dementia Awareness Week Ambassador, Dr Andrew Rochford will be promoting the benefit of early diagnosis and where worried friends and family can access help.

9 Sep 2010

Microvisk secures £2.5 million to develop world’s first medical diagnostic SmartStrip®

Microvisk Technologies, the developer of a handheld system to monitor the blood clotting status of patients taking the drug Warfarin, has raised £2.5 million through a rights issue to existing investors. The round was significantly oversubscribed and completed within four weeks.

9 Sep 2010

Affinity Health System selects GE Centricity EMR for patient care network

Northeast Wisconsin's nationally recognized Affinity Health System is the latest to choose GE Centricity® EMR for its patient care network. The Catholic, mission-oriented, regional health network is a collaboration between the Fox Valley's Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare and plans to implement Centricity EMR across its 22 multi-specialty clinics in 14 communities to help care for an average of 21,000 patients each year.

9 Sep 2010

3M to acquire Arizant for $810M

3M announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Arizant Inc. for a purchase price of $810 million in cash. Based in Eden Prairie, Minn., Arizant is a leading manufacturer of patient warming solutions designed to prevent hypothermia in surgical settings.

9 Sep 2010

Huifeng Bio-Pharmaceutical Technology to acquire Shangqiu Kexin Rutin Processing

Huifeng Bio-Pharmaceutical Technology, Inc., specializing in developing and producing botanical extracts and other raw materials for pharmaceuticals and food additives, today announces a definitive agreement under which Huifeng will acquire 90% of the equity ownership of Shangqiu Kexin Rutin Processing Ltd., a local leading Rutin manufacturer in Henan Province, at a price of $1.75 million. As a result of the acquisition, Kexin will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Huifeng.

9 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 9, 2010

Today's headlines highlight a government study that finds the new health law won't fuel significant increases in spending.

9 Sep 2010

Salumatics to resell HealthAsyst patient self-service kiosks in Canada

Salumatics Inc. and HealthAsyst Pvt Ltd today announce a strategic partnership agreement in which Salumatics will be a value-added reseller of the HealthAsyst patient self-service kiosks in Canada. As part of this agreement Salumatics will leverage their local presence and industry expertise to market the kiosks and provide technical support to Canadian customers.

9 Sep 2010

Health reforms alone not sufficient to reduce healthcare inequality gap

A new study looking at the effects of the 2006 Massachusetts Health Reform on access to care, health status and ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in healthcare, shows that the legislation has led to improvements in insurance coverage as well as a decline in financial barriers to care. However, to date, it has not increased people's access to a personal physician or improved their self-rated health. Neither has it reduced healthcare inequalities between ethnic or income groups.

9 Sep 2010

SDI's VaccineTrack data reports on season's flu vaccination

More than 690,000 Americans have already received this season's flu vaccine from their doctor, according to SDI's VaccineTrack data through Sept. 4. VaccineTrack provides syndicated weekly vaccine usage by physicians based on medical office electronic healthcare reimbursement claims data.

9 Sep 2010

APhA to highlight increasing role of pharmacists in improving health, well-being

In honor of Cholesterol Education Month, The American Pharmacists Association would like to highlight the increasing role of the pharmacist in communities nationwide. In many areas, pharmacists are able to offer cholesterol and blood pressure screenings, as well as other detection and prevention services to help a patient manage their healthcare and get the most out the medications they may be taking.

9 Sep 2010

Focusing on most disadvantaged children more cost-effective than current strategies, UNICEF reports say

UNICEF on Tuesday said that by "comparing the effectiveness of different strategies for aid delivery, targeting the poorest and neediest children could save more lives per $1 million spent than the current path," Reuters reports (Charbonneau, 9/7).

9 Sep 2010