Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Neurostimulation effective for management of chronic pain

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced two-year results in a post-market clinical study evaluating neurostimulation (spinal cord stimulation) for the management of chronic low back pain. Presented at the 14th annual North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) meeting in Las Vegas, the study found that 70 percent of neurostimulation patients reported overall pain relief of 50 percent or better at their final two-year visit.

4 Dec 2010

Debt panel members vote today; Some say recommendations will shape future efforts to reduce health costs

News outlets report that as the presidential debt commission plans to vote today, the final recommendations could shape the debate on how budgeteers treat Medicare, Medicaid and health care costs in the future -- regardless of the vote tally.

4 Dec 2010

Omnicell to unveil new solutions at 2010 ASHP midyear conference

Omnicell, Inc., a leading provider of medication management solutions to acute healthcare facilities, will display its latest innovations during the 45th American Society for Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition from December 6-8 in Anaheim, California.

From Omnicell, Inc. 4 Dec 2010

Information technology could improve prevention, treatment of depression

Could information technology and data mining techniques be used to improve the diagnosis and treatment of depression? That's the question scientists in Australia hope to have answered in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Functional Informatics and Personalised Medicine.

4 Dec 2010

EHSI announces acquisition of Rotary Cell Culture System

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. announced today that it has acquired a Rotary Cell Culture System, or bioreactor, developed using revolutionary NASA research in the field of microgravity.

4 Dec 2010

Administration offers new guidance to make the small business tax credit more user-friendly

The administration released guidance for the small business tax credit provision of the health law while the AMA asked for specific anti-trust treatment regarding accountable care organizations.

4 Dec 2010

Study: Some states fall short in insurance rate reviews

A new study finds that states don't always flex their muscle when it comes to regulating insurance rates. Meanwhile, there is movement at the top for WellPoint.

4 Dec 2010

GE Healthcare announces extension of tender offer for Clarient

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company, announced today that it is extending its previously announced tender offer for all of the outstanding capital stock of Clarient, Inc. until 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on Thursday, December 16, 2010.

4 Dec 2010

Key findings on plasma cell disorders to be presented at American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting

Caris Life Sciences, Inc., a leading biosciences company focused on enabling precise and personalized healthcare through the highest quality anatomic pathology, molecular profiling, and blood-based diagnostic services, announced that Dr. Raul Braylan, Hematopathologist and Clinical Medical Director of Hematopathology Services, will present key findings related to plasma cell disorders at the upcoming 52nd Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American Society of Hematology.

4 Dec 2010

LifeSpan TR1200i folding treadmill named 'Best New Treadmill'

The LifeSpan TR1200i folding treadmill was named "Best New Treadmill" by Treadmill Doctor in their 2011 fitness equipment reviews. Fitness Professor Review also selected the LifeSpan TR1200i, made by PCE Health and Fitness (www.lifespanfitness.com) as its choice for "Best Treadmill under $1000."

3 Dec 2010

NetDimensions releases Enterprise Knowledge Platform version 6.3

NetDimensions, a global provider of performance, knowledge and Learning Management Systems (LMS), announced today the release of version 6.3 of the Enterprise Knowledge Platform (EKP), the company's award-winning learning management system.

3 Dec 2010

Does saturated fat contribute to development of heart disease?

For over three decades, saturated fat has been accused of significantly contributing to the development of heart disease. However, more and more studies suggest this theory to be false.

3 Dec 2010

Prostate cancer imaging shows real-time tumor metabolism

A UCSF research collaboration with GE Healthcare has produced the first results in humans of a new technology that promises to rapidly assess the presence and aggressiveness of prostate tumors in real time, by imaging the tumor's metabolism.

3 Dec 2010

Obama praised for enhanced health care reform for Alzheimer's community

According to the Society of Actuaries, the leading cause of U.S. long-term care claims is Alzheimer's, the brain disease that renders over 5 million Americans unable to handle all the acts of daily living unaided. Who cares? Evidently President Obama does, having written a pro-active column in the Fall, 2010, issue of care ADvantage, published by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

3 Dec 2010

Humana Military receives two contracts to provide patient appointing services

Humana Inc. announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Humana Military Healthcare Services, was awarded two contracts to provide patient appointing services for military hospitals and clinics located in the greater Puget Sound, Washington, and Tidewater, Virginia areas.

3 Dec 2010

CRT therapy is cost-effective for symptomatic heart failure patients: REVERSE trial

Medtronic, Inc. announced findings from an economic sub-study of the REVERSE (Resynchronization Reverses Remodeling in Systolic Left Ventricular Dysfunction) trial published in the European Heart Journal demonstrating for the first time that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is cost-effective in mildly symptomatic heart failure (HF) patients.

3 Dec 2010

New national awards program to recognize healthcare institutions to eliminate HAI infection

A new national awards program will recognize teams of critical care professionals and healthcare institutions able to successfully reduce or eliminate healthcare-associated infections (HAI), a leading cause of death in the United States.

3 Dec 2010

Sentara Heart Hospital commences procedures in AtriCure DEEP AF feasibility trial

Sentara Heart Hospital is breaking new ground in cardiac care and treatment. Surgeons and Cardiologists at Sentara Heart Hospital are first to begin enrolling and performing trial cases in the AtriCure DEEP AF feasibility trial. The first procedure in the country was performed in a new, state-of-the-art hybrid operating room at Sentara Heart Hospital by Jonathan Philpott, M.D., Director of the Sentara Atrial Fibrillation Surgery Program, Ian Woollett, M.D., and John Onufer, M.D., Medical Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology.

3 Dec 2010

More Coloradans lose Medicare Advantage plans, Missouri lawmakers push for doctor's order to buy common cold and allergy meds

The Denver Post: "Nearly 14,000 Coloradans are losing their form of Medicare Advantage plans next year and will need to choose new options, creating a hardship for 1,700 rural Medicare members who won't find similar plans left on the table. Medicare Advantage carriers such as Humana, Anthem, Secure Horizons and MVP dropped some Medicare Advantage plans in Colorado. … The dropped carriers affect 13,936 beneficiaries in Colorado, including 3,832 in the Denver metro area" (Booth, 12/2).

3 Dec 2010

Debt panel proposals target health costs

A White House-appointed commission's deficit-taming proposals would affect every corner of society. Workers with solid coverage on the job, seniors, drug companies, trial lawyers, hospitals, doctors, state governments and federal employees would all feel the effects.

3 Dec 2010