Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Quidel receives FDA clearance for QuickVue RSV 10 immunoassay test

Quidel Corporation, a leading provider of rapid diagnostic testing solutions, announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the sale of its QuickVue RSV 10, a lateral flow immunoassay test for the qualitative detection of acute respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.

29 Sep 2010

Inability to access EMRs at time of need a prime concern among patients

As the healthcare industry rushes to implement electronic medical records (EMRs) in order to increase efficiency and prevent errors, data shows that less than 1 in 10 Americans utilize electronic records. However, when asked about their primary concerns regarding medical records, patients' top response is that they won't be able to access their records when they need them.

29 Sep 2010

Patients' right to be involved in own medical care

Twelve years ago, then 28-year-old graduate student Brian Zikmund-Fisher was forced into the toughest choice of his life: Die from a blood disorder within a few years or endure a bone marrow transplant that could cure him or kill him in weeks.

29 Sep 2010

Researchers identify gene activator that allows stem cells to transform any type of cell

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. was energized Monday by news that researchers in North Carolina may have identified the gene activator that allows stem cells to reproduce and become any type of cell in the body.

29 Sep 2010

Lawsuit seeks to stop Blue Cross from limiting provider networks and restricting members' access to health care

A lawsuit filed against Anthem Blue Cross, on behalf of thousands of California doctors, is asking the court to stop Blue Cross from limiting their provider networks and restricting plan members' access to health care, solely for the sake of increasing profits. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin Blue Cross from preventing any physician who is willing to accept the terms of Blue Cross contracts, and meets Blue Cross' eligibility criteria, from becoming a Blue Cross provider.

29 Sep 2010

AMIA calls out specific challenges to proposed modifications to HIPAA Privacy and Enforcement Rules

In comments sent to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association) called out 10 specific challenges to proposed modifications to HIPAA Privacy and Enforcement Rules. AMIA's comments, sent on behalf of its membership of 4,000 informatics professionals, detail key issues of concern related to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on HIPAA modifications, along with suggestions for models of change.

29 Sep 2010

Inefficiencies in treatment of chronic pain increases healthcare costs and prolongs patient suffering

A new report launched today in the European Parliament shows inefficiencies in the treatment of chronic pain result in increasing healthcare costs and prolonged patient suffering.

29 Sep 2010

Canadians living with depression significantly underestimate others' perceptions about illness

A new national survey reveals a vast gap between how Canadians living with depression view their condition, compared to how it is viewed in reality by the general population, possibly preventing them from seeking the best treatment and care. Most Canadians with depression feel their illness is not perceived by the public as a medical condition or a serious illness (81 per cent) when in fact less than five per cent of the general population actually has that view. In fact, the majority of Canadians (72 per cent) recognize depression as both serious and treatable.

29 Sep 2010

Some Democrats, including Reid, embrace health law as fall campaign battles continue

Politico: Some House Democrats are touting the new health law — and their support of it — as a positive in their fights to keep their seats in midterm elections this fall. The Democrats are "framing key provisions as a 'Patient's Bill of Rights.' Spurred by last week's release of a series of rigid insurance rules, the lawmakers are defying this election season's conventional wisdom placing by health care front and center." Among them are Reps. Dina Titus and Shelley Berkley or Nevada.

29 Sep 2010

HHS Secretary announces $320M ACA grants to strengthen health care workforce

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced $320 million in grants under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to strengthen the health care workforce. Of those grants, $253 million will go to improve and expand the primary care workforce under the Prevention and Public Health Fund of the Affordable Care Act.

29 Sep 2010

Most men unaware of breast cancer risk

A study, published in the October issue of the American Journal of Nursing (AJN), revealed that nearly 80% of men are unaware of their breast cancer risk despite having a family history of the disease. One hundred percent of respondents also reported that their healthcare provider did not discuss the disease with them.

29 Sep 2010

Mayo Clinic Center forms Social Media Health Network to promote healthcare

The recently formed Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media today announced the formation of the Social Media Health Network, a group dedicated to using social media to promote health, improve health care and fight disease.

29 Sep 2010

HHS announces grants to help seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers navigate long term care options

Modern Healthcare: As part of the new health law, HHS is distributing $68 million in grants "to help people navigate their health and long-term-care options. The grants will be going to states, territories, tribal and community-based organizations to help seniors, individuals with disabilities and caregivers make more-informed decisions about their health and long-term care.

29 Sep 2010

Enzi targets HHS regulations, House will consider medical debt relief legislation

CongressDaily reports that Senate Republicans are trying to stop the health care law "one rule at a time." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to table the resolution from Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., regarding the law's "grandfathering" rule, "which allows plans that existed before March 23, 2010 — the date the healthcare law was signed — to be exempt from certain consumer protections enacted in the law, as long as plans do not significantly reduce benefits or raise consumer costs.

29 Sep 2010

GAO, Senate question role of hospital supplies middlemen

Group Purchasing Organizations, "which effectively act as middlemen between hospitals, suppliers and vendors," received mixed reports from the Government Accountability Office and the Senate Finance Committee, CongressDaily reports. "Many GPOs are paid through fees from manufacturers and vendors rather than by hospitals directly. As a result, the industry has enjoyed a special safe harbor from anti-kickback laws.

29 Sep 2010

News outlets examine what you should know about new health law provisions

USA Today, on how the new health law has started helping consumers: "Provisions of the health care reform law that took effect Sept. 23 prohibit some of the industry's most controversial practices." Insurers must now cover children with pre-existing conditions and cover preventive care for everyone.

29 Sep 2010

Study: Employees will pay more for health insurance in 2011

Companies' health costs will rise about 9 percent on average next year as a result of the aging workforce, growing medical costs and health law-related changes, and employees can expect to pick up an ever-growing share, the Los Angeles Times reports. Human resources consultant Hewitt's survey of 350 medium to large firms found companies "will spend $9,821 per employee on average for insurance next year, up from $9,028 this year — an 8.8% increase and more than double what they paid in 2001."

29 Sep 2010

Medicare Advantage plans draw attention

The Boston Globe: "Harvard Pilgrim Health Care has notified customers that it will drop its Medicare Advantage health insurance program at the end of the year, forcing 22,000 senior citizens in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine to seek alternative supplemental coverage." The reason is that federal reimbursements for such plans have been frozen, and Harvard's particular Advantage product, a private fee-for-service plan, would have to develop a network of contracted providers for the first time under the new rules (Weisman, 9/28).

29 Sep 2010

Saudi FDA approves Apligraf for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, chronic wounds

Organogenesis, Inc. announced that its Apligraf® bilayered living cellular construct has been approved for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers and other chronic wounds by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Apligraf is a living cell based product used by physicians to heal chronic wounds in patients in the U.S. and around the world.

29 Sep 2010

Hypertension drug market to decline by $3 billion in 2019: Decision Resources

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues finds that, owing to increasing generic availability of antihypertensive agents, the hypertension drug market will decline from $26 billion in 2009 to $23 billion in 2019 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Japan.

29 Sep 2010

Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Quidel receives FDA clearance for QuickVue RSV 10 immunoassay test

Inability to access EMRs at time of need a prime concern among patients

Patients' right to be involved in own medical care

Researchers identify gene activator that allows stem cells to transform any type of cell

Lawsuit seeks to stop Blue Cross from limiting provider networks and restricting members' access to health care

AMIA calls out specific challenges to proposed modifications to HIPAA Privacy and Enforcement Rules

Inefficiencies in treatment of chronic pain increases healthcare costs and prolongs patient suffering

Canadians living with depression significantly underestimate others' perceptions about illness

Some Democrats, including Reid, embrace health law as fall campaign battles continue

HHS Secretary announces $320M ACA grants to strengthen health care workforce

Most men unaware of breast cancer risk

Mayo Clinic Center forms Social Media Health Network to promote healthcare

HHS announces grants to help seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers navigate long term care options

Enzi targets HHS regulations, House will consider medical debt relief legislation

GAO, Senate question role of hospital supplies middlemen

News outlets examine what you should know about new health law provisions

Study: Employees will pay more for health insurance in 2011

Medicare Advantage plans draw attention

Saudi FDA approves Apligraf for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, chronic wounds

Hypertension drug market to decline by $3 billion in 2019: Decision Resources

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Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

PhD researcher at LifeArc

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

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