Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

White House predicts overhaul will save $8 billion for Medicare by the end of 2011

The White House says the new health law will save Medicare about $8 billion by the end of next year and $575 billion during the rest of the decade, according to a new report the Obama administration is releasing Monday, The Associated Press reports.

3 Aug 2010

Life insurance company introduces Productivity Solutions program for disability, healthcare management

Greater Georgia Life Insurance Company is pleased to introduce Productivity Solutions – an innovative program that integrates health care programs with short-term disability programs for employer groups with 51 or more employees. Productivity Solutions leverages all of the integration points across health, absence and disability management programs to help improve employee health and productivity, as well as the organization's bottom-line.

3 Aug 2010

New, improved ClinicTools now available

The new and improved ClinicTools is deployed. Physicians can send error-free prescriptions, including test orders, electronically. Pharmacies, labs and diagnostic centers can now register for free to increase their respective business. ClinicTools started out as simply an electronic medical record platform for healthcare providers.

3 Aug 2010

ArQule, Daiichi Sankyo announce decision to advance ARQ 197 into Phase 3 clinical trial for NSCLC

ArQule, Inc. and Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. today announced that they will move forward with a Phase 3 clinical trial of ARQ 197, a small molecule inhibitor of the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase, in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In connection with this decision, the sponsor company, Daiichi Sankyo, will file a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a trial comparing ARQ 197 plus erlotinib against erlotinib plus placebo.

3 Aug 2010

Enzo Clinical Labs appointed as participating laboratory in Empire BlueCross BlueShield provider network

Enzo Biochem Inc.'s wholly-owned subsidiary, Enzo Clinical Labs, Inc., and Empire BlueCross BlueShield, the largest health insurer in New York State, today jointly announced that effective August 1, 2010 Enzo Clinical Labs will be a participating laboratory in the Empire provider network for the metropolitan New York area.

3 Aug 2010

Free health clinic planned for D.C. area; University of Kansas to study Indian health; Ga. weighs health needs of older prisoners

In the run-up to this week's giant free clinic in the District, Nicole Lamoureux, the lead organizer, could tell that hearts were racing, blood pressure was increasing and tension was rising. Calls from patients scheduling appointments were starting to pour into her office, but there weren't enough volunteer medical workers to see them.

3 Aug 2010

Emerging Healthcare Solutions executes Term Sheet with Stand-By Systems

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. disclosed today that the Company has executed a Term Sheet with Stand-By Systems. The Term Sheet represents successful negotiations between the two companies just ahead of finalizing a Definitive Agreement. Stand-By Systems (SBS) owns the FDA approved SBS 1615 catalytic oxygen generator and associated systems. This cutting edge generator provides medical grade USP oxygen at the push of a button from self-contained inert dry compounds.

3 Aug 2010

$International study of more than 60,000 women highlights additional risk associated with fractures$

International study of more than 60,000 women highlights additional risk associated with fractures

Researchers seeking to understand the impact of osteoporosis and fractures on various aspects of health have found that women who had previous fractures experienced a significant reduction in health-related quality of life similar to or worse than that experienced by patients with diabetes, arthritis, lung disease and other chronic illnesses. This latest study from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW), which is based at the Center for Outcomes Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, was published online.

3 Aug 2010

GE, Intel enter joint venture to create new healthcare company

GE and Intel Corporation have announced the entry into a definitive agreement to form a 50/50 joint venture to create a new healthcare company focused on telehealth and independent living. The new company will be formed by combining assets of GE Healthcare's Home Health division and Intel's Digital Health Group, and will be owned equally by GE and Intel. Pending regulatory and other customary closing conditions, the joint venture is expected to become operational by the end of the year. Financial terms were not disclosed.

3 Aug 2010

VIVUS second-quarter total revenue decreases to $3.9 million

VIVUS, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic products, today reported its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010.

3 Aug 2010

Vanguard signs definitive agreement to acquire Arizona Heart Institute

Vanguard Health Systems and Arizona Heart Institute (AHI) announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement for Vanguard to acquire Arizona Heart Institute, one of the world's leading providers of cardiovascular care. Through this agreement, AHI will align with Abrazo Health Care, a Phoenix-based subsidiary of Vanguard, to become part of its distributive cardiovascular network of community-based physicians, providing future opportunities to greatly expand cardiovascular services and patient base throughout the region.

3 Aug 2010

BioMarin reports $0.5 million GAAP net loss for second-quarter 2010

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2010. GAAP net loss was $0.5 million ($0.01 per diluted share) for the second quarter of 2010, compared to GAAP net income of $1.3 million ($0.01 per diluted share) for the second quarter of 2009. Non-GAAP net income was $8.6 million ($0.08 per diluted share) for the second quarter of 2010, compared to non-GAAP net income of $9.0 million ($0.09 per diluted share) for the second quarter of 2009.

3 Aug 2010

Percutaneous heart valve replacement may be an alternative for open heart surgery

A newer, less invasive method of heart valve replacement shows promise and may be appropriate for patients who cannot tolerate traditional open heart surgery, but research is needed to understand its potential risks and benefits, according to a new study funded by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

3 Aug 2010

Doctor discounts for the asking

Reporting for Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with the Los Angeles Times, Lisa Zamosky writes: "Looking to save money on healthcare? Consider asking your doctor for a discount.

3 Aug 2010

Allergan second-quarter diluted EPS increases to $0.78

Allergan, Inc. today announced operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. Allergan also announced that its Board of Directors has declared a second quarter dividend of $0.05 per share, payable on September 7, 2010 to stockholders of record on August 17, 2010.

3 Aug 2010

MBF announces sale of MSD to Water Street Healthcare Partners

MBF Healthcare Partners, L.P., a middle market healthcare focused private equity firm, announced it has sold Medical Specialties Distributors, LLC, to private equity firm Water Street Healthcare Partners.

2 Aug 2010

VHGI Holdings' Medical Office Software sold to a private company

VHGI Holdings, Inc. announced today that it has sold the assets of its medical practice management subsidiary, Medical Office Software, Inc., to a private company for a purchase price of between $1,200,000 - $1,300,000 and a warrant to purchase 1% of the common stock in the new company.

2 Aug 2010

XACP invests $4M in $6.1M Series B financing for Health Market Science

Cross Atlantic Capital Partners announced today that it invested $4 million in a $6.1 million Series B financing for Health Market Science, a leading data and analytics provider for the healthcare industry. Cross Atlantic led the round with follow-on investments from other institutional investors, including Edison Venture Fund.

2 Aug 2010

Lakeview Health System selects Lawson Software's multiple enterprise software solutions

Lawson Software today announced that Lakeview Health System has selected multiple enterprise software solutions, including Lawson Enterprise Financial Management, Supply Chain Management, Contract Management, and Budgeting and Planning suites. It also selected Lawson Time & Attendance and Scheduling modules as well as Lawson Business Intelligence.

2 Aug 2010

ARO uses Elekta VMAT system for prostate cancer patients

In the expansive region of Australasia—which includes Australia, New Zealand and neighboring islands—Auckland Radiation Oncology Centre is the first to use Elekta VMAT, treating a patient with prostate cancer using a single 100-second arc of radiation. Such rapid treatments change the entire therapy experience for these patients, who have had to remain completely still for seven minutes during radiation delivery for each of 37 to 39 separate treatment sessions or "fractions."

From Elekta 2 Aug 2010