Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Researchers find how angiotensin influences immune system

Researchers in Heidelberg and Stanford have discovered a new signalling pathway of brain cells that explains how widely used antihypertensive drugs could keep inflammation in multiple sclerosis in check. The peptide angiotensin not only raises blood pressure but also activates the immunological messenger substance TGF beta on a previously unknown communication pathway in the brain.

29 Jul 2010

Toxic chemicals contribute to chronic disease epidemic: Health care sector leaders

Health care sector leaders are urging Congress to move swiftly to pass chemical reform legislation, citing the measure as critical to public health protection. On the eve of tomorrow's hearing on the "Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010," a bill intended to overhaul the nation's chemical regulatory system, the sector is highlighting the link between preventing disease, containing costs, and reforming the law.

29 Jul 2010

WIREC Director testifies on the implementation of HITECH Act

Peggy Evans, PhD, CPHIT, Director of the Washington & Idaho Regional Extension Center testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee of Health, Tuesday, July 27, 2010, in Washington, DC. Dr. Evans joined David Blumenthal, MD, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and several others on two panels of witnesses.

29 Jul 2010

Clarient second-quarter net revenue increases 21% to $28.7 million

Clarient, Inc., a premier anatomic pathology and molecular testing services resource for pathologists, oncologists and the biopharmaceutical industry, today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010. Second quarter 2010 net revenue was $28.7 million, a 21 percent increase over the $23.7 million net revenue in the 2009 second quarter and a sequential increase of nearly eight percent over the $26.6 million in the first quarter of 2010.

29 Jul 2010

New training programs help ease serious staffing crisis in hospital laboratory

Imagine needing a critical test at your local hospital, but having to wait days to be tested because there was no laboratory professional available to run the tests. This scene seems unimaginable, but with the federal government estimating that nearly 140,000 new medical lab professionals are needed by 2012 and only 50,000 are expected to be trained on time, this scenario is a reality in some parts of the country. Some states, like California, are taking aggressive action to reverse this trend.

29 Jul 2010

MedTera, HealthPrize Technologies partner to help patients self-manage their diseases

MedTera, an integrated marketing solutions company dedicated to improving education, promotion and communications in the healthcare, life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, today announced its formal partnership with HealthPrize Technologies, a web-based software company that motivates people to fill and stay on prescription medications.

29 Jul 2010

Expanded Kindred Hospital Sacramento opened in Folsom, California

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. today announced the opening of the newly constructed and expanded Kindred Hospital Sacramento in Folsom, California, and the expansion of its Peoplefirst HomeCare and Hospice business in Boston, Massachusetts, and Denver, Colorado.

29 Jul 2010

Community Health Systems second-quarter net operating revenues increase 5.1% to $3.2 billion

Community Health Systems, Inc. today announced financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.

29 Jul 2010

IBM, UPMC partner to provide redesigned SmartRoom solution with service-oriented architecture

IBM and UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) are teaming up to bring "smarter" hospital rooms to patients nationwide. Created by UPMC three years ago to bring the right patient information to the bedside when it's needed, the high-tech "smart room" now features new capabilities, namely a system for automatically organizing and prioritizing the work of nurses and other caregivers. Under a new agreement, IBM will be the exclusive sales channel for the SmartRoom solution and will help to implement the technology for customers.

29 Jul 2010

Innovative campaign to increase awareness, use of female condom

The Washington AIDS Partnership today announced that the second phase of an innovative campaign to increase awareness and use of the female condom as a tool for HIV prevention will launch across the District this week.

29 Jul 2010

Chemed second-quarter consolidated revenues increase 6.7% to $315.0 million

Chemed Corporation, which operates VITAS Healthcare Corporation, the nation's largest provider of end-of-life care, and Roto-Rooter, the nation's largest commercial and residential plumbing and drain cleaning services provider, reported financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2010, versus the comparable prior-year period.

29 Jul 2010

China PharmaHub to close Merger Agreement with World Wide Relics in August 2010

China PharmaHub Corp., a pharmaceutical HUB between Chinese pharmaceutical companies and other pharmaceutical companies located worldwide, announced today that it has entered into a Merger Agreement with World Wide Relics, Inc.. The merger is expected to close in August 2010.

29 Jul 2010

Senate Subcommittee approves HHS funding bill, other health care bills readied

CongressDaily: The Senate Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee approved a draft funding bill Tuesday for HHS, "moving a bill that would provide $170 billion in discretionary spending to related federal agencies, nearly $1 billion under the president's request." The bill gives $732 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services, $306 million more than the administration requested. "The House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee gave the health agency a similar boost in funding."

29 Jul 2010

Odyssey Healthcare second-quarter net patient service revenue increases 3.5% to $176.2 million

Odyssey HealthCare, Inc., one of the largest providers of hospice care in the United States, today announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.

29 Jul 2010

Humana collaborates with HealthCompare to facilitate online health insurance

Humana, one of the nation's leading health and supplemental benefits companies, has entered into an arrangement with HealthCompare,a one-stop online guide to help individuals and families easily research, compare, buy and enroll in a health insurance plan at the right price. While this arrangement is new for Humana and HealthCompare, it builds on both organizations' efforts to help consumers make healthcare decisions with confidence and success.

29 Jul 2010

GOP continues call for health law repeal; Census releases uninsured data

The Washington Post: New census data reveal big differences among states in the rate of uninsured people under age 65. Massachusetts has the lowest rate, 7.8 percent, and Texas the highest, 26.8 percent. "The statistics are for 2007 and show health insurance coverage by state and for each of the country's roughly 3,140 counties. The numbers do not include the impact on millions of people who lost their jobs and health insurance after the recession began in December 2007."

29 Jul 2010

Cerner second-quarter revenue increases 13% to $456.0 million

Cerner Corporation today announced results for the 2010 second quarter that ended July 3, 2010, delivering strong levels of bookings, revenue, earnings and cash flow.

29 Jul 2010

Hospitals focus on forming ACOs, resolving insurer disputes

News outlets report on hospital issues, including forming accountable care organizations and disputes with insurers.

29 Jul 2010

Healthy healthcare competition saves lives

Competition among hospitals saves patients’ lives and decreases their overall length of stay in hospital, according to a new study involving researchers from the University of Bristol, who found there was no corresponding increase in overall expenditure.

29 Jul 2010

CompuMed signs agreement with Lincoln High School Learning Centers

CompuMed, Inc., a telemedicine and medical informatics company, has entered into an agreement with the San Diego Unified School District's Lincoln High School Learning Centers to provide CompuMed's CardioGramKids electrocardiogram telemedicine technologies and services to the four schools that comprise the Lincoln High Learning Centers: the Lincoln High Schools of Public Safety, Science & Engineering, Arts and Social Justice.

28 Jul 2010