Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Health reform law update: State lawsuits, implementation efforts attract attention

Today, 20 states and the National Federation of Independent Business are planning "to file their response to the government's attempt to dismiss their lawsuit challenging President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The Justice Department in June asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the U.S. District Court in Pensacola lacks subject-matter jurisdiction over some of the lawsuit's claims. ... A key issue raised by their lawsuit is whether the federal government can require individuals to purchase health care insurance and fine those who don't" (Kay, 8/6).

7 Aug 2010

Arena Pharmaceuticals to sell common stock shares to Deerfield Management

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has agreed to sell a total of 8,955,224 shares of its common stock, at a price of $6.70 per share, in a registered direct public offering to entities affiliated with Deerfield Management, a healthcare investment organization. Arena expects to receive gross proceeds, before expenses, of approximately $60 million. The closing of the offering is expected to take place on or before August 10, 2010.

7 Aug 2010

Upbeat Medicare solvency report quickly finds doubters

The new health law will buttress Medicare for a dozen more years than previously expected, according a report issued Thursday by the program's trustees, The Washington Post reports. But, "[t]he relatively bright picture of Medicare's future triggered immediate debate over whether the forecast by the trustees, all members of President Obama's Cabinet, is realistic.

7 Aug 2010

AMA says most doctors at some point face malpractice lawsuits

MedPage Today/ABC News: According to a new survey by the American Medical Association, more than 60 percent of doctors older than 55 have been sued for medical malpractice. "Although most of those claims are dropped or dismissed, the new survey from the AMA shows that most physicians will be sued for malpractice at some point in their careers.

7 Aug 2010

Medtronic completes enrollment in Complete SE vascular stent superficial femoral artery clinical study

With an expanded focus on addressing peripheral arterial disease (PAD), Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), today announced that it has completed enrollment in a clinical trial of the company's Complete SE (self-expanding) vascular stent for the treatment of atherosclerosis in the superficial femoral artery (SFA), including the proximal popliteal artery (PPA), which runs under the skin of the thigh.

7 Aug 2010

Private firms take up torch of health IT push

Health insurance companies, doctors' professional associations and provider organizations are taking efforts to move hospitals and physicians towards 'meaningful use' of information technology into their own hands, The Hill reports.

7 Aug 2010

Obama Administration awards $159.1 million in grants for nurses, geriatric care workers

"The grants, which include new and continuing funding, build on multimillion dollar investments called for under the new health-care overhaul law in order to address a growing shortage of primary care workers." A 2008 report by the Council on Physician and Nurse Supply said schools would need to produce 30,000 nurses annually to offset the shortfall and the looming mass retirement of nurses, 45 percent of whom are 50 or older" (Aizenman, 8/5).

7 Aug 2010

Blue Cross of Massachusetts agrees to reduce dramatic rate increases

In Massachusetts, the state's largest health insurer has agreed to reduce dramatic rate increases for individuals and small businesses.

7 Aug 2010

Health reform provisions on abortion, IRS reporting requirements stirring up Capitol Hill

The Hill reports that Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, introduced legislation Thursday "designed to eliminate a controversial provision of the Democrats' new healthcare reform law that allows subsidized plans to offer abortion coverage if patients pay separately, and with their own money, for that portion of the coverage.

7 Aug 2010

College of Nursing awarded $753,817 grant to provide education in nursing leadership

The University of Colorado College of Nursing has been awarded a $753,817 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, to prepare advanced practice nurses with the expertise to provide leadership for high quality healthcare in rural and medically underserved urban areas.

7 Aug 2010

BCF publishes two new patient publications

The Bone and Cancer Foundation is announcing the publishing of two new patient publications on Pain Management and Physical Therapy and other Rehabilitation Therapies. Other publication topics include: Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Lung Cancer, Osteonecrosis of the Jaw, Vitamin D, Surgery, Myeloma and Osteosarcoma.

7 Aug 2010

S-ICD subcutaneous implantable defibrillator restores normal heartbeat in high risk cardiac arrest

Scottsdale Healthcare is the only Arizona hospital system testing a new under-the-skin device that uses an electrical shock to interrupt possibly fatal heart rhythms, restoring a normal heartbeat for patients at high risk of sudden cardiac arrest.The first Arizona patient received the device Thursday at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center. Scottsdale Healthcare is the only Phoenix area hospital and one of only 35 in the world participating in the study.

7 Aug 2010

Today's OpEds: Reform battles, state challenges to law loom over elections

In its rush to blunt public opposition to the newly enacted health reform law, the Obama administration is on a collision course with Republicans as the November midterm elections loom. On behalf of his reform agenda, President Barack Obama in recent weeks bypassed the Senate to make a "recess" appointment of a new Medicare and Medicaid administrator, Donald Berwick, while Congress was adjourned for the Independence Day holiday.

7 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 6, 2010

In today's health policy headlines, news reports about the Senate's passage of a state aid package that includes an extension of Medicaid enhanced funding, and the latest report from the Medicare Trustees.

6 Aug 2010

IBM-Aetna partnership launches clinical support collaboration

IBM and Aetna have teamed up to create a service that will analyze patient medical records, claims data, lab results and other information to determine the best treatments, Reuters reports.

6 Aug 2010

ViroPharma announces data on safety, efficacy of Cinryze to treat acute angioedema attacks

ViroPharma Incorporated today announced that data from Phase 3 studies of Cinryze (C1 esterase inhibitor [human]) have been published in the August 5, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The paper entitled Nanofiltered C1 Inhibitor Concentrate for Treatment of Hereditary Angioedema by Dr. Bruce L. Zuraw et al. describes the safety and efficacy of Cinryze in treating and preventing attacks of hereditary angioedema. Cinryze is the first and only FDA-approved C1 esterase inhibitor therapy indicated for routine prophylaxis against angioedema attacks in adolescent and adult patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE), a rare, debilitating and potentially fatal disease; it is not approved by the FDA to treat acute angioedema attacks.

6 Aug 2010

Norwegian cervical screening program begins reimbursing for liquid-based cytology

Hologic, Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics products, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced that on July 1, 2010, the Norwegian cervical screening program began reimbursing for liquid-based cytology (LBC).

6 Aug 2010

Search for meaning in Missouri's rejection of health law provision

Republicans are holding up a Missouri ballot measure, which voters approved with 71% support, to reject a key health overhaul provision as evidence that the public does not like the law, The Washington Post reports.

6 Aug 2010

Knapp Medical Center improves hospital's clinical performance with QualityConnect's QualityAdvisor program

Knapp Medical Center of Weslaco, Texas, saved $2.8 million in one year using the Premier healthcare alliance's QualityConnect™ performance improvement program.

6 Aug 2010

Death rates of patients who have heart bypass surgery drop: AHRQ

The proportion of patients who died in the hospital after having heart bypass surgery fell from 42 deaths per 1,000 admissions for the procedure to 24 per 1,000 - a rate of 43 percent between 2000 and 2006, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

6 Aug 2010

Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Health reform law update: State lawsuits, implementation efforts attract attention

Arena Pharmaceuticals to sell common stock shares to Deerfield Management

Upbeat Medicare solvency report quickly finds doubters

AMA says most doctors at some point face malpractice lawsuits

Medtronic completes enrollment in Complete SE vascular stent superficial femoral artery clinical study

Private firms take up torch of health IT push

Obama Administration awards $159.1 million in grants for nurses, geriatric care workers

Blue Cross of Massachusetts agrees to reduce dramatic rate increases

Health reform provisions on abortion, IRS reporting requirements stirring up Capitol Hill

College of Nursing awarded $753,817 grant to provide education in nursing leadership

BCF publishes two new patient publications

S-ICD subcutaneous implantable defibrillator restores normal heartbeat in high risk cardiac arrest

Today's OpEds: Reform battles, state challenges to law loom over elections

First Edition: August 6, 2010

IBM-Aetna partnership launches clinical support collaboration

ViroPharma announces data on safety, efficacy of Cinryze to treat acute angioedema attacks

Norwegian cervical screening program begins reimbursing for liquid-based cytology

Search for meaning in Missouri's rejection of health law provision

Knapp Medical Center improves hospital's clinical performance with QualityConnect's QualityAdvisor program

Death rates of patients who have heart bypass surgery drop: AHRQ

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

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

Newsletters you may be interested in