Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Tips to get optimum healthcare coverage during economic downturn

The economic downturn is impacting the health of many people – not only by exacerbating conditions like hypertension, stress and fatigue, but also by causing some people to put off getting the health care they need.

3 Apr 2010

Dems tout savings from Medicare fraud crackdown, swindlers exploit health bill confusion

The Hill: "Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee are trying to make the case that the healthcare bill will strengthen Medicare and Medicaid by finding major savings through a crack down on fraud, waste and abuse."

3 Apr 2010

ApolloMed Hospitalists, Benchmark Hospitalists form strategic partnership

Apollo Medical Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of hospitalist services to the healthcare community, today announced that ApolloMed Hospitalists, one of its affiliated medical groups, has entered into a strategic partnership with Benchmark Hospitalists, a division of Emergent Medical Associates, to provide hospitalist services at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, a 434-bed acute care hospital.

3 Apr 2010

Mass. rejects insurers' rate hikes

Massachusetts regulators denied 235 of 274 requests by health insurance plans to raise premiums because officials view the hikes as excessive, The Boston Globe reports. "The rulings, following a review process set in motion by emergency regulations [Gov. Deval] Patrick filed in February, mark the first time the state has used its authority to turn down health premium increases."

3 Apr 2010

Young adults with hyperthyroidism face increase risk of stroke

Young adults with overactive thyroid face a 44 percent increased risk of stroke compared to those with normal thyroid function, according to a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

3 Apr 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

"Achieving the [Millennium Development Goal] MDG 4 target of reducing newborn and child mortality will require concerted efforts to scale up evidence-based interventions, especially community-based preventive and therapeutic strategies in primary care," according to a Lancet comment that reflects on the challenges associated with developing "the appropriate mix of strategies" to improve maternal health.

3 Apr 2010

Debate and skepticism over the healthcare reforms

A few years back a law that was meant to cover millions of elderly extending their prescription drug coverage backfired with many who could not access their medicines or were charged more all because of computer generated errors. Administration, industry and consumer groups are gearing up to prevent the same thing from happening after the healthcare bill became law last week.

2 Apr 2010

Merge Healthcare completes private placement of preferred and common stock

Merge Healthcare, a health IT solutions provider, announced today that it has completed a private placement of preferred and common stock totaling $41.75 million, which is specified for use in funding a portion of the proposed acquisition of AMICAS, Inc., a provider of medical imaging software and services.

2 Apr 2010

Controversial healthcare reform bill evaluated on 106.3FM

ABC7 and NBC5 cameras didn't miss a beat as fathers' rights attorney and guru Jeffery M. Leving and Congressman Danny K. Davis analyzed the historic healthcare bill on 106.3FM Sunday, March 28, 2010. Phones were ringing off the hook during Leving's Fathers' Rights Legal Show as the dynamic duo evaluated the controversial healthcare reform bill answering burning questions on every American's mind.

2 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 2, 2010

Today's headlines highlight President Obama's speech yesterday in Maine, during which he continued stumping for the new health reform law and urged patience as the measure kicks in.

2 Apr 2010

PIH to acquire DRMC, signs non-binding letter of intent

Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital (PIH) and Downey Regional Medical Center (DRMC) today announced they had each signed a non-binding letter of intent with plans to execute a definitive agreement calling for PIH's acquisition of DRMC. This will bring together two not-for-profit hospitals both with long standing histories of being dedicated to providing quality care to the communities they serve. The nonbinding letter of intent would allow for the continuation of a nonprofit hospital serving the greater Downey community.

2 Apr 2010

Pfizer shares details of financial relationships with U.S. healthcare professionals and researchers

Pfizer Inc. today released detailed information about how and why the company works with a range of healthcare professionals and researchers to advance patient care and develop lifesaving medicines. The information reflects payments or exchanges of value received by licensed U.S. healthcare professionals who consulted with Pfizer about the development and marketing of new medicines and helped to educate other healthcare professionals about the safe and appropriate use of its products.

2 Apr 2010

American Career College offers new training program in health IT

American Career College President Al Nederhood today announced that it will offer an Associate of Occupational Science Degree in Health Information Technology at its Anaheim campus beginning May 2010.

2 Apr 2010

Substantial number of older Americans need others to make decisions about end of life care

More than one in four elderly Americans lacked the capacity to make their own medical care decisions at the end of life, according to a study of 3,746 people to be published April 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Apr 2010

Wireless healthcare system could reduce treatment costs and improve quality of life for diabetic patients

Online communities could easily be used to offer people with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes , wireless healthcare services via mobile phones and the internet. The approach, outlined in the International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, would reduce healthcare costs and empower many patients to manage their condition more effectively.

2 Apr 2010

HealthPort offers money-back guarantee for EHR software

HealthPort, a top-25 company in the healthcare information technology industry, today announced that it is providing a money-back guarantee that its Electronic Health Record (EHR) software, HealthPort EHR, will meet certification requirements for Meaningful Use as set forth in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

2 Apr 2010

Stellaris Health Network announces expiry of contract with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield

Stellaris Health Network said today that its contract with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield expired at midnight March 31st ending a long-standing relationship with the prominent health insurance provider that is owned by WellPoint Inc., one of the nation's largest health insurance conglomerates. The expiration follows several months of unsuccessful efforts to reach a new agreement giving the hospitals reimbursement rates that are consistent with those being paid by other health insurers in the market.

2 Apr 2010

Strong demand leads to 5.1% growth in 2009 U.S. sales of ethical pharmaceuticals

IMS Health today reported 5.1 percent growth in 2009 U.S. sales of ethical pharmaceuticals and insulins through retail and non-retail channels, reaching $300.3 billion, compared with growth of 1.8 percent in 2008.

2 Apr 2010

UMDNJ-University Hospital among top five academic medical centers for heart failure treatment

Patients treated at UMDNJ-University Hospital for heart failure receive some of the best care in the nation, according to newly released rankings. The data, from the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), place the hospital among the top five academic medical centers in the nation for treating heart failure patients with recommended care. This care was measured in the areas of discharge instructions, appropriate prescriptions of heart failure medications at discharge, evaluation of left heart function, and adult smoking cessation advice/counseling.

2 Apr 2010

Capital Region Orthopaedics to implement Allscripts EHR and Practice Management solution

Allscripts today announced that Capital Region Orthopaedics has selected the Allscripts Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Practice Management solution to automate and connect 27 physicians in six locations across the Albany area.

2 Apr 2010