Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

MedQuist, AMI partner to provide CAC within CodeRunner coding workflow platform

MedQuist Inc., a leading provider of technology-enabled clinical documentation services, has announced an agreement with healthcare informatics software developer Artificial Medical Intelligence Inc. (AMI) to provide computer-assisted coding (CAC) within MedQuist's CodeRunner™ coding workflow platform.

2 Apr 2010

States examine how they may be impacted by reform, Medicaid expansion

Kaiser Health News: "Starting today, states can choose to take the first steps toward the massive expansion of insurance coverage that is the health overhaul's chief goal. And for some states, that move could have the benefit of reviving funding for state-run programs that insure low-income adults. As of April 1, states can apply for federal funding to expand their Medicaid programs to cover low-income people earning up to 133 percent of the poverty level, or $14,404 for an individual and $29,326.50 for a family of four.

2 Apr 2010

Opinion: Job development for Haiti; NTDs in Africa; U.S. investment in TB

"Even before the earthquake, the Haitian economy was already on shaky ground. There is 70 to 80 percent unemployment in the formal economy. ... U.S. policy helped build this disastrous economy," AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker writes in a Miami Herald opinion piece. Baker says previous employment efforts in Haiti resulted in "stop-gap jobs," which do not provide "employment stability or social protections."

2 Apr 2010

Biotech reports record financial results for 2010 first quarter

Biotech racked up impressive gains for both the month of March and the first quarter of 2010. The Burrill Biotech Select Index posted a 3.7 percent jump in value in March and an 8 percent overall gain for Q1 '10.

2 Apr 2010

Pfizer discloses $35 million in payments to doctors, hospitals for research and promotion

Pfizer, the largest drug maker in the world, disclosed 35 million in payments during the second half of 2009 to doctors who consulted or spoke on behalf of drugs and to the medical centers that tested them, The New York Times reports. This is Pfizer's first disclosure of this nature. "While other pharmaceutical companies have disclosed payments to doctors, Pfizer is the first to disclose payments for the clinical trials. The disclosure does not include payments outside the United States" (Wilson, 3/31).

2 Apr 2010

Democrats, Republicans vie to claim public opinion about health reform

USA Today: "A week after Congress passed President Obama's 10-year, $938 billion health care plan, lawmakers from both parties are spending their spring break trying to turn the historic legislation to their political advantage. At stake are the large majorities Democrats have built up over the past two elections, including a 76-vote margin in the House and an 18-vote cushion in the Senate."

2 Apr 2010

Schering-Plough HealthCare Products commences promotion of ZEGERID OTC in North America

Santarus, Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc., the consumer healthcare subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., has commenced promotion of ZEGERID OTC™ (omeprazole 20 mg/sodium bicarbonate 1100 mg capsules) under its licensing agreement with Santarus for the over-the-counter (OTC) market in North America. The OTC heartburn market in the U.S. is estimated at approximately $1.8 billion based on data from market research firm Information Resources, Inc. and Santarus estimates.

2 Apr 2010

Young athletes overuse their bodies and strike out too early

Today, leaders in healthcare, wellness, safety and fitness came together to launch the STOP Sports Injuries campaign. The campaign will educate athletes, parents, trainers, coaches and healthcare providers about the rapid increase in youth sports injuries, the necessary steps to help reverse the trend and the need to keep young athletes healthy.

1 Apr 2010

Short of cash before Easter? Error in payment of Queensland Healthcare staff

In one of the largest pay hitches of its kind in the recent years, the Queensland government has been forced to apologize for shortchanging thousands of doctors and nurses. Due to a recent new system of pay there has been an error in payment with several complaints from the injured parties. With the Easter break round the corner many are frazzled with the error.

1 Apr 2010

Florida AIDS Walk 2010: Thousands help raise over $460,000

Thousands of dedicated individuals from across the state helped raise nearly half a million dollars for crucial lifesaving HIV/AIDS services in South Florida on Sunday March 28th by joining together to participate in the lively Florida AIDS Walk 2010. The Walk, which started and ended at Huizenga Plaza in Ft. Lauderdale, was a 10k walk (optional 5k) fundraiser to raise awareness about and help reverse the continuing epidemic of HIV/AIDS in South Florida.

1 Apr 2010

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics files Annual Report with Securities and Exchange Commission for 2009

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics announced today that it has filed its Annual Report with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the period ended December 31, 2009 on Form 10-K.

1 Apr 2010

Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Ferring Pharmaceuticals sign co-promotion agreement for Zipsor

Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an integrated specialty pharmaceutical company with both development and commercial capabilities focused on women's healthcare and pain management, today announced that it has signed a co-promotion agreement for Zipsor™ (diclofenac potassium) Liquid Filled Capsules with Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., a global bio-pharmaceutical company, headquartered in Switzerland.

1 Apr 2010

Health IT developments piggyback on health laws, FCC plan

The health overhaul and other recent laws and proposals will have a broad impact on the health IT world.

1 Apr 2010

Leaders join forces to help young athletes play safe and stay healthy

1 Apr 2010

BancorpSouth Insurance chooses Medical Management Analytics solution from MedeAnalytics

MedeAnalytics, a leading provider of healthcare performance management solutions, announced that BancorpSouth Insurance, based in Tupelo, Miss., has selected MedeAnalytics' Medical Management Analytics solution. The agreement, which also includes Pharmacy Analytics and Employer Group Reporting Analytics, enables BancorpSouth Insurance to better control costs for employee benefit clients.

1 Apr 2010

Patient-safety incidents: 10% died

Nearly one million patient-safety incidents occurred among Medicare patients over the years 2006, 2007, 2008, a figure virtually unchanged since last year's annual study of patient safety by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. In all, the incidents were associated with $8.9 billion in costs. One in ten patients -- 99,180 individuals -- experiencing a patient-safety incident died as a result, the study found.

1 Apr 2010

Hybrid concierge practice models stress prevention and wellness

The nation's leading provider of hybrid concierge medicine, Concierge Choice Physicians, sees historic opportunities for patients and physicians under the recently enacted healthcare law. Hybrid concierge practice models emphasize prevention and wellness and give physicians a way to offer a concierge option while continuing to care for all of their patients.

1 Apr 2010

UC Irvine Healthcare's heart failure program earns the Gold Seal of Approval

UC Irvine Healthcare's heart failure program and Stroke & Cerebrovascular Center have again earned the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission, healthcare's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body.

1 Apr 2010

Binge eating: Helping to stop binging while saving money

A new study finds that a self-guided, 12-week program helps binge eaters stop binging for up to a year and the program can also save money for those who participate. Recurrent binge eating is the most common eating disorder in the country, affecting more than three percent of the population, or nine million people, yet few treatment options are available.

1 Apr 2010

Medical Connections Holdings anticipates revenues in excess of $65MM following Trustaff Management acquisition

Medical Connections Holdings, Inc., one of the nation's fastest growing healthcare staffing companies specializing in allied health, nurse and physician staffing and recruiting services, commented today on the attributes of its pending acquisition of Trustaff Management, Inc.

1 Apr 2010