Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Pay-For-Performance program to improve quality of patient care

The ATS has released an official policy statement of pay-for-performance (P4P) in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. In the statement, the Society encourages clinicians in these fields to participate in P4P programs and views them as an opportunity to partner with healthcare payors, accrediting organizations, governmental oversight groups and others to improve quality, rather than as a threat to autonomy and independence.

25 Mar 2010

UNAIDS Executive Director calls for 'serious attention to TB' on World TB Day

In a statement marking World Tuberculosis Day, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe "warned Wednesday that double infections of HIV and TB could become the next new epidemic," the Associated Press reports. Sidibe said, "I'm calling for serious attention to TB, and serious attention to TB-HIV co-infection" (Corder, 3/24).

25 Mar 2010

Payers can improve risk-sharing approaches for expensive therapies and technology

Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of scientific information and analytics to the pharmaceutical and biotech fields, announced today that it has published the collective recommendations of an international team of healthcare experts on how payers can improve their risk-sharing approaches for expensive new therapies and technology.

25 Mar 2010

Alzheimer's Foundation of America applauds dementia-related provisions in health reform law

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) is extremely pleased that the historic health reform signed into law by President Obama late this morning, after passing the U.S. House of Representatives on Sunday and the U.S. Senate in December, includes a number of provisions that are especially significant for AFA's constituents—and bode well for improving quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and their family caregivers. In particular, we are grateful that the final action addresses many of the practical and financial needs faced daily by this population, speaks to preventative issues and bolsters training of dementia care professionals.

25 Mar 2010

Women from poor backgrounds have worse breast cancer outcomes

The largest study in Europe to look at the link between socioeconomic status and survival after breast cancer has found that women from poorer backgrounds have worse outcomes and that this is only partly explained by more advanced cancer at diagnosis.

25 Mar 2010

Changing drug therapy can help breast cancer patients get full benefit of Tamoxifen

Recently published research has shown that some breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen may not be getting the full benefit of their treatment because they have also been taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), prescribed drugs that inhibit the effect of an important enzyme. Now researchers have developed a strategy for overcoming this problem, the seventh European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC7) in Barcelona will hear today (Wednesday).

25 Mar 2010

SCOLR Pharma's total revenue dips 2% in 2009, but significant improvements in operating expenses

SCOLR Pharma, Inc. today reported financial results for the twelve months ended December 31, 2009. The Company will host a live conference call on March 31, 2010, at 11:30 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time).

25 Mar 2010

Canadian Diabetes Association launches new tools to help optimize diabetes care

Today the Canadian Diabetes Association launched new tools for people living with diabetes and healthcare practitioners to help optimize diabetes care across the country.

25 Mar 2010

Industry continues to give thumbs up to overhaul

On Tuesday, "[p]rovider groups hailed the president's historic signing of the Senate's healthcare reform bill, which seeks to overhaul the healthcare system through the establishment of a new insurance marketplace, expansions to Medicaid and various insurance reforms," Modern Healthcare reports.

25 Mar 2010

China set to dominate prescription drug markets

New reports indicate that prescription drug sales in emerging markets will grow quickly, especially in the hugely influential market of China. In fact, China's pharmaceutical market continues to expand its dominance and clout at an astonishing rate.

25 Mar 2010

GOP plans post-health reform strategy

"Over the past six months, Republicans used the White House push for a health care overhaul as a way to build grass-roots energy and rebuild enthusiasm among activists demoralized by the Democratic sweep back in 2008. While the effort to kill the health care bill ended in defeat for the GOP, conservatives say the issue has lost none of its power to motivate the opposition to the White House in this midterm election year and beyond"

25 Mar 2010

Democrats expect to end debate early on health reconciliation bill

Senate Democratic leaders are trying to end the debate on a bill that "fixes" the health overhaul law that President Barack Obama signed Tuesday. Once the debate ends, the Senate is expected to begin voting on a number of Republican amendments, The New York Times reports.

24 Mar 2010

AHS expands multi-specialty billing solutions by acquiring AHP Billing Services

AdvantEdge Healthcare Solutions, one of the nation’s leading providers of medical billing and practice management services, today announced that it has acquired AHP Billing Services, Inc., a former division of Anodyne Health.

24 Mar 2010

Advanced Mobility gets ISO certification

Advanced Mobility, a leader in design, manufacturing and renovation of custom mobile medical trailers and other specialty vehicles/shelters, announced that their facility in Monee, IL has passed the ISO audits and has met the rigorous certification for the ISO 9001:2008 quality standard.

24 Mar 2010

New Motion Traxx iPhone App for fitness activities

Wizzard Media, announced the availability today of the Motion Traxx iPhone App in the App Store. Following the success of the Motion Traxx podcast, downloaded over 2 million times in its first year and currently ranked 7th in the iTunes podcast Health category and 138th of all podcasts in iTunes, the Motion Traxx iPhone App is a powerful motivator for exercise and makes meeting fitness goals easier.

24 Mar 2010

Clinicians can help pregnant women in making lifestyle changes for healthy weight gain

A new study from UCSF shows that prenatal health care professionals are concerned about patients' excessive weight gain during pregnancy but have difficulty providing effective counseling.

24 Mar 2010

Abbott/Eisai's Humira termed as most efficacious therapy for psoriasis

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that surveyed dermatologists view Abbott/Eisai's Humira as the most efficacious therapy for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. Thirty-two percent of surveyed dermatologists selected Humira as the most efficacious, followed by Centocor Ortho Biotech/Merck/Mitsubishi Tanabe's Remicade. The current sales leader Amgen/Pfizer/Takeda's Enbrel was selected as the most efficacious therapy by only 23 percent of dermatologists surveyed.

24 Mar 2010

Unions take hard look at lawmakers who voted against health bill while tea party is promising to fight on

Roll Call: "Industry groups, labor unions and other stakeholders in health care reform offered up their parting shots on Monday, airing lingering grievances with the historic legislation or praising a bill that, after more than a year of tussling, now awaits President Barack Obama's signature.

24 Mar 2010

The Children's Aid Society applauds healthcare reform bill

The following is a statement by Richard R. Buery, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, The Children's Aid Society: "This morning when President Obama signed the historic Affordable Health Care for America Act, he took great strides towards improving the health of all children in the U.S.

24 Mar 2010

Bone stem cells could become a part of new, innovative hip replacement treatment

Bone stem cells could in future be used instead of bone from donors as part of an innovative new hip replacement treatment, according to scientists at the University of Southampton.

24 Mar 2010