Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

EEG patterns can predict schizophrenia patients' response to clozapine therapy

A commonplace electroencephalography (EEG) test may hold the key to predicting whether a person will respond to certain prescribed drugs, particularly those related to psychiatric conditions.In a study to be published by Clinical Neurophysiology, and now posted online, engineering and health sciences researchers at McMaster University applied machine learning to EEG patterns and successfully predicted how patients with schizophrenia would respond to clozapine therapy.

5 Aug 2010

Florida orders company to stop selling unauthorized health insurance

The Association for Independent Managers may have already sold 1,800 unauthorized policies in Florida that "could leave Floridians who buy the coverage without insurance when they need medical care," The Miami Herald reports. "The Department of Financial Services has received complaints from about 100 consumers involving 49 agents selling health benefits provided by AIM" (Shah, 8/3).

5 Aug 2010

Andy Griffith Medicare ad prompts showdown with GOP

Veteran television star Andy Griffith appeared in a new commercial for Medicare that promotes health law changes the administration says should help seniors, such as free wellness visits and lower drug costs, U.S. News & World Report writes. "The commercial, launched on the 45th anniversary of Medicare last week, is part of a public education campaign about changes to Medicare benefits. Retirees' knowledge about the health reform law's impact on Medicare remains mixed.

5 Aug 2010

Triple-S Management second-quarter total consolidated operating revenues up 8.2%

Triple-S Management Corporation, the largest managed care company in Puerto Rico, today announced consolidated revenues of $522.7 million and operating income of $26.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010. Net income of $15.1 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, includes an after tax net loss of $4.5 million, or $0.16 per share, related to net realized and unrealized losses on investments and derivatives.

4 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 4, 2010

Today's health policy headlines include reports about yesterday's Missouri vote on a ballot measure to challenge the health reform law and the latest on today's likely Senate consideration of Medicaid assistance for states.

4 Aug 2010

Par Pharmaceutical second-quarter total net revenues decrease 37% to $255.5 million

Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

4 Aug 2010

AMA selects NextGen Ambulatory EHR and Practice Management for new online platform

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. and a leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, today announced an agreement with the American Medical Association (AMA), the nation's largest physician organization, to offer physicians NextGen® Ambulatory EHR and NextGen® Practice Management on a new AMA online platform.

4 Aug 2010

TSO3 second-quarter net loss decreases to $1.9 million

TSO3 Inc. an innovator in sterilization technology for medical devices in healthcare settings using ozone, posted revenues of $494,353 for the sales of new generation sterilizers (STERIZONE(R) 125L+ / 3M(TM) Optreoz(TM) 125-Z), accessories and service contracts. This compares to $510,626 for the same period in 2009, representing the sale of two of the first generation ozone sterilizers (125L), accessories and service contracts, as well as a large installation contract.

4 Aug 2010

National Research Corporation second-quarter revenue increases to $14.1 million

National Research Corporation today announced results for the second quarter 2010.

4 Aug 2010

drugstore.com announces extension of strategic alliance with Medco Health Solutions

drugstore.com, inc., a leading online retailer of health, beauty, vision, and pharmacy products, today announced the extension through 2018 of its strategic alliance with Medco Health Solutions, Inc., one of the nation's leading healthcare companies.

4 Aug 2010

Bill Gates to keynote at 2010 mHealth Summit

Bill Gates, Co-Chair and Trustee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will provide a keynote address on the opportunity of mobile technologies to improve health outcomes in the developing world at the 2010 mHealth Summit, the summit organizers announced today. The summit, organized by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the mHealth Alliance, will be held November 8-10 in Washington, DC.

4 Aug 2010

Matrixx Initiatives first-quarter net loss reduces to $2.4 million

Matrixx Initiatives, Inc., an over-the-counter healthcare company that develops and markets Zicam® products, today announced financial results for its fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2010.

4 Aug 2010

Bayer implements ValGenesis validation process management software at Berkeley and Emeryville sites

ValGenesis, Inc., a world-leading provider of Validation Lifecycle Management (VLM) software solutions, today announced that Bayer HealthCare AG has implemented ValGenesis software as their platform for validation process management at their Berkeley and Emeryville sites.

4 Aug 2010

WHO provides medicines, related health supplies to flood-affected areas in Pakistan

The worst floods on record in Pakistan are placing the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk, with a high threat of waterborne disease outbreaks and immense damage to health facilities. WHO is coordinating the response of health partners and supporting Pakistani authorities by sending medicines and related health supplies capable of treating more than 200 000 people to the affected areas in the northwestern region of the country.

4 Aug 2010

National Research acquires OCS through stock purchase agreement

National Research Corporation today announced it has acquired, via stock purchase agreement, Outcome Concept Systems, Inc., a privately-held healthcare informatics firm, in an all-cash transaction.

4 Aug 2010

MMIC Group expands insurance services to long term care providers

Medical professional liability insurance specialist MMIC Group has expanded its insurance services to the growing population of long term care providers.

4 Aug 2010

Judge gives the go-ahead to Virginia's health overhaul challenge

In a ruling issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson refused to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Virginia challenging a key aspect of the health care overhaul. The next round of arguments in this case is scheduled for October.

4 Aug 2010

Study analyzes prevalence of pediatric patient-safety events at hospitals

Hospital-acquired infections are the leading cause of potentially preventable mortality among pediatric patients, according to a study of pediatric patient-safety incidents issued today by HealthGrades, the leading independent health care ratings organization.

4 Aug 2010

GTCR, Dale Wolf partner to create Jessamine Healthcare

GTCR, one of the nation's leading private equity firms, today announced it has entered into a partnership with Dale Wolf to form Jessamine Healthcare, Inc. The new company, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, will focus on acquiring companies in the healthcare payor and outsourced payor services industries.

4 Aug 2010

GE and Intel create new health IT venture focused on home-based care

General Electric Co. and Intel Corp. announced Monday they will create a company to provide new medical technologies for the elderly and chronically ill.

4 Aug 2010