Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Henry Schein second-quarter 2010 net sales increase 15.1% to $1.8 billion

Henry Schein, Inc., the largest provider of healthcare products and services to office-based practitioners, today reported record financial results for the quarter ended June 26, 2010.

2 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 2, 2010

Today's headlines include news about a pre-recess Senate push to pass a state aid measure as well as a preview of a White House report to be issued today that predicts savings in the Medicare program.

2 Aug 2010

Healthsouth Corporation experiences positive trends in second quarter

HealthSouth Corporation, the nation's largest provider of inpatient rehabilitative healthcare services, today reported its results of operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. "The positive trends we experienced in the first quarter of 2010 continued into the second quarter as good volume growth, solid pricing, and disciplined expense management resulted in growth in all key, financial metrics," said Jay Grinney, President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthSouth.

2 Aug 2010

Singapore Ministry of Health awards Accenture with contract to implement NEHR system

The Singapore Ministry of Health has awarded Accenture, a contract to implement the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system, a key enabler of Singapore's vision toward a national, integrated health care system. The NEHR is designed to improve the quality of healthcare for citizens, lower the costs of health services, and promote more effective health policies.

2 Aug 2010

Financial shortcomings in healthcare industry declines DR, CR purchase

Widespread capital freezes and financial shortcomings in the healthcare industry have caused a significant decline in the number of Digital Radiography (DR) and Computed Radiography (CR) purchases. One key challenge faced by the industry has been the lack of capital available for technologies which require high initial investments, such as digital solutions. However, with the economy recovering and funds becoming available to potential buyers, the unit shipment volume is expected to gain momentum in 2011.

2 Aug 2010

Scottsdale Healthcare surgeon elects as new president for ASMBS

Scottsdale Healthcare surgeon Robin Blackstone, MD is the new president-elect of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), recognizing her leadership and expertise in the field of weight-loss surgery.

2 Aug 2010

Aetna offers two RHP plans for companies in need of health care cover

Companies operating across the Middle East now have a new choice in health benefits plans from Aetna Global Benefits (AGB), the international business segment of Aetna, that provides additional flexibility in cover and affordability. The organisation has expanded its Regional Healthcare Plan (RHP) for companies in need of health care cover for their expatriate employees living across the region.

2 Aug 2010

Study on disparities in survival of cancer patients from different socioeconomic groups

A new analysis from Canada has found that cancer patients from poorer communities have a greater chance of dying prematurely than individuals from more affluent backgrounds even though cancer stage at time of diagnosis is similar across socioeconomic groups. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that efforts are needed to understand and reduce disparities in the survival of cancer patients from different socioeconomic groups.

2 Aug 2010

MBHS targets emerging healthcare markets of Russia, CIS

mBeach Software Inc. today announced a strategy of targeting new international market opportunities. In particular, the company has identified the emerging markets of Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States.

31 Jul 2010

Kaiser Permanente workers to join NUHW

The National Labor Relations Board has scheduled a government-protected mail ballot election beginning Sept. 13 for nearly 44,000 Kaiser Permanente workers to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers and kick out the incumbent union SEIU.

31 Jul 2010

Perrigo files ANDA for butoconazole nitrate vaginal cream

Perrigo Company announced that it has filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration an Abbreviated New Drug Application for butoconazole nitrate vaginal cream, 2% and that is has notified KV Pharmaceutical Company, the owner of the New Drug Application as well as FemmePharma, the listed owner of the patent, of its ANDA filing. KV is a licensee under the patent. Perrigo believes it is first-to-file on this product.

31 Jul 2010

Oil spill inflicts widespread psychological distress among coastal residents: Survey

The oil spill ravaging the Gulf of Mexico has inflicted widespread psychological distress among coastal residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, etching scars even deeper than those whipped by Hurricane Katrina, according to a survey by Ochsner Health System, a nonprofit, academic healthcare delivery system.

31 Jul 2010

Healthcare workers in Northern California prefer to stay with SEIU-UHW

This week, healthcare workers in two nursing homes and two hospitals in Northern California all chose to stay with their current union, the Service Employees International Union -United Healthcare Workers, West.

31 Jul 2010

HHS anounces availability of $1M in grants per state and calls for public input on health insurance Exchanges

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced two key steps in the process of partnering with states and other stakeholders to begin establishing health insurance Exchanges. HHS announced the availability of up to $1 million in grants per state to help states begin work to establish Exchanges and published a request for comment calling for public input as HHS develops standards for the Exchanges.

31 Jul 2010

Department of Health launches “Immunizations across the Lifespan” campaign

Secretary of Health Everette James today urged all Pennsylvanians to ensure they are fully immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases, noting that August is National Immunization Awareness Month.

31 Jul 2010

New white paper shows how hospitals can get a "quick win" on their EMR initiatives

Now that the CMS has released its final rule on the "meaningful use" criteria for Electronic Medical Record systems, what should hospitals do next? According to William Bria, president of the Association of Medical Directors of Information Systems, "We need to start to focus not on the most exotic examples of information sharing, but on the more simplistic ones."

31 Jul 2010

Football, cheerleading-related head and neck injury prevention tips from AANS

With kids going back to school soon and football practice already underway in many communities, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is issuing an injury prevention message about football and cheerleading. "We decided to focus on this topic for Neurosurgery Outreach Month because there needs to be greater awareness about the potentially devastating consequences of head and spinal cord injuries associated with these sports," said Gail L. Rosseau, a Chicago-area neurosurgeon and AANS spokesperson.

31 Jul 2010

GHX Market Intelligence data increases growth of medical-surgical revenue through distribution by 6.42% in 2009

An analysis of medical-surgical sales through distribution conducted by GHX has found that among the top 100 U.S. medical-surgical manufacturers by dollar spend, those that use GHX Market Intelligence data grew medical-surgical revenue through distribution by an average of 6.42 percent in 2009, while non-users grew similarly classified revenue by an average of only 3.88 percent. Furthermore, GHX's analysis also found that those manufacturers employing more granular-level market data from GHX increased revenue at a faster rate than those using higher-level data.

31 Jul 2010

Poll: Many Americans not sure of provisions of new healthcare legislation

Not sure what's in—and not in—the new healthcare legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama in March? You're not alone. More than 2,100 adults were given a list of 18 reform items and asked to identify what's included and what's not included in the law. Only four items were correctly identified by the majority of those polled.

31 Jul 2010

Sodium Working Group recommends reducing sodium intake among Canadians

The federally-mandated Sodium Working Group has released the Sodium Reduction Strategy for Canada. The three-pronged strategy contains six over-arching and 27 specific recommendations for a population health strategy for reducing sodium intake among Canadians.

31 Jul 2010