Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

AHRQ: 12M people with mental health, substance abuse problems visited emergency department in 2007

Nearly 12 million visits made to U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2007 involved people with a mental disorder, substance abuse problem, or both, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This accounts for one in eight of the 95 million visits to emergency departments by adults that year.

17 Jul 2010

Percentage of nursing home residents kept physically restrained declined to 5% in 2007: AHRQ

The number of residents at nursing homes who were kept physically restrained dropped by more than half from 1999 to 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

17 Jul 2010

Report on current state of research in information security and privacy in healthcare

Information security and privacy in the healthcare sector is an issue of growing importance but much remains to be done to address the various issues raised by healthcare consumers regarding privacy and security and the providers' perspective of regulatory compliance.

17 Jul 2010

Patient advocacy groups, home medical associations call for end to Medicare competitive bidding program

In a letter signed by 58 patient advocacy groups and home medical equipment associations, the American Association for Homecare urged Congress to pass H.R. 3790, a bill to repeal the Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment in a budget-neutral manner. The bill currently has 252 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives.

17 Jul 2010

Medicaid directors worried over expansion, Indiana's says federal government is not giving enough guidance

The new health law calls for dramatic increase in Medicaid programs, the joint federal-state health coverage for low-income residents. Some state Medicaid directors say they are worried about how that expansion will work and some are complaining that they are not getting enough guidance from federal officials.

17 Jul 2010

New microfluidic device for effective HIV diagnosis

UC Davis biomedical engineer Prof. Alexander Revzin has developed a "lab on a chip" device for HIV testing. Revzin's microfluidic device uses antibodies to "capture" white blood cells called T cells that are affected by HIV. In addition to physically binding these cells the test detects the types and levels of inflammatory proteins (cytokines) released by the cells.

17 Jul 2010

InformedDNA named finalist for Best Practices in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards

Informed Medical Decisions, Inc. (InformedDNA) has been selected as one of 30 finalists for the Best Practices in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards. URAC, the nation's leading accreditation organization, will honor the finalists during their 11th Annual Quality Summit, October 5-7, 2010 in Chicago, IL.

17 Jul 2010

ICON opens purpose-built clinical pharmacology unit within CMFT campus

ICON plc,, a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries, today announced the official opening of a purpose-built clinical pharmacology unit within the Central Manchester University Hospitals Foundation Trust (CMFT) campus in Manchester, UK. Initial studies in the unit utilising translational medicine methodologies to expedite drug development projects began in June, and already 110 volunteers have participated in studies there.

17 Jul 2010

HealthCare Appraisers opens new office in Wayne, Pennsylvania

HealthCare Appraisers, Inc. (HAI) announced today that the firm has opened a new office in the Philadelphia area. The new office, in Wayne, Pennsylvania, is part of HAI's continued office expansion to provide fair market value (FMV) analysis and valuation services to the healthcare and life sciences industries nationwide.

17 Jul 2010

Study examines HIV-positive patients' death risk at CD4 counts above 350

"Having HIV appears to be associated with a greater risk of death, even when the immune system is relatively robust and patients have not started treatment," according to a study published Friday in the Lancet, MedPage Today reports (Smith, 7/15).

17 Jul 2010

Epocrates announces filing of registration statement for proposed initial common stock public offering

Epocrates, Inc., a leading provider of mobile drug reference tools and interactive services to healthcare professionals and the healthcare industry, today announced it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed initial public offering of its common stock.

17 Jul 2010

HTA acquires $8.14M medical office building in Stockbridge, Georgia

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc., a self-managed, non-traded, real estate investment trust, announced the acquisition of a medical office building located in Stockbridge, Georgia for approximately $8,140,000.

17 Jul 2010

Meet the actuary who unwound Anthem's big rate increase request

The Los Angeles Times delivers the inside story of David Axene, a California actuary who, working from home and a hospital bed, unwound the mistaken math behind Anthem Blue Cross's request to raise rates by up to 39 percent earlier this year. "Axene Health Partners is off the beaten path, but it was well known to senior managers from the California Department of Insurance as a top-flight actuarial firm with a reputation for deft work.

17 Jul 2010

Alliance HealthCare commences $190 million registered exchange offer

Alliance HealthCare Services, Inc. announced today that it has commenced a registered exchange offer to exchange up to $190 million aggregate principal amount of its 8.00% series B senior notes due 2016 which have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for any and all of its outstanding 8.00% senior notes due 2016 which were issued in a private placement.

17 Jul 2010

Grossman Burn Center moves to West Hills Hospital & Medical Center in West Hills

On Saturday, July 17, 2010, the Grossman Burn Center will relocate to West Hills Hospital & Medical Center in West Hills, CA.

17 Jul 2010

Capitol Hill Watch: Obama agenda under scrutiny as lawmakers talk Medicare, budgets

President Obama's agenda, which includes a sweeping overhaul of the health care system, is coming under increased political scrutiny as lawmakers struggle with health budget challenges, and consider issues such as medical bankruptcy and improper Medicare payments.

17 Jul 2010

94 indicted in five-state crackdown on Medicare fraud

Law enforcement officers fanned out across five states Friday in what federal officials called the largest Medicare fraud bust ever conducted. Nearly 100 people were indicted in frauds that totaled $251 million.

17 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Shift entitlement spending to the states; The lack of a GOP health plan; Battling tobacco

The U.S. fiscal path is unsustainable, primarily because of out-of-control entitlement spending. … At some point, therefore, the economy is due to crash unless Washington reins in spending. One way to avoid this outcome would be to transfer entitlement programs to the states ... failure to slash entitlements could mean a bankrupt economy. When that happens, it's sure to be the poor who suffer the most (Jeffrey Miron, 7/16).

17 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 16, 2010

Indiana's Medicaid chief told lawmakers Thursday that the federal government has largely left states in the dark on implementing the federal health care overhaul because it hasn't yet provided needed guidelines (The Associated Press).

16 Jul 2010

Funding ART in Québec is highly justified and ethical use of public funds, says IAAC

Following the announcement on July 13 by Québec's Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Yves Bolduc, that assisted reproduction treatments (ART) will be covered by the public health system of Québec as of August 5, 2010, many comments have been made about how this new policy will stress the public health system, and neonatology units in particular.

16 Jul 2010

Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

AHRQ: 12M people with mental health, substance abuse problems visited emergency department in 2007

Percentage of nursing home residents kept physically restrained declined to 5% in 2007: AHRQ

Report on current state of research in information security and privacy in healthcare

Patient advocacy groups, home medical associations call for end to Medicare competitive bidding program

Medicaid directors worried over expansion, Indiana's says federal government is not giving enough guidance

New microfluidic device for effective HIV diagnosis

InformedDNA named finalist for Best Practices in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards

ICON opens purpose-built clinical pharmacology unit within CMFT campus

HealthCare Appraisers opens new office in Wayne, Pennsylvania

Study examines HIV-positive patients' death risk at CD4 counts above 350

Epocrates announces filing of registration statement for proposed initial common stock public offering

HTA acquires $8.14M medical office building in Stockbridge, Georgia

Meet the actuary who unwound Anthem's big rate increase request

Alliance HealthCare commences $190 million registered exchange offer

Grossman Burn Center moves to West Hills Hospital & Medical Center in West Hills

Capitol Hill Watch: Obama agenda under scrutiny as lawmakers talk Medicare, budgets

94 indicted in five-state crackdown on Medicare fraud

Today's OpEds: Shift entitlement spending to the states; The lack of a GOP health plan; Battling tobacco

First Edition: July 16, 2010

Funding ART in Québec is highly justified and ethical use of public funds, says IAAC

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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