Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Tenet Healthcare announces 9.0% increase in fourth-quarter EBITDA

Tenet Healthcare Corporation today reported adjusted EBITDA of $218 million for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2009, an increase of $18 million, or 9.0 percent, as compared to $200 million for the fourth quarter of 2008.

24 Feb 2010

Genocea Biosciences secures licensing to extensive HSV antigen patent estate

Genocea Biosciences, a leading vaccine discovery and development company, today announced that it has licensed an extensive patent estate from the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for 25 pending and issued patents related to herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 antigens. The addition of these patents complements the novel antigens discovered by Genocea’s unique and proprietary antigen discovery technology. The combination of Genocea’s novel intellectual property with the patent estate from the University of Washington provides the Company with a broad compendium of HSV antigen patents.

24 Feb 2010

ViiV Healthcare highlights S/GSK1349572, SELZENTRY and EPZICOM for HIV/AIDS at 17th CROI

At the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), ViiV Healthcare presented new data across its broad range of investigational and current medicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Highlighted data at the conference included an oral presentation on the investigational integrase inhibitor, S/GSK1349572, as well as data presentations on SELZENTRY® (maraviroc) and EPZICOM® (abacavir/lamivudine).

24 Feb 2010

Officials crack down on Medicare fraud in Miami and Los Angeles

When it comes to health care fraud, schemes that target Medicare are among the most common and lucrative. That's because the $400 billion federal program is a fat and easy target. The Obama administration ... has requested an increase for an effort to crack down on Medicare fraud.

24 Feb 2010

FDA grants EUA for Longhorn Influenza A/H1N1-09 Prime RRT-PCR Assay in CLIA high complexity laboratories

Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics today announced it has been granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Longhorn Influenza A/H1N1-09 Prime RRT-PCR Assay™ in CLIA high complexity laboratories. . The Longhorn Influenza A/H1N1-09 Prime RRT-PCR Assay™ is a ready-use assay that requires no mixing prior to use and has been authorized for use on the ABI 7500.

24 Feb 2010

Obama builds on Senate health bill in hopes of broader support

President Barack Obama's health care proposal, an effort to resuscitate the debate, merges the separate legislation passed in the Senate and House "into a final version that could pass muster in both chambers," The Washington Post reports.

24 Feb 2010

The White House weighed political risks in health plan calculation

The Washington Post: "The president's proposal is striking for the extent to which it hews to the basic scale and framework of the bills on which Congress has toiled for months. That decision -- to go big one last time, rather than small -- emerged quickly inside the White House after senior advisers to President Obama concluded privately that his goals for comprehensive changes to the health-care system could not be done piecemeal" (Kornblut and Shear, 2/23).

24 Feb 2010

InfoLogix, CareTrends Systems join to deliver advanced patient care and decrease costs for hospitals across North America

InfoLogix, Inc., a leading technology provider of enterprise mobility solutions for the healthcare and commercial industries, and CareTrends Systems, a leading vital sign integration and intelligence software company, today announced a strategic partnership to help deliver advanced patient care and decrease costs for hospitals across North America.

24 Feb 2010

EHSI: Health stocks gain after federal decision on payments

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. voiced encouragement from the climb of healthcare stocks on Monday after a federal announcement on Medicare payment rates - helping offset any worries about a White House proposal to regulate premiums.

23 Feb 2010

Trial for lawsuit against Anthem Blue Cross begins in California

The insurer "refused to pay for" customer Ephram Nehme "to get a liver transplant in Indiana because the company wanted to save money, a lawyer for the patient told jurors Monday," the Los Angeles Times reports. "But a lawyer for the state's largest for-profit insurer argued that the patient, Ephram Nehme, was not sick enough to qualify for an exception to his policy's requirement that transplants be performed in Blue Cross-contracted hospitals in California.

23 Feb 2010

AMA calls for fix to Medicare's doctor payments

With a sizable cut to Medicare physician payments taking effect in just one week, the American Medical Association is seeking clarity from Congress on its plan of action to stop the 21.2% reduction.

23 Feb 2010

Henry Schein announces net sales increase of 13.0% for fourth-quarter 2009

Henry Schein, Inc., the largest provider of healthcare products and services to office-based practitioners, today reported record financial results for the quarter ended December 26, 2009.

23 Feb 2010

Solta Medical announces definitive agreement to acquire Aesthera

Solta Medical, Inc., a global leader in the medical aesthetics market, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Aesthera Corporation, which is based in Pleasanton, California. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Solta will acquire Aesthera for $5.25 million in Solta common stock and cash, with potential additional base line milestones of $750,000 for a consideration of $6.0 million. Excluding acquisition and integration related charges, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Solta Medical's earnings within twelve months.

23 Feb 2010

Medco Health Solutions announces record 16.7% increase in total net revenues for 2009

Medco Health Solutions, Inc. today reported record fourth-quarter 2009 GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.70, up 29.6 percent compared to $0.54 in fourth-quarter 2008. Excluding the amortization of intangible assets that existed when Medco became a publicly traded company in 2003, fourth-quarter 2009 diluted earnings per share increased 28.8 percent to a record $0.76. Medco also reported record full-year 2009 GAAP diluted earnings per share of $2.61, up 22.5 percent -- exceeding the high-end of the company's guidance.

23 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 23, 2010

Today's headlines focus on President Obama's revamped health reform proposal, what it includes and how Democrats, Republicans and the insurers are reacting to it.

23 Feb 2010

Simple test to check personal cholesterol levels

CardioChek® test system is used by Americans and people in 100 countries around the world to test personal cholesterol levels. Simple, reliable and fast, CardioChek is manufactured by Indianapolis company Polymer Technology Systems, Inc., a leading global provider of point-of-care diagnostic products to the healthcare industry. On February 15th the CardioChek test system was featured on Lifetime Channel’s program, “The Balancing Act,” and will air again on February 22nd and March 15th.

23 Feb 2010

Healthland's EMR solution product enhancements to be showcased at 2010 HIMSS Conference

Healthland, America's market leader of healthcare information solutions for small community and critical access hospitals, today announced it will exhibit at the 2010 Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibit, March 1- 4, 2010, in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center. At the event, Healthland will conduct product demonstrations including its new Emergency Department Information System and Healthland Analytics, report results from a recent customer survey about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and meaningful use, and announce recent client success stories.

23 Feb 2010

HealthPort announces addition of eDelivery to ROI process

HealthPort, a top-25 company in the healthcare information technology industry, today announced that it has added electronic delivery functionality (eDelivery) to its release of information (ROI) process. In compliance with HIPAA mandates under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) HITECH provision, the new eDelivery functionality allows healthcare facilities with HealthPort ROI outsourced or Partner services the ability to quickly and easily fulfill medical record requests for patients who want to receive them electronically.

23 Feb 2010

Northern Michigan Regional Hospital selects Medicity for implementing HIE

Medicity – the standard for health information exchange (HIE) solutions that empower physicians, hospitals and communities to improve care collaboration – today reported that Northern Michigan Regional Hospital has selected Medicity to electronically exchange health information among its hospitals and physicians across the 22 counties it serves. The health system, which was named to the 2009/2010 Most Wired list by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, cites health information exchange (HIE) as a vital initiative toward realizing its strategic plan for patient-centered care and meeting meaningful use requirements.

23 Feb 2010

Medquist to particpate as Implementer in the HIMSS10 Interoperability Showcase

Demonstrating the value of standards-based health information technologies, MedQuist Inc., a leading provider of technology-enabled clinical documentation services, is participating as an Implementer in the HIMSS10 Interoperability Showcase at booth #233 in Hall C of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The Showcase is part of the 2010 Annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference & Exhibition being held from March 1-4.

23 Feb 2010