Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Sen. Nelson rejects abortion compromise

Reuters: "Democratic hopes for passing a broad healthcare overhaul in the U.S. Senate by Christmas took a hit on Thursday when a party holdout, Ben Nelson, rejected a compromise on abortion aimed at winning his vote. ... Democrats have no margin of error -- they control exactly 60 votes and face so far unified Republican opposition.

17 Dec 2009

Switching between A-rated anti-epileptic drug formulations does not increase seizure risk

Express Scripts, Inc., one of the largest pharmacy benefit management companies in North America, announced today results of a study that examined the association of seizure risk among epilepsy patients after switching between A-rated anti-epileptic drug formulations. The study found no evidence that switching between A-rated anti-epileptic drugs, including brand to generic substitution, was associated with increased emergency room visits or hospitalizations for epilepsy.

17 Dec 2009

Obama says government will go bankrupt without health reforms to rein in costs

President Obama said in a Wednesday ABC News interview that if Congress fails to pass health care reform that reins in costs it will "bankrupt" the federal government.

17 Dec 2009

Landrieu and Klobuchar announce support for health bill

The (Monroe, La.) News-Star: "Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu said Wednesday she will vote for the Senate's health care reform bill, calling the latest version a 'dramatic improvement' over previous proposals. Her support is critical to passing the massive bill, a priority for Democrats and President Barack Obama. Landrieu, a moderate, was among a small group of senators who met in recent weeks to work out a compromise on major aspects of the legislation" (Berry, 12/17).

17 Dec 2009

A selection of today's opinions and editorials

My 25 years as a practicing physician have shown me what happens when government attempts to practice medicine: Doctors respond to government coercion instead of patient cues, and patients die prematurely (Sen. Tom Coburn, 12/16).

17 Dec 2009

Federal tech panel still defining electronic health records terminology

The mid-December "milestone" for a federal advisory panel to come up with a definition of "meaningful use" of electronic medical records has come and gone, Modern Healthcare reports. That definition is to be used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to determine who is eligible for a share of $34 billion in subsidies provided as part of the February stimulus bill. The members of the federal panel began shaping their definition in May.

17 Dec 2009

House votes to extend COBRA benefits, delay Medicare physician pay cuts

The House of Representatives voted yesterday to delay Medicare doctor payment cuts and extend COBRA benefits.

17 Dec 2009

Sonomax Hearing Healthcare attains Phase IV milestone in its off-the-shelf, custom earpieces development

Sonomax Hearing Healthcare Inc. attains the Phase IV milestone and is only one milestone away from successfully completing the development of its off-the-shelf, self-fitting custom earpieces.

17 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 17, 2009

Today's big story, according to the headlines, are the delays in the Senate debate.

17 Dec 2009

Tips for healthy living for the year ahead

Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, carnivore or pescetarian, vegetables should be a central part of your diet. Often referred to as a "protective food," dark green foods provide essential vitamins and nutrients to your body that protect you from many of life's worst diseases.

17 Dec 2009

Majority of Americans want businesses to invest in health issues

As the healthcare reform debate continues, legislators and businesspeople alike might be surprised to learn that Americans are looking not only to government but also to business to improve our nation's health, even beyond employee wellness efforts. People are more likely to purchase from, recommend, and invest in companies that act on health issues -- creating a compelling case for businesses to step up their efforts.

17 Dec 2009

CareRise allowed U.S. patent for its 24/7 Staffing Census software program

A new software program developed by CareRise will reduce the time it takes for inpatient healthcare facilities to calculate their staffing needs as it relates to the patient population. 24/7 Staffing Census allows inpatient healthcare facilities to calculate their mandatory nurse-to-patient staffing needs, comply with their state's patient-per-day (PPD) ratios and receive a daily report as to how it affects their bottom line.

17 Dec 2009

IMRIS announces new organization structure to facilitate ongoing market expansion

IMRIS Inc. ("IMRIS" or the "Company") today announced a new organization structure designed to position the Company to continue to meet the growing global demand for IMRIS solutions.

17 Dec 2009

Health Research Institute presents top 10 issues in the upcoming year

PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute's Top 10 Health Industry Issues in 2010, puts healthcare cost control at the head of the list as the overarching theme for the year ahead.

17 Dec 2009

Resorbable Orthopedics makes progress in productization of its patented orthopedic bone void fillers

Wound Management Technologies, Inc. a rapidly growing provider of specialty medical products, announced today that its Resorbable Orthopedics operating subsidiary is moving toward productization of its patented orthopedic bone void fillers. The company currently anticipates products to be introduced in Q3 2010, to the bio-products market, estimated to be a multi-billion dollar international market.

17 Dec 2009

Pennsylvania's Patient Safety Advisory targets complications during pregnancy and childbirth

The complications of pregnancy and childbirth have been targeted in the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority's 2009 December Supplementary Patient Safety Advisory. The special issue provides gynecologists, obstetricians, midwives and the entire obstetric team, with strategies to help them prevent the complications based upon real Pennsylvania data.

17 Dec 2009

Quantros launches new healthcare IT consulting division

Quantros, Inc., a leading provider of safety and quality software and professional services solutions for the healthcare industry, announces the creation of a new healthcare IT consulting division.

17 Dec 2009

Typical smoker acquires one mutation for every 15 cigarettes and all cancers are caused by mutations

Research teams led by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute announce the first comprehensive analyses of cancer genomes.

17 Dec 2009

RehabCare Group receives approval to acquire St. Agnes Long-Term Care Hospital

RehabCare Group, Inc. announced today it has received regulatory approval for the acquisition of St. Agnes Long-Term Care Hospital from Mercy Health System.

17 Dec 2009

Healthcare sector achieves modest revenue growth in 2008

Health care sector revenue increased by 5.7 percent in 2008 to $1.75 trillion, up from $1.66 trillion in 2007, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This sector is classified under the North American Industry Classification System as NAICS 62.

17 Dec 2009