Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

UMHC activates Philips VISICU eICU Program to care for critically ill patients

University of Mississippi Health Care (UMHC) announced today its activation of the Philips VISICU eICU® Program to enhance care of the critically ill in rural communities of Mississippi. As the first health system in the region to implement the eICU Program, UMHC will serve as the lead resource for critical care across Mississippi.

23 Dec 2009

Back pain problems continue to rise in U.S.

The Bonati Spine Institute, the leader in minimally invasive laser spine surgery, reports the results of studies that Americans are increasingly reporting back pain and spending more on back pain, but cautions consumers to carefully research the experience and the surgical outcome results when choosing their spine team.

23 Dec 2009

Cardiac rehabilitation improves survival rate in heart attack patients

Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease who attended more cardiac rehabilitation sessions had fewer heart attacks and were less likely to die within four years than those who went to rehab less, researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

23 Dec 2009

InstaMed Platform and Network product achieves CORE Phase II rules certification

InstaMed, the industry leading healthcare payments network and platform, announced today that it has achieved CAQH® Committee on Operating Rules for Information Exchange (CORE®) Phase II rules certification for its InstaMed Platform and Network product.

23 Dec 2009

Guardian Technologies International meets and presents SM TBDx to Indian healthcare officials

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a serious global pandemic health threat with more than 9 million new cases diagnosed annually. TB is a leading cause of mortality in India, killing nearly 1,000 people each day.

23 Dec 2009

Lakeridge Health's NP wins Jerry Gerow Nurse Practitioner Award

When you ask patients and colleagues what makes Lakeridge Health's Nurse Practitioner (NP) Michelle Acorn special a common thread quickly emerges 'her dedication to the health and well-being of her patients and her wealth of knowledge'.

22 Dec 2009

H1N1 flu vaccination clinics to be offered at 33 locations across Pennsylvania

The Department of Health will offer H1N1 flu vaccination clinics at 33 locations across Pennsylvania on Jan. 8 and 9, and anyone wishing to receive the vaccine is urged to make an appointment to attend.

22 Dec 2009

Government of Canada funds for new RMH Toronto project

Today it was announced that Ronald McDonald House Toronto (RMH Toronto) received an $8.7 million capital grant towards building a new House from the Government of Canada, as part of a joint Canada-Ontario investment.

22 Dec 2009

Use of digital checklist for patients during pandemic reduces fatigue factor, shows report

The use of a digital checklist for patients being administered emergency drugs during a pandemic or following a biological terrorist attack reduces the fatigue factor, according to a report in the International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management, and could save lives.

22 Dec 2009

Baucus vows to have health overhaul bill to President's desk by State of the Union

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., vowed Tuesday to have a healthcare overhaul bill to President Barack Obama by his State of the Union address in January, The Hill reports.

22 Dec 2009

Lawmakers hope to combine Senate, House health reform bills quickly

The Wall Street Journal reports that Democrats are hoping — and planning — on fast negotiations between the Senate and the House in January to come up with a merged health care reform bill.

22 Dec 2009

Senators keep health bill's Christmas Eve timeline on track

Senators cast the second of three procedural votes Tuesday morning to end debate on the Senate's health care reform bill, keeping alive their timeline of passing the reform on Christmas Eve Thursday. Senators voted 60-39 to accept the manager's amendment around 8 a.m. Tuesday, clearing the way for one remaining procedural vote Wednesday and a final vote on the legislation Thursday.

22 Dec 2009

Obama praises Senate for clearing key health care hurdle

"President Barack Obama on Monday praised the Senate for clearing a key hurdle after midnight Sunday on the health care reform package, calling it a victory against 'special interests' that will reduce costs and the deficit," Roll Call reports.

22 Dec 2009

Lobbying set for a record year fueled in part by health care debate

USA Today: "As the health care bill moves toward a critical vote in the Senate, the five senators charged with overseeing the floor debate count health interests among their biggest campaign contributors, records show. The political action committees and employees of drugmakers Schering-Plough and Amgen have been the top two contributors in the past five years to Montana Sen. Max Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and is one of three senators managing the bill for Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

22 Dec 2009

Political parties try to shape public opinion on health care

Politico: "Senate Democrats may not give final approval to their health care bill until Christmas Eve, but the parties have already moved on to the next fight: defining the measure in the minds of the public."

22 Dec 2009

Declining use of Advair for COPD, Spiriva patient share increasing

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that since the 2008 retrospective analysis of patient-level claims data, Boehringer Ingelheim/Pfizer's Spiriva has closed the gap in patient share between itself and GlaxoSmithKline's Advair in newly diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Although Advair's patient share in the first line is still greater than Spiriva's, Spiriva has surpassed Advair in the second line and will continue to overcome and widen the gap between itself and Advair over the next two years.

22 Dec 2009

Republicans blast Senate deal-making; contemplate delays

Republicans continue to critique the deal-making process to win over Senate votes for the health care overhaul.

22 Dec 2009

Arrayit achieves technological breakthrough in microarray production

Arrayit Corporation, a life sciences and healthcare technology leader, today announced that the Company has made a technological breakthrough in the speed and efficiency by which it manufactures its proprietary microarrays, which are tiny glass substrates that contain rows and columns of printed spots used for scientific research and molecular diagnostics.

22 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 22, 2009

The big news today follows two main themes -- the Senate's march toward Democrats' Christmas eve deadline for passing a health reform bill; and, the challenges that will be involved when the House and Senate versions of the overhaul are reconciled.

22 Dec 2009

Charitable donors commit longer-term pledges and gifts, despite recession

In a sign of what to expect in 2010, businesses and individuals hit hardest by the economy's slide have shifted charitable giving patterns to longer-term pledges and gift commitments rather than ceasing to give altogether, according to a study of benchmarking data and effective philanthropic fundraising techniques released today by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP).

22 Dec 2009