Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Medicare buy-in plan's cost may deter centrist lawmakers, potential customers

Some Democrats' idea to open Medicare to certain people aged 55 and older raises the question of whether premiums would be affordable enough.

15 Dec 2009

Optiquant BKV Quantification Panel for MSSA DNA testing procedures

AcroMetrix, a leading provider of quality control standards for clinical diagnostic laboratories, announced today the launch of the first standardized quality control for MSSA molecular testing.

15 Dec 2009

White House: Health reform would curb cost growth

The White House's Council of Economic Advisers has released a report that finds health reform would slow the growth of health costs in the United States and buttress the economy.

14 Dec 2009

Data mining by drug companies raises concern

The Los Angeles Times examines a practice called data mining in which drug companies track how doctors prescribe medications by obtaining data from pharmacies and health insurers.

14 Dec 2009

NAMS recommends women to discuss osteoporosis with their OB/GYNs

According to a new survey distributed by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), while 98 percent of women who participated consider bone strength to be an important health concern, nearly half (45 percent) of these women reported that osteoporosis was not addressed during their last routine OB/GYN visit, and more than a quarter (26.4 percent) of women surveyed have never discussed osteoporosis with their OB/GYN.

14 Dec 2009

ZYPREXA RELPREVV approved by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ZYPREXA RELPREVV (olanzapine) For Extended Release Injectable Suspension for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults, Eli Lilly and Company announced today.

14 Dec 2009

Covidien announces tender offer for Aspect Medical Systems' Convertible Senior Notes

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that the tender offer for all of the Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. (“Aspect”) outstanding 2.50% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2014 (the “Notes”) expired at 12:00 midnight ET, at the end of December 11, 2009, and was not extended. Aspect became a wholly owned subsidiary of Covidien on November 6, 2009. Aspect has accepted for payment and will purchase all Notes tendered in the tender offer.

14 Dec 2009

Pulse EHR receives 2011 CCHIT Comprehensive certification

To receive the 2011 CCHIT Comprehensive certification, the Pulse EHR had to undergo a rigorous inspection of integrated functionality, interoperability and security, in addition to achieving full compliance with proposed federal standards tied to ARRA “meaningful use” financial incentives.

14 Dec 2009

Grantham University adds new Health Sciences degree programs to its existing portfolio

Grantham University, an online university dedicated to providing educational opportunities to working adults for nearly 60 years, announced today that it is adding four new Health Sciences degree programs to its existing degree offerings: an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Coding and Billing, a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Health Systems Management and a Master of Healthcare Administration.

14 Dec 2009

Medipattern and OMIC team up to provide breast ultrasound imaging service

The Medipattern Corporation ("Medipattern"), a pioneer in the development of medical software solutions that help improve imaging workflow and productivity, has announced that it has partnered with Ocean Medical Imaging Center (OMIC), developed through a partnership with Lake Forest, Calif.-based InSight Health Services Holdings Corp. ("Insight Imaging") (OTCBB:ISGT), to provide the service of B-CAD® computer aided detection of breast ultrasound imaging under the B-CAD-FOR-LIFETM program.

14 Dec 2009

US journal identifies fundamental factors behind failed EPR projects

Large-scale electronic patient record (EPR) programmes promise much but sometimes deliver little, according to a new study by UCL researchers that reviewed findings from hundreds of previous studies from all over the world.

14 Dec 2009

Study supports the use of SinoFresh Nasal Spray to prevent and decrease H1N1 virus

SinoFresh HealthCare Products, Inc. announced the recent successful initial pilot animal study of the SinoFresh Nasal Spray product for use in preventing and decreasing the severity of H1N1 ("swine flu") virus.

14 Dec 2009

Recipients of ‘2009 Putting Patients First grant’ program announced

Recognizing the need for programs that improve patient safety and quality care, AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. announced the six recipients of the second annual Putting Patients First grant program.

14 Dec 2009

New technological system to help improve availability of anti-malarial drugs in Tanzania

A new solution developed by IBM ( IBM), Novartis and Vodafone with the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, is helping to save lives using everyday technology to improve the availability of anti-malarial drugs in remote areas of Tanzania.

14 Dec 2009

Maine-based EMHS recognized for creating system-wide culture of safety

A poor economy in a rural area might seem like overwhelming obstacles to creating a sophisticated culture of safety in a health care system that serves the largest aging population in the country, but leaders at Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) beat those odds in 2009.

14 Dec 2009

Senator Arlen Specter proposes new amendment to current healthcare reform bill

Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) today proposed a new amendment to the current healthcare reform bill which will preserve access to care for millions of Medicare patients seen by a medical specialist.

14 Dec 2009

Results from Phase 2 trial evaluating Nexavar with capecitabine and paclitaxel presented

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced results from two collaborative group-sponsored randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trials were presented at the 32nd Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS).

14 Dec 2009

Senate plan may raise costs and cut healthcare access for senior citizens, says new report

A new report released by the Medicare Chief Actuary, Richard Foster, and the Center for Medicaid Services, the federal agency that oversees Medicaid, says that the proposed health care overhaul plan will dramatically increase health care costs and senior citizens will suffer from Medicare cuts.

14 Dec 2009

Some Democratic Senators raise red flag on Medicare expansion idea

The possibility of allowing some 55-64 year olds to buy-in to Medicare is in the news today.

14 Dec 2009

Senators at odds about drug importation amendment

The New York Times: "Debating an overhaul of the health care system, the Senate found itself tied in knots on Thursday over a bipartisan proposal to allow people to import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and certain other countries."

13 Dec 2009