Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Clinical Healthcare Enterprise Framework to help healthcare HR for effective talent management

Salary.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLRY), a leading provider of on-demand compensation, payroll and talent management solutions, announced today that it has added the Clinical Healthcare Enterprise Framework to its growing Job Model and Competency Library of more than 1,200 job models and 1,300 functional competencies, which provide data and structure for typical jobs at all levels of an organization. The framework will enable healthcare HR professionals to create job roles easily, deliver job models quickly, and power their talent management systems.

1 Sep 2009

Poll finds more confidence about paying for health care; young adults most supportive of reform

A new survey finds growing confidence in Americans' ability to pay for health care costs. Meanwhile, young adults are the group most supportive of health reform.

1 Sep 2009

Touchstone Health Partnership appoints Bryan D. Birch as President and Chief Executive Officer

Touchstone Health Partnership, a managed care company primarily operating in the Medicare Advantage Program, today announced the appointment of Bryan D. Birch as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Birch brings over 20 years of experience in the health services and managed care sector.

1 Sep 2009

Medsphere secures $12 million to support its development and expansion efforts in the health IT sector

Medsphere Systems Corporation, the leading provider of open source healthcare enterprise solutions, today announced that the company has secured $12 million in financing to support ongoing development and expansion efforts in the health IT sector.

1 Sep 2009

MyMedicalRecords Pro EMR system launched by MMR Information Systems

MMR Information Systems, Inc. (OTCBB: MMRF) (the "Company"), which through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, MyMedicalRecords, Inc. ("MMR"), provides consumer-controlled Personal Health Records ("PHRs") (www.mymedicalrecords.com) and electronic safe deposit box storage solutions (www.myesafedepositbox.com), announced that it has launched its MyMedicalRecords Pro ("MMRPro") product which is designed to help doctors take the first steps towards an EMR system by digitizing medical records and making them available to patients through a patient portal that incorporates the MyMedicalRecords.com Personal Health Record.

1 Sep 2009

House bill would strengthen federal comparative effectiveness programs

The Christian Science Monitor: "Should the US government mount a comprehensive effort to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various treatments for health conditions? That question is at the heart of a dispute over whether some provisions in the healthcare reform bills now under consideration in Congress eventually might lead to the rationing of care. At issue is comparative effectiveness research, which tries to figure out just how well drugs, medical devices, and surgical techniques work, compared with alternatives. Both the House and current Senate versions of health legislation would expand exisitng federal efforts in this area."

1 Sep 2009

Ways to save money without letting health care suffer

Recent reports show that more and more people are cutting back on their health care or medicines to save money. But cutting back to save money isn't always the best solution, especially when it comes to doctor's appointments and required medicines

1 Sep 2009

Officials flesh out new grant program to help states, doctors with health IT

Two weeks ago, the Obama administration offered nearly $1.2 billion in stimulus-funded grants to set up state-run health information exchanges, and create 70 "health IT regional extension centers" to help physicians adapt to the digital era, a term officials defined in greater detail during a conference call late last week, Modern Healthcare reports.

1 Sep 2009

'Public plan' divides Democrats on health bills

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has pledged to include a government-run insurance option in the House bill that will be voted on next month. This reassures liberals but will make it difficult or impossible to get the votes needed to pass it if the public option is included. … 'I don't see how we get to 218,' said a senior Democratic aide. 'The Blue Dogs are 'Hell nos.' The people who voted yes [on energy] want to vote 'no' twice.'"

1 Sep 2009

AAO-HNSF to issue the first guideline for helping physicians manage dysphonia

The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) will issue the first--and only--national clinical practice guideline to help healthcare practitioners identify and manage patients with hoarseness, also known as dysphonia. The guideline emphasizes evidence-based management of hoarseness by clinicians, and educates patients on the prevalence of this common vocal health issue.

1 Sep 2009

Also in Global Health news: Flu, cholera in PNG; improving life awards; HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; men and maternal/child health; MDR-TB in India

"Twin outbreaks of a flu-like illness and dysentery in a remote region of Papua New Guinea have killed 47 people and infected another 2,000 villagers, a senior medical official said Monday," Agence France-Presse reports. According to provincial health adviser Doctor Theo Likei, the WHO has collected and is testing samples of the virus from the "stricken villages" (8/31). Additionally, the country is experiencing a cholera outbreak - "the first time the disease has officially been confirmed in the country," the BBC reports (Mercer, 8/31).

1 Sep 2009

Explainers and fact checks on health reform bills

Several news organizations published explainers on health reform.

1 Sep 2009

Celticare Health Plan of Massachusetts to cover legal immigrants from October

CeltiCare today announced that the Commonwealth has accepted its proposal to manage healthcare services for Aliens with Special Status (AWSS). This population has been enrolled in the Commonwealth Care insurance program (Commonwealth Care) run by the Massachusetts Health Connector.

31 Aug 2009

Home births performed by registered midwives are safe and natural

Having your baby at home is as safe as birth in the hospital, according to a new study published in the September Canadian Medical Association Journal. In Ontario, as in BC where the study was conducted, Registered Midwives are the only heath care professionals who attend home births.

31 Aug 2009

PacifiCord to start its fifth free prenatal class in Southern California

Dedicated to serving the private cord blood banking needs of Southern California, PacifiCord (www.pacificord.com) today announced it will be offering free prenatal classes in Temecula starting September 21, 2009.

31 Aug 2009

Rite Aid pharmacies to offer regular seasonal flu shots throughout the flu season

Many Rite Aid pharmacists have already been giving regular seasonal flu shots following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice that anyone who wishes to reduce the risk of getting the regular seasonal flu get a flu shot as soon as they are available.

31 Aug 2009

PrimeSuite provides physicians with access to lab results, radiology reports and transcribed documents from their community health system

Physicians using Greenway Medical Technologies’ electronic health record (EHR) solution, PrimeSuite, now have access to lab results, radiology reports and transcribed documents from their community health system through RelayHealth’s Virtual Information Exchange platform.

31 Aug 2009

MD Buyline introduces integrated capital planning and budgeting program

MD Buyline introduces Buyline BUDGET, an integrated capital planning and budgeting program for researching, selecting, budgeting, and purchasing capital equipment.

31 Aug 2009

TriZetto Group launches new version of CareAdvance Enterprise system

The TriZetto Group, Inc. today announced the general availability of its CareAdvance Enterprise® 4.6 system, the new version of the company’s health management platform for healthcare payer organizations.

31 Aug 2009

New chief strategy officer for Merkle

Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing database marketing agencies, announced the appointment of Vice President Pete Mehr, Ph.D., as chief strategy officer to its growing healthcare marketing practice, which launched earlier this year to provide data-driven marketing insight and strategy to leading healthcare and pharmaceutical clients.

31 Aug 2009