Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Taking action against hospital acquired infections

Patients enter hospitals every day for a variety of reasons but usually without the thought of developing a new health problem. Yet every year thousands of hospitalized Americans acquire infections during hospital stays, causing risk of complications, prolonged stays and an increased burden on the health-care system.

1 Jul 2008

Tongue-operated assistive technology lets persons with disabilities operate powered wheelchairs

A new assistive technology developed by engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology could help individuals with severe disabilities lead more independent lives.

30 Jun 2008

Smoking ban in Victoria sees large numbers quit

According to Cancer Council Victoria, since bars and clubs in Victoria were made smoke free a large number of people have quit or reduced smoking.

30 Jun 2008

What price for a more effective Australian health care system?

The pressures from an ageing population on the rising costs of healthcare in Australia will be the subject of the third annual Menzies Oration to be held at The Australian National University tonight.

26 Jun 2008

Medical professionals worldwide endorse WHO checklist for safer surgery

A new safety checklist for surgical procedures developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) won the endorsements of nearly 250 health organizations from over 40 countries at a launching event yesterday at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C

26 Jun 2008

Mailing error left 16,000 Commonwealth Care beneficiaries unaware of coverage cancellation, how to appeal decisions

Massachusetts state officials on Monday said a mailing glitch last month left 16,000 residents without proper notice that they could lose their health coverage under Commonwealth Care and information about how to appeal the decision, the Boston Globe reports.

26 Jun 2008

Study examines impact of poor, uninsured patients' race in terms of reporting racism in their health care

A new study in Health Services Research tried to disentangle the impact of a patient's racial and ethnic background, being poor and having no health insurance on the likelihood they would report having experienced racial or ethnic bias in the healthcare they received.

26 Jun 2008

Ranbaxy receives tentative approval to manufacture Valganciclovir hydrochloride tablets

Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (RLL), announced today that the company has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manufacture and market Valganciclovir Hydrochloride Tablets, 450 mg. Total annual market sales for Valganciclovir HCl Tablets were $239 million (IMS - MAT: March 2008).

25 Jun 2008

Traumatic brain injuries in seniors often missed or misdiagnosed

According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2005 there were almost 8,000 deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations among Americans age 65 and older due to traumatic brain injuries because of falls.

25 Jun 2008

Identity tags can cause life saving medical equipment to malfunction

Dutch scientists are suggesting that radio frequency identification devices (RFIDs) could cause critical care medical equipment to malfunction.

25 Jun 2008

Queensland ambulance officers save lives with clot busting drug treatment

In February this year paramedics in Queensland became the first in Australia to provide potentially lifesaving drugs to heart attack victims as part of a research project funded by the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS).

25 Jun 2008

First comprehensive report on colorectal cancer care in Europe and Australia reveals need for action

The first cross-country report on the management and funding of colorectal cancer (CRC) reveals an urgent need for action to improve the survival of patients diagnosed with this common cancer in Europe and Australia.

25 Jun 2008

Controversial diet drug Rimonabant now available on the NHS in Britain

A controversial diet drug has been approved for use on the National Health Service (NHS) in Britain.

24 Jun 2008

Health Minister accuses the AMA of being protectionist

Relations between the Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) do not appear to be improving.

24 Jun 2008

Overcrowding and understaffing in hospitals are two key factors in the transmission of MRSA

A review article authored by a University of Queensland, Australia, academic has found overcrowding and understaffing in hospitals are two key factors in the transmission of MRSA (Meticillin - Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) infections worldwide.

24 Jun 2008

Australia's first Chief Nursing Officer will give nurses a political voice

The appointment of Australia's first national Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer has been met with the approval of the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF).

24 Jun 2008

HealthGrades releases Fifth Annual HealthGrades Women's Health in American Hospitals study

Large variations among hospitals persist in the quality of maternity and cardiac care for women, according to a new study released today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization.

24 Jun 2008

Simple ultrasound exam may predict osteoporosis risk

An ultrasound exam of the heel may be able to predict if a woman is at heightened risk for fractures due to osteoporosis, according to a new multicenter study being published in the July issue of the journal Radiology.

24 Jun 2008

Study: Outreach and internal navigation program on breast cancer diagnosis in an urban cancer center with a large African-American population

A new study indicates that community education outreach and internal navigation programs lead to a significant shift in stage at diagnosis of breast cancer among African American women, with a doubling in the proportion of cases caught at the earliest stage and a nearly reciprocal drop in the proportion of cancers at most advanced stage.

23 Jun 2008

Canopus BioPharma enters phase II clinical trials with CB1400

Canopus BioPharma, Inc. has announced that the South African Medicines Control Council has granted approval for a Phase II study in 30 cancer patients evaluating the protective effect of CB1400 on the gastrointestional tract from radiation-induced mucositis. This new trial is an important step forward in the development of CB1400 as a novel, preventative, anti-mucositis agent.

23 Jun 2008