Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Texas passes health program revamp; Oregon House acts to create better coordinated care

The Legislature approved and sent to the governor Monday a health care savings bill under which Texas could seek permission to redesign entirely the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and abortion-rights opponents scored several victories in the measure (Garrett, 6/27).

29 Jun 2011

Problems of unrecognized alcohol misuse among the elderly

The Royal College of Psychiatrists of London has published a report related primarily to problems of unrecognized alcohol misuse among the elderly. The report provides guidelines for psychiatrists and family physicians on how to find and how to treat elderly people with misuse of alcohol and drugs.

27 Jun 2011

Obama administration plans 'stealth' study of patient access to physicians

In an effort to explore what the administration termed a "critical public policy problem" — a shortage of primary care physicians — a team of "mystery shoppers" will be recruited to find out how hard it is to get care when it is needed.

27 Jun 2011

Viewpoints: Supreme Court drug decisions; Medicaid's burden; Concierge medicine questioned

The image of Justice blindfolded, holding her scales, is familiar from courthouses all over the United States and the world. Sadly, in its Thursday ruling in the case of PLIVA v Mensing, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that makes one wonder if that blindfold made the court unable to see the right thing to do.

27 Jun 2011

State roundup: Indiana's effort to privatize public assistance

(Louise) Cohoon's mother, now suffering from Alzheimer's disease, was one of thousands of Indiana residents who abruptly and erroneously lost their welfare, Medicaid or food stamp benefits after Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels privatized the state's public assistance program — the result of an efficiency plan that went awry from the very beginning, the state now admits.

27 Jun 2011

NovaSom completes $35M equity financing led by Safeguard Scientifics

NovaSom, Inc., the market leader in technology-driven, payer-aligned cost-saving solutions for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) management, today announced it has closed $35 million in equity financing.

27 Jun 2011

Metropolitan enters definitive merger agreement to acquire Continucare

Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc. and Continucare Corporation announced jointly today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby Metropolitan will acquire Continucare in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $416 million at the time of announcement.

27 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 27, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about the status of ongoing deficit negotiations and details about a "stealth" survey on access to doctors.

27 Jun 2011

State highlights: Calif. insurance regulatory system criticized

The two-headed beast that regulates health insurance in California is under fire. For the first time in a decade, healthcare leaders in Sacramento are publicly asking whether it's time to junk overlapping bureaucracies that police health insurers and HMOs (Helfand, 6/23).

24 Jun 2011

Less than half of primary-care physicians refer all diabetes patients to education programs

While studies have shown that diabetes education programs are crucial in helping individuals living with the disease self-manage their condition, a new study led by Ryerson researchers has found that less than half of primary-care physicians surveyed refer all of their patients with diabetes to these programs.

24 Jun 2011

Pfizer and Pain Therapeutics receive FDA Complete Response Letter for resubmission of REMOXY NDA

Pfizer and Pain Therapeutics, Inc. announced that a Complete Response Letter was received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the resubmission to the new drug application (NDA) for REMOXY® (oxycodone) Extended-Release Capsules CII. Pfizer is working to evaluate the issues described in the Complete Response Letter and plans to have further discussions with FDA around them.

24 Jun 2011

Cocaine contaminated with livestock de-worming drug causes painful purpura

If the obvious reasons for avoiding recreational drug use aren't off-putting enough, physicians have yet another detrimental consequence to add to the list - crusty, purplish areas of dead skin that are extremely painful and can open the door to nasty infections.

24 Jun 2011

Policy news: Speculation surrounds soon-to-be released exchange regs

Meanwhile, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Donald Berwick takes a message about accountable care organizations on the road, selling the model in Minneapolis to nurses, doctors and other health professionals.

23 Jun 2011

State roundup: Okla. caps 'non-economic damages' in lawsuits

With Republicans in control of the Oklahoma governorship and the Legislature for the first time ever, they swiftly passed a series of changes to the civil justice system. Lawmakers put a cap of $350,000 on the amount of money that plaintiffs can recoup for so-called "non-economic damages," such as the pain and suffering caused by medical malpractice, faulty products or other forms of professional negligence.

23 Jun 2011

FDA approves ProStrakan's Rectiv for pain associated with anal fissures

ProStrakan Group plc, a subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd., and an international specialty pharmaceutical company, today announces that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Rectiv™ (nitroglycerin) Ointment 0.4 % for the treatment of moderate to severe pain associated with chronic anal fissures.

22 Jun 2011

Pfizer Lyrica Phase 3 study on Central Neuropathic Pain meets primary endpoint

Pfizer Inc. announced today that top-line results for Lyrica Study A0081107 - Central Neuropathic Pain Following Spinal Cord Injury - demonstrated that the study met its primary endpoint: positive efficacy in reducing Central Neuropathic Pain following Spinal Cord Injury with Lyrica compared to placebo.

22 Jun 2011

Viewpoints: Compromises on fixing Medicare?; 'progress' on AIDS; working families falling behind

Fixing Medicare should not compromise patient care. The president's health care bill created the controversial Independent Payment Advisory Board. This panel of unelected bureaucrats, whose sole purpose is to decide whether to offer Medicare benefits based on a budget, could lead to government rationing of care.

21 Jun 2011