Medical News

RSS

Doctor shortage issue heats up with reform efforts

The Miami Herald reports: "Some parts of the country already lack an ample supply of general internists, pediatricians and family physicians, forcing patients to drive further or wait longer for care. If a comprehensive health reform bill passes and extends coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, many are asking if there will be enough primary-care doctors to handle the increased demand for medical services."

23 Nov 2009

KHN column: Getting the bugs out of health reform

In this Kaiser Health News column, which is a collaboration with The New Republic, Jonathan Cohn, writes about health care's bugs.

23 Nov 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

But when it comes to making medical care not only cheaper but also better, reducing hospital infections is among the easiest changes to make--something reform really should be able to do, even in this political universe of such limited possibility (Jonathan Cohn, 11/23).

23 Nov 2009

Congress takes aim at elder abuse

As part of a collaborative effort with the Los Angeles Times, Kaiser Health News staff writer Rick Schmitt reports on developments related to elder abuse. "About 11 percent of people ages 60 and older suffer from some kind of abuse every year. But as a part of health care overhaul legislation, lawmakers are taking steps that would for the first time establish a federal beachhead in fighting such abuse.

23 Nov 2009

ARAMARK Healthcare Canada earns RCO's Waste Minimization Gold Award in Communications

ARAMARK Healthcare Canada’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative has earned a Waste Minimization Gold Award in Communications from the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) for the second straight year, further endorsement of ARAMARK’s effort to promote sustainability at nearly 200 healthcare facilities throughout Canada.

23 Nov 2009

'60 Minutes' on end-of-life health spending: 'Is there a better way?'

While all Americans will eventually die, CBS's 60 Minutes reports, it may turn some heads to find out how much the government will spend when it happens -- in 2008, about $50 billion in the last two months of life. "You might think this would be an obvious thing for Congress and the president to address as they try to reform health care. But what used to be a bipartisan issue has become a politically explosive one - a perfect example of the costs that threaten to bankrupt the country and how hard it's going to be to rein them in."

23 Nov 2009

MHCC's initiative for homeless people living with mental illness

Moncton is one of five cities selected by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) for implementation of its ground-breaking national research project to find the best way to provide housing and services to people who are living with mental illness and homelessness. Using a 'Housing First' approach, the research project focuses on first providing people who are homeless with a place to live, and then the other assistance and services they require. The goal is to see if this approach is better than traditional 'care as usual'.

23 Nov 2009

BioTrends Research Group releases Wave 2 report on AMAG's Feraheme

BioTrends Research Group, Inc. released Wave 2 of its LaunchTrends(TM): Feraheme report, the second in a multi-phase syndicated market research project tracking the launch of AMAG's new IV iron product, Feraheme, through the first six months of product availability. Each wave of the report provides quantitative information from 50 unique Nephrologists and qualitative information from a subset of 15.

23 Nov 2009

C3a peptide regulates the generation of new nerve cells in the brain: Study

The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue, reveals new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy published in the journal Stem Cells.

23 Nov 2009

Proteon Therapeutics commences PRT-201 Phase 1/2 clinical study in hemodialysis patients

Proteon Therapeutics, Inc., has initiated a Phase 1/2 human clinical study of its lead product, PRT-201, in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing surgery for arteriovenous graft (AVG) creation. The AVG study represents Proteon's second human clinical study in hemodialysis patients, previously announcing the initiation of a Phase 1/2 study of PRT-201 in ESRD patients undergoing surgery for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation earlier this year.

23 Nov 2009

Walgreens re-launches its website with expanded shopping tools and services

Walgreens, the nation’s largest drugstore chain and a leading destination for health and wellness services, today announced the re-launch of Walgreens.com (www.walgreens.com), offering users a variety of new healthy living and product resources, along with expanded yet simplified shopping tools and services.

23 Nov 2009

Public opinion has changed since Clinton tried health care reform

Public opinions have changed since President Bill Clinton tried to reform the health care system more than a a decade ago. USA Today reports that "the years since Clinton's failed effort have seen the cost of medical services nearly double and softened some of the skepticism voiced by Americans in 1993 and 1994. The percentage who say Congress should pass comprehensive legislation, rather than dealing with health care incrementally over several years, has increased by 10 points, USA TODAY/Gallup Polls show."

23 Nov 2009

Senate Democratic leaders look for public option compromise to win moderates

The Washington Post: "Democrats had little time to savor their weekend Senate health-care victory, as two of the lawmakers who voted to move the debate forward Saturday night indicated Sunday that they will not vote to pass the package if it includes a government-run insurance program."

23 Nov 2009

Lobbying is up as health industry examines impact of reform proposals

"Companies and groups hiring lobbying firms on health issues nearly doubled this year as special interests rushed to shape the massive revamp of the nation's health care system now in its final stretch before Congress." As many as 1,000 groups "have hired lobbyists since January, compared with 505 during the same period in 2008, according to a USA TODAY analysis of congressional records compiled by the nonpartisan CQ MoneyLine."

23 Nov 2009

JDRF partners with the Canadian Government in diabetes research

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Canada is pleased to announce its first partnership with the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario. Through this innovative two-year partnership, the Government of Canada is committing $20 million and JDRF is making a matching contribution of $10 million to accelerate world-class diabetes research in Southern Ontario by implementing a clinical trial network for diabetes research.

23 Nov 2009

Health debate bears down on senators

"As one of the few senators undecided on healthcare reform, Arkansas Democrat Blanche Lincoln faces a huge headache. Liberals attack her as an obstructionist, even though she cast a key vote keeping the effort alive. Republicans are lining up to run against her -- seven, so far, and counting. The voters here at home seem conflicted, if not downright confused.

23 Nov 2009

Hatch, other conservatives argue individual mandate is unconstitutional

Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch is leading the Republican movement against the proposed individual mandate to buy insurance, arguing "Congress has no constitutional authority to tell people what to buy with their money, Salt Lake Tribune explains. "'If we have the power simply to order Americans to buy certain products, why did we need a Cash for Clunkers program?' Hatch said during a debate in the Senate Finance Committee. 'We can simply require Americans to buy certain cars.

23 Nov 2009

Error-plagued Los Angeles hospital cuts deal to reopen

A plan to reopen Los Angeles' Martin Luther King Jr. hospital as a private, nonprofit facility in partnership with the University of California is the latest example in a new trend among public hospitals that has lead to greater efficiency, and often quality elsewhere, The New York Times reports. Like many public hospitals, MLK had a track record of inconsistent quality and grim finances, and "was closed in 2007 after a series of errors, some of them fatal.

23 Nov 2009

Administration seeks to distance reform effort from cancer screening fallout

As the intense debate continues over new cancer test guidelines, the Obama administration is trying to protect health care reform from the controversy's fallout.

23 Nov 2009

Urodynamix Technologies announces the publication of AMA's 2010 Current Procedural Terminology

Urodynamix Technologies Ltd. today announced that the American Medical Association (AMA) has published its 2010 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes with additions, changes and deletions of billing codes for all medical specialities including urology.

23 Nov 2009