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If MyPyramid can assist people in effectively adopting the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines, it will be a great success

The ultimate value and success of the new “MyPyramid” Food Guidance System graphic will be measured by whether it can serve as an effective tool to help people eat according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Time will tell if MyPyramid will convey to consumers the vital nutritional messages of balance, variety, moderation and adequacy.

19 Apr 2005

Call for a United States Global Health Service

The federal government should create and fund an umbrella organization called the United States Global Health Service (GHS) to mobilize the nation's best health care professionals and other experts to help combat HIV/AIDS in hard-hit African, Caribbean, and Southeast Asian countries, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

19 Apr 2005

NHS must overhaul its approach to adolescent health

The NHS must overhaul its approach to adolescent health if it is to meet the health needs of young people in the UK, says a paper in the BMJ.

19 Apr 2005

Can hospital data detect poor performing doctors?

For over 20 years, routine data sources such as the hospital episode statistics have been widely perceived as being of little value because of problems with completeness and accuracy, and the Department of Health has in the past dismissed their use for identifying poor quality services.

19 Apr 2005

To boost efficiency, hospitals borrow principles from factory floor

Many health-care industry bottlenecks can be eliminated, resulting in major improvements in efficiency, cost savings and patient care when hospitals borrow principles from production lines on the factory floor, according to researchers in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University at Buffalo.

13 Apr 2005

Bugs in the gut could help doctors develop individualised healthcare

The success of personalised healthcare hinges on a better understanding of how microbes in the gut interact with different medicines report scientists from Imperial College London and Astra Zeneca.

13 Apr 2005

Better deal for part-time British doctors

Under new contracts which will come into force this June, UK doctors in training will find it easier to work less than full time.

12 Apr 2005

Respiratory medicine could be heading for crisis

Respiratory medicine could be heading for crisis if doctors are not offered more opportunities for flexible training and working, according to a new survey launched by the British Thoracic Society (BTS).

12 Apr 2005

105 new health center grants totaling more than $63 million

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt has announced plans to award 105 new health center grants totaling more than $63 million. These grants will help an estimated 632,000 Americans, including many without health insurance, obtain comprehensive primary health care services.

12 Apr 2005

Germany leads the way with e-health

Germany is poised to introduce its next generation e-health card in 2006. The new version, set to replace the existing insurance card – holding only the patient’s name, address and insurance number – will be the latest example of smart card technology to hit the market in Europe. It will be able to store prescription information and might even be used as the standard card for a digital signature – the key to modern eGovernment applications.

12 Apr 2005

Medicare announces funding for health insurance counseling

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a 50 percent increase in funding for the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs). SHIPs are a key partner in Medicare’s Education and Outreach effort to insure that everyone with Medicare knows they are eligible for prescription drug coverage, that they will have a choice of at least two plans, and that there will be extra assistance for those in need.

12 Apr 2005

Disability tax credit benefits Canadians with diabetes

Some Canadians who use insulin to manage their diabetes may be eligible for a federal tax credit worth up to $1,055 when they file their 2005 tax returns next year, the Canadian Diabetes Association announced recently.

12 Apr 2005

Health resources must go to patients, not administration

Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Bill Glasson, said recently that reports of Government changes to the health system seemed to have the priorities all wrong.

12 Apr 2005

Commons committee blasts dementia discrimination

On 10 April 2005 the House of Commons Health Select Committee published a damning report about the government’s policy on fully funded NHS continuing care.

12 Apr 2005

Can cancer be prevented?

Common habits – what we eat, how much we exercise, smoke and use alcohol – contribute to about a third of cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.

12 Apr 2005

HHS to tackle obesity among African Americans

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced today the award of $1.2 million to improve efforts to reduce obesity among African Americans through a new partnership with national African American organizations.

7 Apr 2005

Unchaperoned examinations risk misconduct allegations

Doctors who continue performing intimate examinations unchaperoned risk allegations of misconduct, warn researchers in a letter to this week’s BMJ.

7 Apr 2005

Competition in health care may not result in better quality

For several decades, competition within the health care industry has been touted as the way to curb rising prices by reducing inefficient practices and improving quality and safety. But a study of 341 HMOs suggests that more competition may not automatically solve price and quality-of-care problems as hoped for by legislators, regulators and employers.

7 Apr 2005

Congress must act now to avert crisis and keep Medicare program strong

A survey of physicians released by the American Medical Association (AMA) indicates that steep Medicare payment cuts to physicians, nurses and other health professionals will hurt access to care for America's seniors and disabled.

5 Apr 2005

ACNM joins call to make every mother and child count on World Health Day 2005

Increasing the number of trained midwives, especially in low resource countries, is a life-saving intervention that must receive support from policy makers and funders if we expect to lower maternal and infant mortality rates, said the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) as it prepared to participate in World Health Day activities set for April 7th, 2005.

5 Apr 2005