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Diverse coalition urges California Governor to sign bill to provide health coverage for smoking cessation treatments

A large and unusually diverse of group of interests have come together to urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign a key health related measure, Senate Bill 220 (Yee, D-San Francisco), which would provide health coverage of smoking cessation treatments and services.

18 Sep 2010

Judge releases schedule for health overhaul lawsuit proceedings; Poll finds voters indifferent to candidates' reform positions

The federal judge overseeing a lawsuit brought by 20 states against health reform released a schedule this week that lays out how the case will proceed, The Hill's Healthwatch Blog reports.

18 Sep 2010

St. Joseph's Hospital-North adds obstetric services

Moms-to-be have asked for it and now St. Joseph's Hospital-North delivers a birthing experience like no other hospital stay. The area's first new hospital in more than 30 years has added obstetric services, bringing new moms and babies comfortable care in a soothing, elegant environment.

17 Sep 2010

Poorer patients wait months for basic services in Minn.; Calif. unions criticize plan for state workers to pay more for benefits; Neb. Medicaid study questioned

Minnesota Public Radio: "Three months after the state implemented a scaled-back health care coverage program for its poorest residents, many patients are waiting months for basic medical services and hospitals have lost millions of dollars in uncompensated care. … The restructuring of the General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) program has forced thousands of low-income residents … to leave their medical providers and receive care through one of four Twin Cities-area hospitals.

17 Sep 2010

Democratic candidates spend more on ads against than for health reform

Politico: Democratic candidates are spending three times more — nearly $1 million — in advertising against health reform than for it. "Since the beginning of Congress's August recess, Democratic candidates have poured $930,000 into ads deriding the health overhaul but just $300,000 in pro-reform spots, according to Evan Tracey at Kantar Media."

17 Sep 2010

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center research team wins 2010 BioFlux Innovation Award

Fluxion Biosciences, Inc. announced today that a research team from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center has won the 2010 BioFlux Innovation Award competition. Laura Sycuro, Ph.D., a post-doctoral research fellow in the lab of David Fredricks, M.D., authored the winning submission which focuses on screening and characterizing bacterial strains involved in biofilm-related infections known to affect women's reproductive health.

From Fluxion Biosciences 17 Sep 2010

Scientists discover simple molecular test to block GOAT enzyme

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have designed a new molecular test that will allow researchers to look for potential drugs targeting a human metabolic enzyme believed to stimulate the appetite and play a role in diabetes.

17 Sep 2010

Advocacy For Patients files free insurance appeals for consumers with chronic illness

Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc., one of the only organizations in America that files free insurance appeals for consumers with chronic illness nationwide - today filed comments with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and Internal Revenue Service both complimenting the Agencies for "the thoughtful approach taken by the Agencies in formulating these complex rules," and suggesting numerous improvements that should be made.

16 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 15, 2010

Today's headlines include news that a Florida judge has indicated the 20-state legal challenge to the new health law is likely to advance.

15 Sep 2010

In Calif., breakaway union creates schism with SEIU; Poor patients will continue to receive dialysis in Georgia

"The S.E.I.U.'s national leadership ousted [Sal] Rosselli last year after a power struggle that ended with a jury finding that he had improperly used member dues to form a breakaway union. Shortly after being ousted, Mr. Rosselli did create a rival union, and now he is trying to lure many of his former members — 43,000 workers at Kaiser Permanente, the largest health care provider in the state. On Monday, workers at 331 Kaiser facilities across California began voting by mail on whether to bolt the S.E.I.U. and join Mr. Rosselli's group, the National Union of Healthcare Workers. A victory would give a vital boost to Mr. Rosselli's fledgling 6,000-member union, all but assuring its long-term survival" (Greenhouse, 9/13).

15 Sep 2010

Democrats who voted 'no' on health overhaul face campaign fire, calls to 'de-fund' reform grow louder

The Hill: Labor unions are living up to their pledge to target and spend campaign dollars against Democrats who voted against the health overhaul. "The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), for instance, has spent almost $300,000 on direct mail and other activities in support of union activist Mac D'Alessandro's primary challenge to Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.)." The primary in that race is Tuesday (Miller and D'Aprile, 9/14).

15 Sep 2010

Unsuccessful gum-disease treatment linked to preterm birth

A collaboration led by a periodontal researcher from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine has found a possible link between the success of gum-disease treatment and the likelihood of giving birth prematurely, according to a study published in the journal BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

15 Sep 2010

MedAssets announces agreement to purchase The Broadlane Group for $850M

MedAssets, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire The Broadlane Group. Based in Dallas, Texas, The Broadlane Group is a leading provider of supply chain management, strategic sourcing of supplies and services, capital equipment lifecycle management, medical device or PPI cost management, centralized procurement, clinical and lean process consulting, and clinical workforce optimization.

14 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 14, 2010

Among today's headlines, Berwick talks, health reform politics continue and coverage of the run up to Sept. 23 - the day several health overhaul provisions take effect - is in full swing.

14 Sep 2010

Kaiser Permanente caregivers pledge to vote for SEIU-UHW

The majority of Kaiser Permanente caregivers voting in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election that starts this week have pledged to vote for Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU-UHW), according to member-organizers across California who have collected pledge cards from their co-workers.

14 Sep 2010

Emergency physicians to present research studies at Research Forum 2010

The risks associated with boarding admitted patients in the emergency department – including patient mortality – as well as proposed solutions will be key themes of Scientific Assembly, the annual meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians. In addition, emergency physicians will present more than 450 research studies during 2010 Research Forum, the premier, annual scientific research event focused on the latest advances in the practice of emergency medicine.

14 Sep 2010

Montana to implement ACOEM's APG-I on-line practice guideline system

Montana's Department of Labor and Industry has announced that it will implement a system of Utilization and Treatment Guidelines using the on-line infrastructure and selected content provided by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

14 Sep 2010

Minister for Indigenous Health reinstated

As Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced her ministry this weekend, surprises came forth. Australian Medical Association and Aboriginal medical groups initially were dismayed when she decided to axe the Indigenous Health portfolio. Federal Labor MP Warren Snowdon was moved into Veterans' Affairs initially from where he was reinstated to his earlier position as Indigenous Health Minister. He assured that this reinstatement is not in response to the reaction from Indigenous and rural health groups.

13 Sep 2010

Health care expected to help fuel job growth yet new nurses having difficulties finding jobs

Orlando Sentinel: "Thousands more health-care workers, from doctors to nurses to physical therapists, will be needed in the coming decade in Florida and across the country to treat the increasing number of older Americans — particularly the enormous baby boom generation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care is expected to generate 3.2 million new jobs through 2018, more than any other industry and mainly because of the increasing number of elderly.

13 Sep 2010

Independence Blue Cross of Pennsylvania deploys Infoblox appliances with network services suite

Infoblox Inc. today announced that Independence Blue Cross of Pennsylvania has selected and deployed Infoblox appliances to deliver highly reliable and manageable domain name system (DNS), IP address assignment (DHCP) and IP address management (IPAM) services. Independence Blue Cross is Philadelphia's largest healthcare insurer with 2.4 million members locally and 3.3 million nationwide.

13 Sep 2010

Labor News and Research

Diverse coalition urges California Governor to sign bill to provide health coverage for smoking cessation treatments

Judge releases schedule for health overhaul lawsuit proceedings; Poll finds voters indifferent to candidates' reform positions

St. Joseph's Hospital-North adds obstetric services

Poorer patients wait months for basic services in Minn.; Calif. unions criticize plan for state workers to pay more for benefits; Neb. Medicaid study questioned

Democratic candidates spend more on ads against than for health reform

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center research team wins 2010 BioFlux Innovation Award

Scientists discover simple molecular test to block GOAT enzyme

Advocacy For Patients files free insurance appeals for consumers with chronic illness

First Edition: September 15, 2010

In Calif., breakaway union creates schism with SEIU; Poor patients will continue to receive dialysis in Georgia

Democrats who voted 'no' on health overhaul face campaign fire, calls to 'de-fund' reform grow louder

Unsuccessful gum-disease treatment linked to preterm birth

MedAssets announces agreement to purchase The Broadlane Group for $850M

First Edition: September 14, 2010

Kaiser Permanente caregivers pledge to vote for SEIU-UHW

Emergency physicians to present research studies at Research Forum 2010

Montana to implement ACOEM's APG-I on-line practice guideline system

Minister for Indigenous Health reinstated

Health care expected to help fuel job growth yet new nurses having difficulties finding jobs

Independence Blue Cross of Pennsylvania deploys Infoblox appliances with network services suite

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production

Exploring the G:Box and for high-quality imaging

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