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Study: Affluent people more likely to undergo bowel cancer screening than deprived counterparts

Affluent people are 50 per cent more likely to take part in bowel cancer screening than their deprived counterparts, according to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer (BJC).

3 Dec 2009

LSI collaborates with United Healthcare to meet the growing demand for spinal procedures

Laser Spine Institute (LSI), the leader in minimally invasive spinal surgery, is pleased to announce a partnership with United Healthcare and affiliates after an extensive six-month negotiation and clinical review process.

3 Dec 2009

BCBSGa and Radio Disney team up to provide free vision care service for Georgia school children

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Inc. (BCBSGa), OneSight®, a Luxottica Group Foundation, and Radio Disney have teamed to bring the OneSight Vision Van, "SeeMore" to Georgia from Tuesday, Dec. 1 through Thursday, Dec. 3. Henry County, Clayton County and Butts County Schools pre-selected 300 students from kindergarten through high school based on their financial and vision needs to receive free vision care, including full vision exams and new eyewear.

3 Dec 2009

SJH and Pharos Innovations team up to enhance care and reduce healthcare costs

According to Stephen F. Jencks, MD, MPH, in a recent New England Journal of Medicine article, America's healthcare crisis is fueled by unnecessary and costly hospitalizations, including re-admissions -- 90% of which are unplanned and at a price-tag of $17.4 billion. To enhance care and combat readmissions, South Jersey Healthcare (SJH), a leading regional healthcare provider in southern New Jersey, has entered a partnership with Pharos Innovations that aims to reduce healthcare costs while improving quality of life for patients.

3 Dec 2009

U.S. unveils 5-year PEPFAR strategy

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby on Tuesday "unveiled a five-year strategy for fighting AIDS worldwide, shifting the focus from emergency response to sustainable programs in countries worldwide," Agence France-Presse reports.

3 Dec 2009

Beta blockers and stress tests before non-cardiac surgeries should be avoided, according to study

Physicians should "throttle back" from routinely ordering stress tests and prescribing beta blockers to patients before non-cardiac surgeries, according to a report by the University of Michigan released online this week.

3 Dec 2009

Widowed population experiences higher mortality rate, says study

Married people in the United States are living longer these days, but the widowed are experiencing a higher mortality rate, according to new research by a Michigan State University sociologist.

3 Dec 2009

Yale researchers survey door-to-balloon times in 831 hospitals

Healthcare professionals using new time-saving strategies to coordinate care for patients having a heart attack saw dramatic improvement in "door-to-balloon" (D2B) times-the time from when a patient enters the hospital to the time blood flow is restored to the heart by opening a blockage with angioplasty. The faster patients are treated, the more likely they are to survive. The results are published by Yale researchers and their colleagues in the December 15 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

3 Dec 2009

Senate debate moving slowly, Reid could extend session

As debate over health care reform legislation continues in the Senate, Democrats are accusing Republicans of delaying votes and strategizing over how the schedule could unfold in the coming weeks.

2 Dec 2009

Leaders respond to World AIDS Day; South Africa to expand HIV treatment program

Marking World AIDS Day on Tuesday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon "warned ... that new infections are outpacing the gains from treating people with the HIV virus" and that discrimination against HIV-positive people remains "widespread," the Associated Press reports.

2 Dec 2009

Orszag: Current health bills only a first step to controlling health costs

Reuters: "Congressional efforts to revamp the U.S. healthcare system are not enough to stem soaring health costs or close the nation's budget gap, a top Obama administration official said on Wednesday." White House budget director Peter Orszag did not offer specific ideas or changes President Obama might include in his next budget proposal

2 Dec 2009

MSC's Quality Initiative Programs to be highlighted at the 2009 IHI National Forum

Medical Simulation Corporation (MSC) will highlight its full menu of Quality Initiative Programs at the 2009 IHI National Forum, December 7-9, 2009, in Orlando, Florida. MSC is the first simulation company to introduce simulation-based education programs that help healthcare providers bridge the gap between measurement and achievement of publicly reported patient safety and quality initiatives.

2 Dec 2009

New CareTracker Clinical Intelligence technology to be introduced in 187 health centers

Resource Systems, developer of long-term care electronic documentation system CareTracker, and Extendicare Health Services, Inc., a leading provider of senior care with over 260 health centers across U.S. and Canada, announce Extendicare's commitment to introduce the new CareTracker Clinical Intelligence technology to 187 health centers. The Clinical Intelligence tool assists health centers in predicting and notifying caregivers of potential resident care issues before they become a problem.

2 Dec 2009

Senators consider women's insurance amendment, Medicare funding issues, with votes likely today

The New York Times: "In a day of desultory debate on sweeping health care legislation, senators appealed to two potent political constituencies ... with Democrats seeking additional medical benefits for women and Republicans vowing to preserve and protect Medicare for older Americans. The Democrats' first amendment, offered by Senator Barbara A. Mikulski of Maryland, would require insurers to cover more screenings and preventive care for women, with no co-payments."

2 Dec 2009

Partisan sniping dominates Senate health debate

The Christian Science Monitor: In the coming days, "senators will have to grind through lots of [amendments], as members of both parties line up to try and shape the final product. ... Senate debate on Tuesday began at around 2:15 pm, and quickly formed along expected lines. Sen. Charles Grassley (R) of Iowa, ranking minority member on the Finance Committee, led off by complaining about the size and possible expense of the effort, layered on top of federal bailouts of banks and auto firms.

2 Dec 2009

Officials to review U.S. health-threat response systems

The Washington Post: "Citing the balky swine flu vaccination campaign and other shortcomings in the nation's medical defenses, a top Obama administration official has announced a major review of the government's efforts to develop new protections against pandemics, bioterrorism and other health threats."

2 Dec 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

Once upon a time, grass-roots women challenged the establishment by figuratively burning their bras. Now, in some masochistic perversion of feminism, they are raising their voices to yell, "Squeeze our breasts!" (Barbara Ehrenreich, 12/2).

2 Dec 2009

Legal immigrants still lack care in Massachusetts; Ohio hospitals brace for new fees

News outlets report on legal immigrants and the cost of health reform in Massachusetts, new hospital fees in Ohio, coverage shortfalls in Tennessee and registered nurse practitioners in Florida.

2 Dec 2009

Democrats push for extension as dwindling COBRA subsidies are bad news for jobless

Subsidies to help people pay for COBRA benefits - the program that lets laid off or departing employees temporarily hang on to their health coverage - are drying up, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The subsidies, which pay for 65 percent of the often-costly premiums, became available in March as part of the economic stimulus legislation.

2 Dec 2009

Medpac examines regional differences in use of medical care

The New York Times Prescriptions blog: "A federal advisory panel said Tuesday that regional differences in the use of health care services were substantial but smaller than many experts had suggested. The panel, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, found that the use of services by Medicare beneficiaries in the Miami area was almost 40 percent higher than the national average.

2 Dec 2009

Healthcare News

Study: Affluent people more likely to undergo bowel cancer screening than deprived counterparts

LSI collaborates with United Healthcare to meet the growing demand for spinal procedures

BCBSGa and Radio Disney team up to provide free vision care service for Georgia school children

SJH and Pharos Innovations team up to enhance care and reduce healthcare costs

U.S. unveils 5-year PEPFAR strategy

Beta blockers and stress tests before non-cardiac surgeries should be avoided, according to study

Widowed population experiences higher mortality rate, says study

Yale researchers survey door-to-balloon times in 831 hospitals

Senate debate moving slowly, Reid could extend session

Leaders respond to World AIDS Day; South Africa to expand HIV treatment program

Orszag: Current health bills only a first step to controlling health costs

MSC's Quality Initiative Programs to be highlighted at the 2009 IHI National Forum

New CareTracker Clinical Intelligence technology to be introduced in 187 health centers

Senators consider women's insurance amendment, Medicare funding issues, with votes likely today

Partisan sniping dominates Senate health debate

Officials to review U.S. health-threat response systems

Today's opinions and editorials

Legal immigrants still lack care in Massachusetts; Ohio hospitals brace for new fees

Democrats push for extension as dwindling COBRA subsidies are bad news for jobless

Medpac examines regional differences in use of medical care

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology

Exploring the Future of Neuroscience Drug Discovery

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