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SAEC to collaborate with HMORN to improve the safe use of drugs

The International Serious Adverse Events Consortium (SAEC) announced today it will collaborate with the HMO Research Network (HMORN) to improve the safe use of drugs by exploring why the genetic makeup of some individuals makes them more likely to experience serious drug-related adverse events (SAEs).

22 Oct 2009

Industries oppose proposed assisted living regulations

With Pennsylvania just weeks away from the publication of final assisted living regulations, recently-released survey results about the size of living units in existing facilities show the wisdom of the proposed rules -- and the absurdity of the industry's opposition.

22 Oct 2009

SNAP Diagnostics joins SAFE-BioPharma Association

SNAP Diagnostics, a Chicago-based leader in the development of technology for the detection of sleep apnea and the analysis of snoring patterns, has joined SAFE-BioPharma Association, the non-profit association that created and manages the global SAFE-BioPharma® digital identity and signature standard for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. SNAP Diagnostics is the first dedicated device and diagnostics company to join SAFE-BioPharma.

22 Oct 2009

Laser Spine Institute acquires Aspen Back & Body

After helping thousands of patients get their lives back through minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery at facilities in Tampa and Scottsdale and soon Philadelphia, the Laser Spine Institute (LSI) announces their acquisition of Aspen Back & Body, LLC (ABB), extending LSI's patient care capabilities into non-surgical areas for the first time.

22 Oct 2009

FDA uses Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions' prescription data for tracking viral treatments

Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of market data and competitive intelligence to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, announced today that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is using its prescription data to track the treatment of H1N1 and other influenza viruses.

22 Oct 2009

The Sutter Heart Transplant Program gets recertified after an eight-month legal battle

Larry Clymer's heart was just plum wearing out. The 60-year-old Rocklin resident needed a heart transplant, and a temporary machine was implanted in his abdomen to keep his heart beating until the right heart was identified.

22 Oct 2009

New health initiative focuses on environmentally-associated cancers

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, in cooperation with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), will launch a targeted health initiative in January 2010 focused on environmentally-associated cancers.

22 Oct 2009

Hospitalized veterans receive therapeutic values through HHV's arts & crafts kits

It was December 1975. A relatively young organization called Help Hospitalized Veterans had been quietly delivering arts & crafts kits to VA and military hospitals for over four years and was about to reach a milestone – distribution of its 1,000,000th craft kit. Bob Hope, legendary actor, golfer and advocate for veterans presented the kit to Vietnam veteran Eugene Gardner.

22 Oct 2009

CHOP implements InforSense-based Translational Research Solution to study complex genetic disease

IDBS, the leading worldwide provider of research data management and analytics solutions to R&D organizations, today announced that The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), one of the leading pediatric hospitals and research facilities in the world, has implemented the InforSense-based Translational Research Solution to advance the understanding of complex genetic disease.

22 Oct 2009

Nationwide Better Health launches workplace benefit plans for employees

Nationwide Better HealthSM recently announced the launch of its workplace benefits for employees including accident and hospital products, group dental plans, group term life insurance and medical stop loss insurance. These offerings allow employers to provide benefits that help safeguard their employees’ physical and financial health.

22 Oct 2009

Dr. John Kitzhaber on reforming health care

Kaiser Health News features an interview with former Oregon governor, Dr. John Kitzhaber. When he "was president of the Oregon Senate, the state's languishing economy was tightening the screws on Medicaid outlays.

22 Oct 2009

Budget hawks block Reid's push for 'doc fix'

Democrats backed away from an unfunded proposal to increase physician payments from Medicare in the face of opposition from Republicans and some fiscally conservative members of their own ranks, the New York Times reports.

22 Oct 2009

Enrollment in medical school rises slightly as physician demand also increases

New figures show that enrollment in medical school continues to rise as schools try to increase the number of graduates to meet the increasing physician need. But doctors cautioned that more residency positions are needed and urged federal officials to fund them.

22 Oct 2009

Health reform triggers analysis of the lobbying 'revolving door,' spending reports

A joint ProPublica/CBS News investigation found that at least two dozen current lobbyists used to be federal officials who helped design the last major change to American health care.

22 Oct 2009

Small businesses could benefit from insurance exchanges

Supporters of health reform legislation told a Senate subcommittee Tuesday that the insurance exchanges are critical for small businesses, which pay more than large companies to cover their employees and are cutting jobs and insurance coverage to control costs.

22 Oct 2009

COOKIE DIET web site reaches milestone; registers its 100,000th member

At 6:14pm yesterday, Debora Gore of Bristow, Virginia, received a phone call from renowned physician, author, and weight-loss expert Dr. Sanford Siegal who was calling to congratulate her on becoming the 100,000th registered member of CookieDiet.com, the official Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET® web site.

22 Oct 2009

HHS to establish national resource center for LGBT individuals

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced plans to establish the nation’s first national resource center to assist communities across the country in their efforts to provide services and supports for older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals.

22 Oct 2009

Senate votes to shelve 'doc fix' legislation

"The Senate has sidetracked legislation raising Medicare payments for doctors by $247 billion over the next decade," The Associated Press reports. "The 47-53 vote was 13 short of the 60 needed to advance the measure, and reflected bipartisan concern that it would have raised deficits if it became law" (10/21).

22 Oct 2009

Snowe: Vote on reform by Thanksgiving is 'optimistic'

"Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), two key moderates, met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Wednesday morning — their second meeting with the leader this week as a part of their ongoing effort to shape the final Senate health care reform bill," Roll Call reports.

22 Oct 2009

Experts discuss methods to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections

It's a statistic that almost every healthcare facility knows: 40 percent of all healthcare-acquired infections are urinary tract infections (UTI). Since catheters -- the most common source of these infections -- are used on over four million hospital patients a year, the chances of a patient getting a UTI are pretty high. In fact, the daily risk for patients acquiring a urinary infection is as high as seven percent when indwelling urethral catheters remain in their original position.

22 Oct 2009