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Also in Global Health News: Uganda malaria efforts; child mortality in Vietnam; refugee health; U.S. aid to Somalia; HIV in South Africa

The Guardian examines efforts to reduce malaria in Katine, Uganda, through the distribution of insecticide-treated nets to high-risk groups. Though the article details a reduction in the number of malaria cases in the region, additional nets are needed to cover the entire population. Also, health experts warn additional strategies, such as indoor residual spraying and increased access to drugs are needed to defeat malaria (Kavuma, 10/8).

9 Oct 2009

Today's editorials and opinions

As Congress debates the costs of reforming our health-care system, it should consider one significant collateral cost of not acting: maintaining the world's highest rate of incarceration (Tracy Velazquez, 10/7).

9 Oct 2009

HMO stocks slump on CBO health care reform score

Reuters reports that HMO stocks are slipping lower today, in the aftermath of the Congressional Budget Office's analysis of the Senate Finance Committee health care reform bill.

9 Oct 2009

Children's access to health care poses significant health problem despite of health insurance coverage

Despite high rates of health insurance coverage among children in the District of Columbia, children's access to health care is inadequate and poses a significant health problem for the city's young residents, particularly those who are publicly insured, according to a RAND Corporation study issued today.

9 Oct 2009

CIGNA and Prohealth Physicians to implement an enhanced care coordination program

CIGNA and ProHealth Physicians, Inc., have expanded their longstanding relationship by implementing an enhanced care coordination program that includes pay-for-performance provisions and many of the features of a patient-centered medical home program. This is the first program of its kind in Connecticut.

9 Oct 2009

Children on Medicaid still face difficulty getting dental care

Many children still don't get Medicaid dental care, state officials told the Government Accountability Office. The Associated Press reports:

9 Oct 2009

NAMM to provide Humana members with convenient access to quality care

North American Medical Management California, Inc. (NAMM) and Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) announced today a long-term agreement enabling Humana’s Medicare Advantage health maintenance organization (HMO) members to receive medical care through PrimeCare Medical Network, Inc. (PrimeCare), an affiliate of NAMM and operating in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

9 Oct 2009

Americans cut back on health care, Consumers Union finds

Americans have cut back on health care to try to save money during the past year, a new poll by Consumers Union finds. To do so, they have stalled on doctors' visits, passed on medical tests and taken expired medication. McClatchy reports.

9 Oct 2009

CBO score a score for Baucus, but others balk

The Congressional Budget Office's score was mostly good news for Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus as he works to gain approval for his health bill and move it to the Senate floor.

9 Oct 2009

GOP continues health reform opposition, quotes concerned Democrats

"Congressional Republicans fired back Wednesday at the White House public relations campaign for health-care reform, highlighting concerns voiced by two Democratic governors about a possible expansion of Medicaid," The Washington Post reports. The cost of Medicaid is "already driving states to the fiscal brink."

8 Oct 2009

Health care varies significantly among states, Study finds

A new Commonwealth Fund study shows wide disparities in health care across states.

8 Oct 2009

European hospitals replace halogen lights with longer lasting LED surgical lights

According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, European uptake of light-emitting diode (LED) surgical lights will represent 100% of surgical light sales by 2014, as hospitals replace halogen lights with significantly longer lasting LED lights.

8 Oct 2009

Minority groups gear up to push for health care reform

Minorities are so far missing from the cacophony of voices - including doctors, insurers, industry lobbyists, and patient advocates - in the health-care reform debate, the Washington Post reports, even as they are "disproportionately represented among the poor and uninsured and could benefit the most from reform, and who are more likely than others to have chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

8 Oct 2009

Hospital ethics panels help families make difficult decisions

USA Today reports: "Every day, in a hospital somewhere in the USA, a group of strangers — the hospital ethics committee — is called in to help people make the choices of a lifetime.

8 Oct 2009

New Merck Manuals provide trustworthy health information to consumers

Doctors are considered the most trustworthy source of health information, according to a recent survey, yet consumers typically don’t have 24/7 access to their physicians. Recognizing that need, Merck & Co., Inc. today released its new medical book, The Merck Manual Home Health Handbook and a new iPhone® application (app) The Merck Manual – Home Edition, written by more than 300 key worldwide medical experts.

8 Oct 2009

Study indicates key credentials of practitioners need to be verified regularly

An observational study conducted by Medversant Technologies, LLC, (www.medversant.com), the nation’s exclusive provider of AutoVerifi™ technology (U.S. Patent 7,529,682) that continuously monitors Web-based credentials verification solutions for hospitals, health plans, state Medicaid programs, and other healthcare settings, determined that of 29,845 healthcare practitioners with professed current medical licensure, 1.9 percent were practicing without a license and 18.7 percent were flagged with one or more “adverse findings” – including malpractice, expired license, and credentials falsification.

8 Oct 2009

eClinicalWorks signs agreement with Healthwise to provide two Healthwise solutions to help its physicians

eClinicalWorks and Healthwise announced today an agreement to provide two Healthwise solutions to eClinicalWorks physician clients. Healthwise Information Therapy (Ix) Patient Instructions, take-home patient educational materials, integrates within the eClinicalWorks EMR; and the Healthwise Knowledgebase, an online health information library, has patient-specific connections within the eClinicalWorks secure Patient Portal.

8 Oct 2009

Latinas have reservations about health care reform

Accentmarketing announced its latest release from its Latinas in Charge initiative - "Redefining the Meaning of Well-Being." This release further explores the U.S. Latina mindset on health, healthcare and health insurance - topics at the forefront of this nation's agenda.

8 Oct 2009

Patient selectivity is an important driver of the superior outcomes at focused hospitals: INFORMS meeting

Although many specialized hospitals deliver better and faster services in cardiac care and other specialties, a paper being presented at the annual meeting of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS-) maintains that these hospitals cherry-pick patients to achieve these results, and that average patients actually receive worse care.

8 Oct 2009