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Prescription for improvements in patient safety

A major reform of the way that NHS hospitals pay for legal liability insurance has led to improvements in patient safety, according to research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

30 Nov 2008

AARP report finds value of unpaid family caregiving in Illinois hits over $17 billion

With the economy continuing it's downward turn, family caregivers are stepping up to the plate to help loved ones in need.

26 Nov 2008

Australian doctors say the public hospital system is 'flat lining' and rural hospitals are feeling the strain

According to the Australian Medical Association (AMA) when conditions for staff and patients at regional hospitals are compared with those at city hospitals, our country cousins lose out.

26 Nov 2008

Electronic health records may lower malpractice settlements

Use of electronic health records (EHRs) may help reduce paid malpractice settlements for physicians, according to a new study.

25 Nov 2008

New voice care center

UT Southwestern Medical Center has gathered a team of specially trained physicians and therapists to launch a new center for voice care dedicated to disorders of the voice and larynx.

24 Nov 2008

HHS releases first-ever inventory of quality measures

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released the first-ever inventory of quality measures that are used for reporting, payment, or quality improvement by its agencies and operating divisions.

24 Nov 2008

Should the private sector play a greater role in delivering health care in low-income countries?

A provocative debate in this week's PLoS Medicine examines whether the private sector should step up its involvement in delivering health care in low-income countries.

24 Nov 2008

Study looks at health care in 21 countries

A new study involving health care systems in 21 countries -- and the prospects for change in response to such common pressures as rising costs and aging populations -- casts doubt on the possibility of major overhauls of any of these systems because of the history and traditions that created them.

24 Nov 2008

Final ruling on Patient Safety Organizations

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a final rule for Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs).

24 Nov 2008

How is a shortage of primary care physicians affecting the quality and cost of medical care?

A white paper, How is a Shortage of Primary Care Physicians Affecting the Quality and Cost of Medical Care? , released today by the American College of Physicians (ACP) documents the value of primary care by reviewing 20 years of research.

19 Nov 2008

Call for greater scrutiny of relationship between medical journalists and health care industry

The BMJ paper outlines three areas where journalists might become entangled in conflict-of-interest issues: during educational activities that may be drug company sponsored, when accepting sponsored awards, or in the day-to-day practice of reporting the news by relying too heavily on industry supplied sources.

19 Nov 2008

Household budget cutbacks in health care could have serious consequences

Household budget cutbacks are becoming commonplace as most Americans struggle to make ends meet, but experts warn that health care needs should not be among the forfeited services.

19 Nov 2008

Advisory vote begins on California long-term care local union

SEIU healthcare members began casting ballots this week in an advisory vote on two reorganization plans.

19 Nov 2008

Poor understanding of medicare leads to worse healthcare access

A study appearing in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that Medicare beneficiaries' understanding of their healthcare benefits may affect their ability to access needed care effectively and could lead them to the delay or avoid seeking care.

18 Nov 2008

Seniors happy with Medicare drug coverage just the way it is

Ninety-two percent of seniors enrolled in the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit in 2008 are satisfied with their coverage according to a national phone survey by RetireSafe, a nationwide education and advocacy group for older Americans.

18 Nov 2008

Sexuality and nursing home residents

They are also a way to give nursing home residents some privacy for sexual expression, according to Kansas State University aging experts.

18 Nov 2008

Ethnic disparities in treatment of trauma patients

The initial evaluation and management of injured patients from minority ethnic groups nationwide appears to be similar to that of non-Hispanic white patients, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Surgery.

17 Nov 2008

Financial incentives motivates doctors to reduce ethnic differences in heart disease treatments

Financial incentives for doctors can improve the management of coronary heart disease (CHD) and reduce ethnic differences in quality of and access to care, according to Dr. Christopher Millett, Consultant in Public Health at Imperial College Faculty of Medicine in London in the UK, and his colleagues.

17 Nov 2008

Cost of health insurance rises 33% with state pricing rule

New research shows that the cost of health insurance for a typical family increases about $100 per month when state governments limit price adjustments based on factors like age, health or risky behaviors such as smoking.

17 Nov 2008

Doctors' questions about end-of-life legalities may result in patient pain

When treatment options dwindle or are exhausted, terminally ill-patients often opt for pain management and comfort over life-extending therapies. However, a team of researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, University of Rochester Medical Center and Unity Health System, report that a lack of thorough understanding about the laws governing end-of-life care may be leaving many medical providers with an ethical dilemma and causing some terminally-ill patients considerable, unnecessary pain.

13 Nov 2008