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U.S. faces serious shortage of primary care physicians

Community health centers have a shortage of more than 3,200 primary care providers and nurses, with larger shortages in rural and low-income areas, according to a report released Monday by the National Association of Community Health Centers, CQ HealthBeat reports.

13 Aug 2008

Study to look at health care system trust among Hispanics with HIV

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in September will begin a two-year study to determine whether a lack of trust of the U.S. medical system is a factor behind a higher mortality rate among Hispanics with HIV/AIDS, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.

13 Aug 2008

Virginia Hospital Center to launch $14 million new hospital information system

Virginia Hospital Center will launch a $14 million new Hospital Information System (HIS) in 2009 that will utilize advanced information technologies (IT) to create efficiencies and orchestrate clinical best practices. The Hospital signed an agreement with Siemens Medical Solutions and will implement its powerful workflow-engineered health information solution, Soarian.

12 Aug 2008

NHS is a sickness system not a health system, according to new book

The UK Government has largely ignored lessons to be learnt from 60 years of NHS reorganisation leading to failures in the system, argues the author of a forthcoming book.

12 Aug 2008

Brits told by the NHS their lives will not be saved if the cost is too much

An announcement by government authorities in the UK that drugs which are too expensive should not be prescribed even if they prolong life, because the money could be better spent elsewhere, has caused an uproar.

11 Aug 2008

Australian doctors call for a national immunisation register

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has welcomed the announcement of a new national register of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccinations but says it would be more cost effective to create a register for all vaccinations.

11 Aug 2008

Launch of new codes of ethics and professional conduct for Australian nurses and midwives

Today has seen the launch of new national codes of ethics and professional conduct for nurses and midwives.

11 Aug 2008

YMCA and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center offer free exercise program for cancer survivors

Puget Sound-area cancer survivors have access to a new strength-and-fitness program designed specifically for them thanks to a partnership between the YMCA of Greater Seattle and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

4 Aug 2008

Queensland health in bother again over employment of a foreign doctor

Queensland health are in a spot of bother yet again over the employment of a foreign born doctor.

4 Aug 2008

U.S. EPA calls out nation's largest manufacturer of hospital disinfectants

Consumers should never have to second-guess information on product labels, and through a recent settlement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lonza Inc., the nation's largest manufacturer of hospital disinfectants, consumers will now assuredly be getting what they pay for.

4 Aug 2008

Concerns about possible cancer cluster prompts investigation of Gold Coast private hospital

A possible cancer cluster at a private hospital at Benowa on the Gold Coast is causing some concern.

4 Aug 2008

Hospital error resulted in 17 cancer patients wrongly told they were clear

A National Health Service (NHS) hospital in Britain has admitted that due to an administrative error, 17 cancer patients were given the all-clear only to be later told that they still had cancer.

3 Aug 2008

House votes to extend medical leave coverage for college students

The House on Wednesday by voice vote approved a bill (HR 2851) that would allow college students who take medical leave to continue to receive health insurance under the policies of their parents, the AP/Boston Globe reports (AP/Boston Globe, 7/30).

3 Aug 2008

Court refuses to halt 10% cut to Medi-Cal payments for physicians, dentists

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Tuesday ruled that the court does not have the authority to block a 10% cut to Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal payments that went into effect on July 1 and that the issue must be handled by the state Legislature or federal government, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program.

3 Aug 2008

Participation in Connecticut Charter Oak Health Plan off to slow start

Fewer than 3,000 primary care physicians and one hospital are currently participating in Connecticut's Charter Oak Health Plan for uninsured adults, which began accepting applications in July, the Hartford Courant reports.

3 Aug 2008

Kaiser roundup of health policy-related blog posts

While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.

3 Aug 2008

Presidential candidate Nader promotes single-payer health care plan

Presidential candidate Ralph Nader (I) on Thursday criticized the U.S.'s two-party political system, which he says has been beholden to corporate interests that are preventing residents from accessing health care through a universal health care system, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

3 Aug 2008

Medical profession must dissociate itself from torture and actively investigate and sanction offenders

Doctors who assist in torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment should face prosecution and licensing punishments, says an editorial on BMJ.com.

31 Jul 2008

The Kenneth B. Schwartz Center, ASTRO partner to raise awareness of cancer survivorship

As part of its continued effort to give back to the cancer communities in the cities visited during its annual scientific meeting, the Fairfax, Va.-based American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) is partnering with the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center to raise awareness of cancer survivorship. The Kenneth B. Schwartz Center conducts pioneering programs to educate, train and support caregivers in the art of compassionate healthcare.

31 Jul 2008

Increase in number of homeless Australians receiving help

A new report says there has been a significant increase in the number of people receiving help from the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP), a federal and state government initiative aimed at providing services and housing to Australians who are homeless.

31 Jul 2008