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Americans encouraged to stay in touch with their family history for health reasons

The United States Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging Americans to learn about their families' health histories as a way of promoting personal health and preventing disease.

9 Nov 2004

Medicare to reimburse preventive cholesterol screening

As the nation's leading cardiologists gather for the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2004, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) has announced the 2005 Physician Fee Schedule, which guarantees access to preventive cholesterol screenings for 39 million Medicare-eligible beneficiaries.

9 Nov 2004

Australian trial set to transform nursing home care

Medications trolleys in nursing homes may soon become mobile medical centres. The University of New South Wales has won a $300,000 grant to develop and trial a new point-of-care system that will allow nursing staff to manage medications, check patients’ clinical signs and streamline administration and clinical interaction with patients’ GPs.

8 Nov 2004

Hong Kong launches flu vaccination programme

To prevent the spread of flu in the coming peak season, it is important that the public and private sectors work together to provide influenza vaccinations to members of the public.

8 Nov 2004

Schwarzenegger puts tens of thousands of Californians at risk, according to Californian Nurses

The California Nurses Association condemned a decision by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today, at the behest of the multi-billion dollar hospital industry, to suspend major provisions of California's law requiring safe registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios

5 Nov 2004

BMA warns of crisis in community hospitals

GPs working in Community Hospitals Community Hospital GPs are underpaid and feel undervalued and exploited, says the British Medical Association (BMA) in its evidence to the Doctors' and Dentists' Pay Review Body (DDRB). It calls for immediate action to resolve the issue across the UK.

5 Nov 2004

The Bush Medicare Prescription has changed the identity of medical oncology

Under previous law, Medicare covered chemotherapy as well as radiation treatment for cancer patients, but did not pay for oral-dose anti-cancer drugs, unless they were available in both oral and injectable form.

4 Nov 2004

British Medical Association calls on Health Secretary to deliver tough action to protect the nation's health

The British Medical Association today (4 November 2004) calls on Health Secretary John Reid to deliver tough action to protect the nation's health, as he finalises the White Paper on Public Health for England.

4 Nov 2004

NHS chooses Microsoft over Open Source

The NHS has reached a landmark agreement with Microsoft on the renewal of the licensing of its desktop products in line with the OGC's framework agreement with Microsoft.

4 Nov 2004

Help for NHS staff bringing healthcare to the world's poor

NHS staff from England who are planning health projects in the world's poorest communities are being supported by a new Department of Health fund, now opening its second wave (3 November 2004).

3 Nov 2004

Academics urge British Government to consider wider options in public health white paper

The government's forthcoming public health white paper should consider other options aside from imposing personal obligations on individual citizens to take responsibility for their own health, if it is to succeed in improving the health of the nation, according to a leading health think tank.

2 Nov 2004

FDA allows health claims for olive oil

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the availability of a qualified health claim for monounsaturated fat from olive oil and reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

1 Nov 2004

McGuinty Government introduces changes to eye care services

The McGuinty government is making changes to the way OHIP insures routine eye exams, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.

1 Nov 2004

BMA warns of serious threat to health safeguards from EU proposals

The British Medical Association has warned of a serious threat to health safeguards for patients, and the deregulation of the national health service, from new EU proposals.

1 Nov 2004

UK A & E departments face new staffing crisis as doctors leave to become GPs

Excluding trainees, around half of the doctors working in A&E in the UK are employed in staff grade and associate specialist (SAS) positions - which are distinct from consultant posts.

1 Nov 2004

Public health facing calamity, say medics

The warning from public health leaders comes as ministers prepare to unveil the biggest public health strategy to date, targeting smoking, obesity and sexual health.

29 Oct 2004

Will email consultations improve patient care?

Making email communication part of routine medical practice may have unforseen consequences for the NHS, warns a doctor in a letter to this week's BMJ.

29 Oct 2004

Drug report raises hospital monitoring issues

The impact of increasing amphetamine use challenged the existing organisation of health care services and demonstrated a clear need for the monitoring of emergency department presentations at Queensland’s hospitals.

26 Oct 2004

British Government report declares NHS accident and emergency, the envy of the world

With 96 per cent of patients being seen and treated quickly in NHS A&E departments, this country's emergency departments are becoming the envy of the world, according to a British Government Report.

26 Oct 2004

Initiatives put more doctors in rural Alberta

Two initiatives will improve access to health services for Albertans living in smaller communities by attracting more medical students to rural family medicine and putting more family physician residents into rural practice.

25 Oct 2004