Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Today's selection of opinions and editorials

Obama's Nontax Tax Wall Street Journal It turns out the President thinks a health-care tax is not a tax if he thinks the tax is for your own good (9/21).

21 Sep 2009

Medicare round up: News coverage of cost issues and leadership gap

"The national average for Medicare spending on such patients was $46,412, including outpatient care," the Times reports. "But in Los Angeles County, the average cost was nearly double that, $84,179, according to a Los Angeles Times review of Dartmouth data. In seeking to explain why, some researchers have concluded that doctors in areas such as Los Angeles, with more hospitals and other resources, are more likely to have patients admitted, order tests and schedule visits, largely because they can."

21 Sep 2009

Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapies for somatic symptom disorders show promise

In the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics a meta-analysis indicates how short-term dynamic psychotherapy may be helpful in the setting of medical disease.

21 Sep 2009

Memorial Medical Center deploys Motorola's 802.11n WLAN solution to improve patient care

The Enterprise Mobility Solutions business of Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), today announced that Lowry Computer, a leading systems integrator and Motorola channel partner, has deployed its 802.11n wireless LAN (WLAN) solution at Memorial Medical Center (MMC) of Western Michigan, a community hospital located in Ludington, Mich.

21 Sep 2009

Blessing Hospital integrates AtStaff’s ClairVia Patient Acuity system with its EMR

By integrating AtStaff’s ClairVia® Patient Acuity system with its electronic medical record (EMR), Blessing Hospital of Quincy, Ill., is driving patient acuity and staffing workload directly and automatically from its existing clinical documentation -- a significant advancement in evidenced-based, outcomes-driven care.

21 Sep 2009

QualityMetric announces new tool to measure pain accurately

According to the National Centers for Health Statistics, 76.2 million Americans report problems with chronic pain; more than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. The same report notes that the annual cost of chronic pain in the United States, including healthcare expenses, lost income, and productivity, is estimated to be $100 billion.

21 Sep 2009

Perrigo purchases KV Pharmaceutical's ANDA for clindamycin phosphate and benzoyl peroxide gel

Perrigo Company (Nasdaq: PRGO;TASE) today announced that it has purchased the ANDA for clindamycin phosphate (1%) and benzoyl peroxide (5%) gel from KV Pharmaceutical for $14 million in cash at closing and a $2 million milestone payment upon the completion of a successful technical transfer. This product is the AB-rated equivalent to Stiefel Laboratories' (a subsidiary of Glaxo SmithKline) Duac(R) gel, indicated for the topical treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris.

21 Sep 2009

GE Capital deploys $1 billion in the U.S. healthcare market for the first six months of 2009

GE Capital’s Healthcare Financial Services business ended the first six months of 2009 as one of the most active capital providers in the U.S. healthcare market, deploying approximately $1 billion for more than 45 transactions. Loans were used to refinance existing debt, support working capital needs and fund growth initiatives.

21 Sep 2009

Recession is contributing to acute physical pain for Americans: Survey

A new survey from the American Pain Foundation says economic pain from the recession is contributing to acute, or short-term, physical pain for Americans. According to the survey, released today during National Pain Awareness Month, 68 percent of people who experienced acute back pain or other minor muscle strains and sprains in the past year said that the recession caused, increased or affected their pain, often because of greater stress and working harder at home and on the job.

21 Sep 2009

Maxygen completes joint venture transaction with Astellas Pharma

Maxygen, Inc. (Nasdaq:MAXY) today announced the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the previously announced joint venture agreement between Maxygen and Astellas Pharma Inc. Under the joint venture transaction, which closed on September 18, 2009, the parties established a newly-formed joint venture, Perseid Therapeutics LLC, to focus on the discovery, research and development of multiple protein pharmaceutical programs.

21 Sep 2009

First Edition: September 21, 2009

Today's headlines indicate that President Obama's weekend media blitz will set the stage for this week's health policy action.

21 Sep 2009

Open letter to shareholders from London & Pacific Healthcare

Throughout this past year, the Board of Directors, in conjunction with the management team, key investors, business partners, employees, and experienced market consultants, has explored a variety of alternatives for significantly increasing shareholder value.

21 Sep 2009

Sleep Diagnostics assests sold to Embla Systems

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that it had completed the previously announced sale of its Sleep Diagnostics assets to Embla Systems. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

21 Sep 2009

Flu Preparedness Program offering latest information on the H1N1 virus

TeleVox Software, Inc., a leading provider of communication solutions for the healthcare industry, today launched its Flu Preparedness Program (www.televox.com/fluprogram), designed to enable health care providers to give their patients the latest information about fighting the Flu and the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as the swine flu. Doctors can easily communicate with their patients through a variety of methods such as voice, email, postcards and text messages.

21 Sep 2009

SmarterTravel releases precautionary checklist for travelers regarding swine flu

SmarterTravel(R), a comprehensive travel advice resource for the budget-conscious traveler, today released a checklist of strategies for staying safe while traveling during this highly anticipated flu season.

21 Sep 2009

Optimized diabetes management with the CONTOUR(R) USB blood glucose meter

Bayer Diabetes Care today announced U.S. Food & Drug Administration clearance to market the CONTOUR(R) USB blood glucose meter. Bayer's CONTOUR USB meter is the first and only blood glucose monitor that plugs directly into a computer providing users with instant access to information that can help optimize diabetes management. The CONTOUR USB meter is integrated with Glucofacts(TM) DELUXE software for easy retrieval of data as well as longer-term tracking and analysis of blood glucose test results.

21 Sep 2009

Duraprint wristband application process saves hospital time and increases work flow efficiency

In today's busy hospitals, caregivers appreciate products that provide quick and easy application, allowing them to focus more time on patients. Precision Dynamics-TimeMed, the global leader in healthcare identification, streamlines and simplifies the wristband application process with its new DuraPrint® laser printable wristband and label system. Unlike traditional laminated wristbands, DuraPrint's® patented design doesn't require a laminate overlay, which saves hospital time and increases work flow efficiency.

21 Sep 2009

Ipsen's Azzalure muscle relaxant receives Spanish AEMPS marketing approval

Galderma, the leading pharmaceutical company in dermatology, and Ipsen (Euronext: IPN), an international innovation-driven specialty pharmaceutical group, today announced that Azzalure® (botulinum toxin type A manufactured by Ipsen), a local muscle relaxant specifically developed for aesthetic use, has received a marketing authorization in Spain from the Spanish Medicines and Healthcare products Agency (AEMPS) for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines seen at the frown (vertical lines between the eyebrows), in adult men and women aged 65 years and under, when the severity of these lines has an important psychological impact on the patient.

21 Sep 2009

Widespread misinformation about Obama's healthcare proposals

A new Harris Poll finds that large numbers of people either believe damaging misinformation about the health care proposals being discussed in Washington or are not sure what to believe. The polls also shows that almost half of all adults continue to support what they see as President Obama’s health care reform proposals, significantly but not substantially more than oppose them.

21 Sep 2009

EPIC's stock dividend postponed due to joint venture

EPIC Corporation, a financial services company, announced the formation of a joint venture, Hallmark Heritage, LLC, with Level 3 Capital Partners, LLC, and Senior Care Group, Inc.; the formation of Senior Care Communities Trust, Inc., and, in light of entering into the joint venture, EPIC's board of directors postponed the stock dividend announced in May 2009.

21 Sep 2009