Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Hospital waiting lists could disappear completely under radical new Conservative plans to reform the NHS

Hospital waiting lists could disappear completely under radical new Conservative plans to reform the NHS and give patients the Right to Choose where to be treated.

24 Jun 2004

Troubling signs of a future doctor shortages in California

Although the current supply of physicians in California is adequate, there are persistent shortages of doctors in low-income and rural counties, particularly those with high Hispanic populations

23 Jun 2004

Inspection holidays for best UK hospitals

The UK's best-performing hospitals could get ‘inspection holidays’ in a move to free up more time for treating patients.

23 Jun 2004

Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority welcomes recommendations of Toft report

The report was commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer in response to a series of four adverse incidents that occurred in the Medical Reproduction Units at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust, West Yorkshire, before July 2002.

23 Jun 2004

Moves to cut the bureaucratic burden on hospitals

New moves to cut the bureaucratic burden on hospitals - freeing up more time for treating patients - were announced today by Health Minister Lord Warner.

23 Jun 2004

Safety first for all 40 million patients admitted for surgery in the U.S

Every year, more than 40 million patients are admitted for surgery at U.S. hospitals, while another 31 million undergo outpatient procedures.

22 Jun 2004

Can a diet avoiding gluten and milk proteins reduce autism?

For years, many parents of children with autism have advocated a diet avoiding the proteins gluten and casein, but there had not been a scientific review of evidence about this practice.

21 Jun 2004

New resources to better understand sleep

To help parents and their children understand and fully appreciate the importance of sleep, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Science Education and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) have developed a new supplemental curriculum for use in high school biology classes.

21 Jun 2004

40 percent of African-American nursing home residents living in low-tier facilities

Racial and socioeconomic disparities are widespread in U.S. nursing homes, new Brown University research shows, with 40 percent of African-American nursing home residents living in low-tier facilities.

21 Jun 2004

SARS, the highly infectious respiratory virus, has been found in tears

The finding suggests that tear analysis could not only be an effective means of diagnosing the infection, but also an unrecognised source of its spread, if appropriate preventive measures are not taken, say the authors.

20 Jun 2004

Lingering outbreak of pertussis in four Chicago-area counties

Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today urged parents to ensure their children have been properly immunized against this highly contagious disease and asked that persons exhibiting symptoms to immediately seek medical care.

20 Jun 2004

2,332 dengue fever cases reported in Philippines this year

The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) today reported that a total of 2,332 dengue cases has been admitted to sentinel hospitals nationwide from January 1 to May 15 this year. There were sixteen deaths recorded.

16 Jun 2004

Joint initiative to tackle cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke

Three of the nation’s leading not-for-profit health agencies today announced a joint initiative to empower Americans to help lower their risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke by following a single set of recommendations.

16 Jun 2004

Beef tacos with a side order of Escherichia coli

Thirteen people from Arizona, California, and Nevada who ate beef tacos from a national fast-food restaurant chain in 1999 became infected with Escherichia coli, according to a study in the June 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

15 Jun 2004

Expansion of Medicare coverage of positron emission tomography to include some Medicare beneficiaries with suspected Alzheimer’s disease

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that it intends to expand Medicare coverage of positron emission tomography (PET) to include some Medicare beneficiaries with suspected Alzheimer’s disease.

15 Jun 2004

Report shows unacceptably high variations in access to cancer drugs across the UK

Cancer information charity CancerBACUP welcomes today’s report into variations of usage of cancer drugs (postcode prescribing) issued by the Department of Health but says the vital issue of accountability and enforcement has been left unresolved, leaving patients still vulnerable to postcode prescribing.

15 Jun 2004

Serious deficiencies in the healthcare provision for people with arthritis / rheumatism

More than 100 million people in Europe are affected by arthritis / rheumatism, making it Europe’s most widespread chronic disease. The condition can have serious consequences, ranging from severe pain to loss of mobility, and delays in diagnosis and treatment have been shown to increase the risk of further joint damage.

15 Jun 2004

New technology expands facial biometrics technology

Many of us pride ourselves on never forgetting a face - and rightly so, because recognising and remembering the subtle distinctions that make everyone look uniquely different is a complex task. Now, thanks to the development of new technology, your face may soon be the key to the future.

15 Jun 2004

Fair access to recommended drugs in Britain

Health Secretary John Reid has set out plans to ensure patients across the country have equal access to treatments recommended by the independent National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).

15 Jun 2004

New guidelines over the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual partners over hospital visiting and involvement in treatment decisions

The guidance compiled by UNISON and the Royal College of Nursing provides detailed information on how healthcare workers can give confidence to lesbian, gay and bisexual service users and has been endorsed by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, College of Occupational Therapists, Royal College of Midwives and the Society of Radiographers.

14 Jun 2004