Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

7,000 U.S. hospital patients die each year and more than 750,000 are injured as a result of avoidable medication mistakes

Some 7,000 U.S. hospital patients die each year and more than 750,000 are injured as a result of medication mistakes. These errors have many causes, and many potential solutions, according to a Rutgers-Camden nursing scholar who has studied the topic extensively.

23 Apr 2004

First Chinese case of case of SARS since January 2004

On April 22, 2004, the Chinese Ministry of Health reported a possible case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in a 20-year-old woman who works as a nurse in a hospital in Beijing. If confirmed, this will be the first case of SARS since January 2004, when Chinese health authorities confirmed SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection in three persons in Guangdong Province.

23 Apr 2004

Hepatitis B vaccination for inmates

rrectional settings provide a unique opportunity to offer hepatitis B vaccination to a substantial number of high-risk adults who are willing to be vaccinated and who would not otherwise have access to the preventive medicine, according to a new Brown University study of inmates within the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.

23 Apr 2004

Prominent ASTRO member appointed to APC panel

The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology would like to congratulate Louis Potters, M.D., a prominent radiation oncologist and a devoted ASTRO member, on his recent appointment to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment Classification Groups, also known as the APC Panel.

23 Apr 2004

Possible new SARS case in Beijing, China

22 Apr 2004

Statement on patient safety principles for office-based surgery

Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of invasive procedures being performed in the office setting. Recognizing that many states still haven't issued patient safety guidelines in this area, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) sponsored a resolution, which was passed at the American Medical Association's (AMA's) December 2002 Interim Meeting of its House of Delegates.

22 Apr 2004

Fish oil reduces heart attack and blood vessel disease

Fish oil can help reduce deaths from heart disease, according to new evidence reports announced today by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

22 Apr 2004

Supplements help prevent cavities in children where water quality and fluoride content is poor

Primary care clinicians who practice in areas where the water supply is deficient in fluoride should prescribe oral fluoride supplements to preschool children over the age of 6 months, according to a recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

22 Apr 2004

New Data Show Behavioral Education Program Helps Patients Treated with Antipsychotic Medications Reduce Weight and Improve Overall Wellness

Patients with severe and persistent mental illness treated with antipsychotic medications reported positive changes in diet, exercise, stress management, improved sleep, and increased confidence in maintaining these lifestyle changes after participating in the Solutions for Wellness Personalized Program (SFWPP), new data show.

22 Apr 2004

ALTANA gets MHRA approval for Alvesco (Ciclesonide)

ALTANA AG has announced that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom has granted ALTANA Pharma marketing approval for Alvesco (Ciclesonide)

22 Apr 2004

GE Introduces new imaging solution for diagnosing certain diseases

Patients can now experience increased peace-of-mind and enhanced expert care during cardiac and vascular treatment, thanks to a first-of-its-kind imaging system from GE Healthcare.

21 Apr 2004

Pierre Pettigrew outlines plan of action for health care reforms

Canadians have a "right" to know how long they have to wait to receive medical treatment, Health Minister Pierre Pettigrew said yesterday.

21 Apr 2004

Coalition forms to promote 75 cent tobacco tax increase

A new coalition called the Health Leaders Alliance (HLA) has been formed in Michigan to formally support HB 5632, sponsored by Representative Larry Julian (R), which includes Governor Granholm's proposal for a 75 cent tobacco tax increase.

21 Apr 2004

Sun and MedicTouch roll out world's first wearable health and wellness devices

MedicTouch LLC, developer of the first cellular wearable health and wellness devices, and Sun Microsystems, Inc., the creator and leading advocate of Java(TM) technology, today announced the launch of the Pulse Meter mobile health solution for Java (TM) technology-enabled mobile phones.

21 Apr 2004

Major changes at NHS as private sector taps into British health care

The British government has struck a deal with Nuffield Hospital and Capio Healthcare to carry out 25,000 operations on patients from the NHS waiting list in England.

21 Apr 2004

Surviving pneumonia may only provide a short-term lease on a future healthy life

Researchers have shown that the subsequent 2 to 3 years after discharge from the hospital following treatment for pneumonia may provide only a short-term lease on a future healthy life if the patient has certain significant and independent predictors of mortality.

20 Apr 2004

UK's NHS selects Health Language for IT healthcare solution

Health Language, Inc., (HLI) the world's leading supplier of medical vocabulary and concept-based technology, announced an agreement with the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom

20 Apr 2004

Hospitals Reclassified Under Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that 121 hospitals in 25 states will begin receiving higher payments for patients who are discharged on or after April 1, 2004. The increases are due to the geographic reclassification of these hospitals under a special one-time-only provision in the recent Medicare modernization law. The new payments will be retroactive to April 1.

20 Apr 2004

Preventing antimicrobial resistance among long-term care residents

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is spotlighting an educational campaign to help long-term care medical directors and clinicians prevent antimicrobial resistance and protect the health of their residents.

20 Apr 2004

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association announce anti-fraud efforts

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) today announced a new Anti-Fraud Strike Force comprised of top Blue Plan investigators that will work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other national, state and local law enforcement agencies to fight major insurance fraud schemes that rob consumers of millions of dollars annually.

19 Apr 2004