Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Physicians wage campaign to urge Congress not to allow Medicaid Pay Parity to expire

A national report showing the benefits of preventing a reduction in the rates physicians receive for providing Medicaid services was released today by the American College of Physicians.

24 Sep 2014

Hospitals seek to control costs by setting standards for care

One group in Delaware looked at high spending on cardiac monitoring for patients who really didn't need it and encouraged doctors to instead use guidelines from the American Heart Association. Costs fell by 70 percent for the monitoring, a study finds.

24 Sep 2014

New study reveals differences in payment and income between physicians

A surprising new study pulls back the curtain on one of the most contentious issues in health care: differences in payment and income between physicians who perform operations, procedures or tests, and those who don’t.

23 Sep 2014

ACP and 20 other groups applaud Senate bill that ensures primary care access for women, children

The efforts and leadership of Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to ensure access to vital primary care services were lauded yesterday by the American College of Physicians and 20 other organizations, representing internal medicine and related subspecialties.

23 Sep 2014

Highlights: Hawaii public hospital cuts; La. struggles with state worker health program costs; aging in Ky.

Public hospitals across Hawaii are finding ways to reduce staff and cut services because they don't have enough money to make ends meet. Executives from the Hawaii Health Systems Corp. told lawmakers Friday that even after layoffs they are facing a $30 million deficit in 2015. One hospital on Maui chose to close its adolescent psychology unit because it couldn't sustain the appropriate staffing levels to provide the services. It's also considering cuts to oncology and dialysis services if the situation doesn't improve (9/20).

23 Sep 2014

UHC participates in three-year project to improve quality of care and reduce overall costs

UHC will be participating in a three-year project, funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, that aims to improve the quality of care and the patient experience while reducing the overall cost of care by enhancing communication and coordination between primary care physicians and specialists.

23 Sep 2014

Medicare experiment shows initial promise

Accountable care organizations, an Affordable Care Act model that rewards providers who produce better quality at lower cost, are showing promise in Wisconsin and Iowa. Meanwhile, a top Medicare adviser outlines other needed changes.

22 Sep 2014

Viewpoints: Ezekiel Emanuel's choice of an age to die; new enrollment numbers still confusing

Seventy-five. That's how long I want to live: 75 years. This preference drives my daughters crazy. It drives my brothers crazy. My loving friends think I am crazy. They think that I can't mean what I say; that I haven't thought clearly about this, because there is so much in the world to see and do. To convince me of my errors, they enumerate the myriad people I know who are over 75 and doing quite well. They are certain that as I get closer to 75, I will push the desired age back to 80, then 85, maybe even 90. I am sure of my position.

22 Sep 2014

Research roundup: Home health nurses' workloads; readmissions at the VA; SHOP choices

In anticipation of next year's premium announcements and given some information already made public, concerns have surfaced about the potential for double-digit percent increases in nongroup and small-group health insurance premiums. This analysis shows that, although average annual increases in small-group premiums over the past 13 years averaged roughly 5.5 percent, double-digit average premium increases are common for states and large metropolitan areas.

22 Sep 2014

NCH advances cardiovascular service line in northwest suburbs

Northwest Community Healthcare is strengthening cardiovascular care for patients in the northwest suburbs by advancing its cardiovascular service line. NCH has new relationships with cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons and cardiologists, and, in addition, has announced plans to open a new heart failure clinic this fall in Mount Prospect.

21 Sep 2014

Health law, Medicare remain hot topics in campaign commercials

Politico reports that, although the health law and other related issues may not be the flashpoints they were in other recent election years, they still have muscle on the campaign trail.

19 Sep 2014

NPS MedicineWise launches new diagnostic approach for fatigue

Fatigue is a common complaint accounting for around 3-7% of all presentations to general practitioners. To help health professionals understand the limitations and appropriate use of diagnostic tests relating to fatigue NPS MedicineWise has launched a new program—Back to basics for fatigue: a diagnostic approach.

19 Sep 2014

Competition among health exchange plans controlling prices, says Humana exec

President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare law will begin enrolling customers for 2015 benefits in mid-November. Now in its second year, Obamacare is attracting health insurers to offer plans in more states after over 8 million people enrolled for coverage in 2014. The country's largest insurer, UnitedHealth Group Inc, sold Obamacare plans in only a few states in 2014.

19 Sep 2014

Providence Service to acquire CCHN Group Holdings

The Providence Service Corporation, a leader in the management and provision of human social services, innovative global employment services and non-emergency transportation through a variety of government-sponsored programs, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire CCHN Group Holdings, Inc. ("Matrix Medical Network" or "Matrix"), a Scottsdale, Arizona provider of in-home health assessment and care management services and a portfolio company of Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe XI, L.P. ("Welsh Carson").

18 Sep 2014

Scientists develop first blood test to diagnose major adult depression

The first blood test to diagnose major depression in adults has been developed by Northwestern Medicine- scientists, a breakthrough approach that provides the first objective, scientific diagnosis for depression.

18 Sep 2014

High impact health interventions reduce maternal and child mortality in poor countries

New studies have uncovered the specific interventions and advances that have led to the success with these at-risk populations in the poorest countries.

17 Sep 2014

Doctors from UCLA Health System now available on LiveHealth Online

Doctors from UCLA Health System will be available on your smartphone, tablet or laptop beginning this week through LiveHealth Online, a telehealth solution for business travelers, busy parents, students away at college or anybody else who needs non-emergency medical attention when their own doctors are not available.

17 Sep 2014

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Physicians wage campaign to urge Congress not to allow Medicaid Pay Parity to expire

Hospitals seek to control costs by setting standards for care

New study reveals differences in payment and income between physicians

ACP and 20 other groups applaud Senate bill that ensures primary care access for women, children

Highlights: Hawaii public hospital cuts; La. struggles with state worker health program costs; aging in Ky.

UHC participates in three-year project to improve quality of care and reduce overall costs

Medicare experiment shows initial promise

Viewpoints: Ezekiel Emanuel's choice of an age to die; new enrollment numbers still confusing

Research roundup: Home health nurses' workloads; readmissions at the VA; SHOP choices

NCH advances cardiovascular service line in northwest suburbs

Health law, Medicare remain hot topics in campaign commercials

NPS MedicineWise launches new diagnostic approach for fatigue

Competition among health exchange plans controlling prices, says Humana exec

Providence Service to acquire CCHN Group Holdings

Scientists develop first blood test to diagnose major adult depression

High impact health interventions reduce maternal and child mortality in poor countries

Doctors from UCLA Health System now available on LiveHealth Online

Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group named recipient of 2014 AMGA Acclaim Award

More doctors optimistic about future of medicine

Intimate partner violence may trigger irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia

Exploring the role of confocal-based high-content imaging in advancing core facilities

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Exploring the role of confocal-based high-content imaging in advancing core facilities

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

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