Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Functional Electrical Stimulation may benefit people with Parkinson's

The use of electrical impulses to stimulate weak or paralyzed muscles, called Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES), is often used to help stroke or multiple sclerosis patients to walk.

2 Jun 2008

People who are obese may be more likely to become depressed

A major review in Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice reveals that research indicates people who are obese may be more likely to become depressed, and people who are depressed may be more likely to become obese.

2 Jun 2008

DialysisPPO files provisional patent for dialysis cost containment

DialysisPPO, a Pennsylvania Corporation providing cost containment solutions to the health plan market, has filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) covering its business method that enables health plans to significantly lower their exposure to the high cost of dialysis services while simultaneously improving the benefits to plan participants.

2 Jun 2008

Prime Healthcare to acquire three hospitals from Tenet Healthcare

Prime Healthcare Services has acquired the 151-bed Encino Campus of Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center from Tenet Healthcare Corporation ("Tenet") effective June 1 and will operate the hospital as Encino Hospital Medical Center.

2 Jun 2008

3 million now receiving anti-retroviral therapy HIV drugs

The close of 2007 marks an important step in the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Nearly 3 million people are now receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in low- and middle-income countries, according to a new report jointly launched today by WHO, UNAIDS and UNICEF.

2 Jun 2008

Protective effects of breast milk are higher in girls than in boys

Challenging the long-standing belief that breast-feeding equally protects all babies against disease, research led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center investigators suggests that when it comes to respiratory infections, the protective effects of breast milk are higher in girls than in boys.

2 Jun 2008

Study identifies most costly adverse events in children's hospitals

A large study of health records from 38 American children's hospitals has measured adverse events that most increase length of stay and overall cost. The researchers say their findings provide useful targets for hospital programs aimed at preventing harm to young patients.

2 Jun 2008

New Imperial College centre to tackle respiratory infections

Think that colds and flu are easy to catch, hard to avoid and impossible to treat? That nobody ever dies of a cold? That's all wrong, say the medics and scientists at a new research centre which launches today (Monday 2 June).

1 Jun 2008

Quality of life predicts cancer survival

Head and neck cancer patients who reported lower physical quality of life were more likely to die from their disease, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The findings could mean that identifying patients with poor quality of life could also identify patients with particularly aggressive tumors.

30 May 2008

Body's baking soda used to catch cancer early

A chemical commonly called baking soda which is found naturally in the body could be used to detect cancer with magnetic resonance imaging, reveals a Cancer Research UK study published in Nature.

29 May 2008

New Kaiser Daily health blog watch

While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.

28 May 2008

Medical errors - Is healthcare getting worse or better?

Most would say worse. And one of the many reasons is medical errors. Most Americans say the quality of care has not improved, and dissatisfaction among patients and caregivers has increased. The perceptions exist despite the efforts across the country to reduce medical errors.

28 May 2008

Patients to benefit from multi-million pound research funding

NHS patients in North West London will benefit from a multi-million pound research project leading to the rapid introduction of new, effective treatments for a wide range of medical conditions.

27 May 2008

Digital Healthcare appointed to major NHS Framework contract

NHS Connecting for Health, on behalf of the NHS, has appointed Digital Healthcare to the NHS Additional Supply Capability & Capacity (ASCC) Framework following open competition bids to provide additional capacity and capability in the supply of IT products and services to the NHS.

27 May 2008

Nurse-midwives present blankets for babies to Boston area women's organizations

Women, newborns, and families in the Boston area will benefit from the contributions of new and handmade blankets during the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) annual Blankets for Babies public service campaign during the ACNM 53rd Annual Meeting & Exhibit in Boston. Three area women's organizations will receive baby blankets, which are donated by certified nurse-midwives, certified midwives, student nurse-midwives, exhibitors and other meeting guests.

27 May 2008

Thousands with type 2 diabetes at risk bacause they do not take their drugs

According to Diabetes UK, in excess of 650,000 people with obesity-related diabetes do not take their drugs and the charity says they are putting themselves at risk of developing serious health problems such as stroke and blindness.

27 May 2008

FDA will monitor medical records of Medicare beneficiaries to identify potential prescription drug, medical device safety problems

HHS on Thursday announced the creation of a new program that will allow FDA, state agencies and academic researchers to use medical record data to ensure drugs and medical devices are safe for consumers after they enter the market, the Washington Post reports (Stein, Washington Post, 5/23).

25 May 2008

Massachusetts Medical Society sues group insurance commission over physician rankings

The Massachusetts Medical Society on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the state's Group Insurance Commission, which purchases health insurance for most state employees and retirees, over its physician ranking system, the AP/Boston Herald reports (AP/Boston Herald, 5/21).

25 May 2008

The emerging role of infection in Alzheimer’s

A number of chronic diseases are in fact caused by one or more infectious agents. For example, stomach ulcers are caused by Helicobacter pylori, chronic lung disease in newborns and chronic asthma in adults are both caused by Mycoplasmas and Chlamydia pneumonia, while some other pathogens have been associated with atherosclerosis. The realization that pathogens can produce slowly progressive chronic diseases has opened new lines of research into Alzheimer's disease.

25 May 2008

$50 billion needed for global AIDS control

As Congress considers the renewal of PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), the successful US global AIDS program, over the coming weeks, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) President Michael Weinstein offers the following commentary regarding what is needed in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

25 May 2008