News

Let no assumption go unchallenged in this new era of healthcare, including the one that says rhinovirus is 'just' the common cold

Commonwealth Fund State Performance Ranking (2009): 48

Healthcare is funded by taxes and subsidies, but privately insured people are encouraged to buy upgrades

New plans are entering the market in spite of the uncertainty

Charles Kennedy, MD, plays a vital role in WellPoint's innovative health record that contains clinical benchmarks

For the 15% to 20% of patients who don't respond to initial treatment, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors can reduce inflammation

Financial incentives and penalties are no longer permitted when genetic information is requested on health risk assessments

An economic impact analysis found that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' (BCBSMA) contributed nearly $1.6 billion to the Commonwealth?s economy.

CVS Caremark research finds $0 copay for generic medications can increase dispensing.

Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) study highlights member satisfaction with major health plans.

Medica releases iPhone app based on MainStreetMedica.com, which helps consumers compare costs of medical procedures.

Discovery of flaw in system leads Rocky Mountain Health Plans to change policy regarding coverage of heavy babies.

Agents in late-stage development for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders

New biologic: Ustekinumab (Stelara) was approved on September 25, 2009, for the treatment of adult patients aged 18 years or older with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.

This article reviews the 10 newly improved or investigational agents evaluated in this year's "Focus on" column and includes an update on the regulatory status of each drug.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease receiving thiopurines are at increased risk of developing lymphoproliferative disorder, according to a French prospective observational cohort study, which was published online in The Lancet.

An investigation into a multistate outbreak of Serratia marcescens bloodstream infections (BSIs) published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found an association between the BSIs and contamination of prefilled syringes.

New combination: Valturna was approved on September 16, 2009, for the treatment of hypertension in patients not adequately controlled on either aliskiren or angiotensin receptor blocker monotherapy and as initial therapy in patients likely to need multiple drugs to achieve their blood pressure goals.

FDA is struggling to implement a host of new drug safety policies and programs and still meet review time frames set by the Prescription Drug User Fee program (PDUFA).

Bulletins that focus on drugs and therapeutic matters are often distributed by hospitals and other health systems that have programs for reporting adverse drug reactions.

In August 2003, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded a contract for prostaglandin ophthalmic agents with travoprost as the agent of choice. Although there was no national mandate to switch patients from existing therapy, many VA facilities had agreements from their local ophthalmology and optometry departments to conduct a therapeutic interchange of patients from existing prostaglandins (eg, latanoprost) to travoprost.

Recent FDA approvals (through November 2009) related to FluMist, Cervarix, Gardasil, Fluarix, Folotyn, Micardis, Twynsta, Votrient, Mirena

In a review published in The Cochrane Library, researchers determined that atovaquone-proguanil and doxycycline were well tolerated by most travelers and are less likely than mefloquine to cause adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes.

Physicians must evaluate the use of antidepressant medications based on new guidelines from two gynecological organizations

Commonwealth Fund State Performance Ranking (2009): 51

Decades of quality improvement now giving way to a leveling off trend in many areas

Congress is hard at work blending multiple bills while most believe reform will be enacted this year

Reducing water and electricity use can produce immediate savings for hospitals while recycling efforts pay off in the longrun

More data is better when it comes to health measurement and inspiration for wellness programs

Sure, the integrated delivery model produces good outcomes and lower costs, but it's not applicable everywhere, in spite of what politicians think