_ Electronic Health Records = Fewer Unnecessary Tests By Jane Farrell article Electronic health-records systems, in which medical information is securely shared, may be helping avoid unnecessary care, a new study shows. Fewer emergency patients got repeated medical scans when they went to a hospital that takes part in a health information exchange, or HIE, according to researchers published online in the journal Medical Care. Researchers from the University of Michigan said their findings are a good evaluation of the effectiveness of HIEs.
_ Caregiving is Tough Even for Geriatrics Professionals By Jane Farrell article The difficulties of caregiving seem to be universal: even specialists in geriatrics can find it hard to deal with in their own lives. That discovery, by researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), appears in the journal Gerontologist.
Myths About Palliative Care By Jane Farrell article A specialized, multidisciplinary team approach to caring for seriously ill people and their families, is often errantly reduced to end-of- life care. This misconception has led to palliative care involvement being introduced late in an illness, often depriving patients and their families of comprehensive symptom control, support and assistance with complex decision-making throughout the course of their illness when it could provide the most benefit.
_ Medical Care Pharmacists Could Boost Drug Adherence By Sondra Forsyth article Community pharmacists can dramatically help their patients stick to their prescription regimens, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. The findings, published on August 4th 2014 in Health Affairs, suggest also that greater adherence to medications can lead to a reduction in emergency room visits and hospital admissions, thereby lowering health care costs for a variety of chronic conditions including diabetes and asthma.
_ Study: A Flu "Patch" May Be Alternative To The Needle By Jane Farrell article Instead of going to the doctor’s office for an annual flu shot, patients may eventually give themselves the same treatment via a painless patch. A study by researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine gave the “microneedle patch” to nearly 100 people in the metropolitan Atlanta area. The investigators found that the subjects could successfully apply the patch. If the treatment becomes feasible, it could reduce health care costs and increase the number of people who are vaccinated.
_ Caring for Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions By article The millions of Americans living with more than one chronic disease are at high risk of poor health outcomes, and account for a disproportionate share of health care costs. A special March supplement to Medical Carepresents updates from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCC) Research Network, formed to address knowledge gaps and research challenges in meeting the complex health care needs of this growing population.
The Fat ThatΓÇÖs Ruining Your Body from the Inside By Jane Farrell article By Dr. Victor Marchione Obesity is a topic very much on the radar of health professionals across North American. Combating this grave health condition could mean saving millions of dollars in health care costs, never mind improving the lives of those who find themselves carrying around too many extra pounds.
_ Breast Cancer Biennial Mammograms Just as Good as Annual Ones? By Jane Farrell article The adoption of guidelines calling for mammograms every two years for women age 50 to 75 would yield effective breast screenings and save the United States $4.3 billion a year in health care costs, a new study said.
_ Health Headlines Heart Failure and Exercise By Jane Farrell article For many people who have heart failure, supervised exercise training is safe and may offer substantial improvement in exercise capacity … Read More→
_ Inequity in The ER? By Jane Farrell article Hispanic people who went to the emergency room (ER) reporting chest pain waited longer than non-Hispanic people to be treated, … Read More→
_ What's Good for The Heart Is Good for The Brain By Jane Farrell article The same risk factors that contribute to making heart disease the leading cause of death worldwide also impact the rising … Read More→
_ Medical Care Are You Taking Your Medicine? By Jane Farrell article Researchers from Johns Hopkins are at work on a program that physicians can use to identify ΓÇ£nonadherentΓÇ¥ patients ΓÇô those … Read More→
_ Antibiotic Resistance Antibiotics Are Commonly Over-Prescribed for Urological Procedures By Jane Farrell article Antibiotics are being overused in up to 50 percent of patients who undergo routine urological procedures, a new study shows. … Read More→
_ Four Big Retirement Threats and How to Protect Yourself By Sondra Forsyth article Four big expenses can wreak havoc with your retirement. Here are our big expenses to consider and how to best … Read More→
_ Diabetes Simple Steps to a Low-Glycemic Lifestyle By Jane Farrell article The next generation of senior citizens will be sicker and costlier to the health care system over the next 14 … Read More→
_ Drug Use Plastic Surgeons and the Painkiller Crisis By Jane Farrell article Plastic surgeons are playing a part in the ongoing opioid epidemic and need to change some┬ápractices with patients, according to … Read More→
_ More Americans Have Epilepsy than Ever Before By Jane Farrell article Editor’s note: Here in this news release, experts from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) talk about the increase in … Read More→
_ Wills & Estates A Guardian for Your Children: Planning in Case YouΓÇÖre Not There By Sondra Forsyth article While everyone needs a will to settle money matters, thereΓÇÖs a far more compelling reason to have one if you … Read More→