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| AHIP Solutions SmartBrief |
| November 4, 2009 |
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Healthy cholesterol levels may ward off prostate cancer
U.S. research showed the risk of aggressive prostate cancer may be lower among men with healthy cholesterol levels. One study found that men whose cholesterol was below 200 had less than half the risk of developing high-grade tumors, and a second report found that those with lots of HDL or "good cholesterol" were less likely to get any form of prostate cancer than men with low HDL. ABC News/The Associated Press (11/3)
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Maryland begins secret hand-washing surveillance program
Maryland is using federal stimulus money for a program that will have teams of hospital staff secretly monitor the hand-washing habits of co-workers. The goal is to collect information about where improvements are needed and to raise awareness. The Miami Herald/The Associated Press (free registration) (11/3)
Children's hospitals ignore gastroenteritis guidelines
U.S. children's hospitals often ignore evidence-based guidelines for treating patients with acute gastroenteritis, leading to more than $1 billion in unnecessary spending, according to a study in Pediatrics. CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines call for giving children fluids and discourage routine lab tests, but researchers said some physicians are giving patients medications and ordering unneeded diagnostics. Reuters (11/2)
Boston hospital, health plans agree to cost-cutting plan
Children's Hospital Boston and three major health plans have agreed to a deal to lower health care costs and improve care. Children's will limit increases in fees charged to the insurers and the health plans and the state's Medicaid program will contribute $10 million of the savings to pilot programs designed to help the hospital provide better care at lower costs. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (11/4)
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Kidney disease screens should go beyond creatinine tests
Primary care physicians should go beyond ordering creatinine blood tests to measure kidney function because the tests aren't always an accurate estimate of kidney function, U.S. researchers said. The study team suggested serum creatinine data should be used in a formula that figures the estimated kidney filtration rate. United Press International (11/3)
Premature births lead to high U.S. infant mortality rate
The U.S. has a higher infant mortality rate than many other industrialized nations because of a high rate of premature births, data showed. Infertility treatments, a higher rate of cesarean sections and the use of labor-inducing drugs to deliver babies early are among the reasons the U.S. premature birth rate is at 12.4%, compared with 6.3% in Sweden. NYTimes.com (11/3)
Mental health experts propose autism diagnosis overhaul
Experts revising psychiatry's diagnostic manual have proposed eliminating Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, folding them into a single, broader diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The New York Times reports that the change is part of an effort to modernize the mental illness model as a continuum, with many degrees of severity. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (11/2)
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VHA cites 8 ways to improve ED services
The adoption of a patient-tracking system and other strategies helped 28 hospitals in Oklahoma and Arkansas improve the efficiency of their emergency departments, according to VHA, a national network of health care organizations. Training hospital staff to adopt triage standards and conduct patient assessments independent of triage are other strategies that VHA recommends to enhance ED throughput. Healthcare IT News (11/3)
FDA clears PerkinElmer's genetic screening processor
The FDA has granted 510(k) clearance to PerkinElmer for its genetic screening processor designed to help public health laboratories screen newborns for genetic, hematologic or metabolic conditions. The GSP tool can enable laboratories to run multiple tests on very small blood samples. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (11/3)
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Reid hints health reform may not pass this year
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Tuesday that the Senate debate on the health reform bill may not begin until December, indicating that Congress may miss President Barack Obama's year-end deadline for passing the proposal. Reid's spokesman, however, said the lawmakers have "unprecedented momentum" to get health insurance reform done before the year ends. Yahoo!/The Associated Press (11/3)
Medicare Advantage/Part D Online Training
Make sure your team understands CMS' rules and requirements for Medicare marketing as of July 2009. Complete the Center's online training program, Marketing Medicare Advantage and Part D Prescription Drug Plans: Understanding Medicare Basics, Plan Options, and Marketing and Enrollment Requirements. Visit the Center's Web site for more information.
Post jobs on AHIP Career Source
Whether you're looking for a medical director or a policy analyst, AHIP Career Source is your vehicle. Post positions in a variety of fields in the health care industry from mid-level to executive management. Create a posting with salary ranges and a detailed description that will appeal to select candidates or create a general posting that will attract many backgrounds.
Health care directories help you skip the switchboard
The AHIP Store contains directories that give you the information you need to find who and what you're seeking. From AIS's Directory of Health Plans 2009 to The National Managed Care Leadership 2009 Directory, HCBD-IndustryAdvisoryWire News Distribution Service, and Who's Who in Managed Health Care Directory-2009, the AHIP Store puts contact information for the health insurance industry at your fingertips.
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