PHC4’s latest report provides insight to hospital readmissions in PA
About two in 15 hospital stays in Pennsylvania involved a readmission in 2010, with hospital readmissions costing the government more than $500 million.
FDA, health care industry disagree on details of drug tracking program
Bio SmartBrief notes that the disagreements could sink plans to establish a national system for tracking and tracing pharmaceuticals. A group of drug manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies says tracking drug lots rather than individual packages, as the FDA proposes, would be cheaper and simpler to implement.
Preeclampsia research could lead to new treatment
Scientists have identified an enzyme that could lead to new treatments for preeclampsia, a potentially fatal condition of pregnancy, according to a study in the journal Hypertension.
5% of Americans have serious mental illness
Just under five percent of U.S. adults, or 11 million people, had a serious mental illness in 2009, US mental health officials report in the latest update.
Heart patients lead way in PA readmissions
A Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) report shows that in our state, people hospitalized with heart failure are more likely to be readmitted within 30 days.
New services match patients with clinical trials that could help them
A growing number of patient-advocacy groups are playing matchmaker, linking patients to researchers who need them for clinical trials.
Medical bill debt collectors becoming more aggressive; sometimes even showing up at patients’ bedsides
One of the United States’ largest medical debt-collection companies is under fire for placing employees in hospitals and demanding patients pay before receiving treatment, documents show.
Study finds that most people who abuse prescription drugs get lots of help from friends and family
More than 70 percent of people who abuse prescription pain relievers obtain the drugs from friends or relatives, usually with permission and for free, according to the study.
West Penn Allegheny amends legal complaints against UPMC
West Penn Allegheny originally sued UPMC and Highmark, accusing them of conspiring to stifle competition. West Penn Allegheny dropped Highmark from the lawsuit when the two agreed to merge.
Health policy issue heating up, but its not healthcare reform
According to a Washington Post blog, one of the biggest health policy battles on the horizon has nothing to do with federal healthcare reform. PDUFA, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, that generates the budget to review new medication and subsequently ensures the safety of our health care system is required to be reauthorized by September