Health coalition’s new campaign will try to figure out new guidelines for how to decide the best health treatments
They will discuss that provision in the economic stimulus bill that calls for “comparative effectiveness” research, which will aim to determine which treatments work best, but that some worry will cause the government to refuse effective treatments that are considered too expensive.
Sen. Leach introduces bill to implement new patient safety requirements at health care facilities
Called the Pennsylvania Hospital Patient Protection Act of 2009, Sen. Leach modeled the bill after a successful California law.
Rep. Yudichak reintroduces healthcare bill
HB 302 would establish a healthcare advocate office.
U.S. Supreme Court: Consumers may sue pharmaceutical companies
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wyeth must pay a woman who had to have her arm amputated after she received one of their vaccines. The case sets a precedent for future consumers who choose to sue pharmaceutical companies.
Some doctors fighting online patient review websites
They worry that negative reviews could damage their practice.
PA court rules on medical treatment of incompetents
A Pennsylvania appeals court’s ruling on the care of a severely retarded man’s healthcare will have implications for future cases.
PA nonprofit may inspire state & federal action
Doylestown’s Medicare-sponsored care management program Health Quality Partners has been successful at keeping patients out of the hospital while keeping down the cost of their care.
Proposed bill would set patient limits for nurses
Rep. Tim Solobay (D-Washington) has introduced a bill that would set the maximum number of patients under a nurse’s care at any given time at hospitals.
Drugmakers fighting a stimulus provision
The provision they’re against would spend $1.1 billion on research comparing medical treatments.
Doctor: Patients need to take more responsibility in their care
Today the Patriot-News published an op-ed by Mechanicsburg physician Dr. Nirmal Joshi, who says that patients need to be more proactive in discussing their care with their doctors.