Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

APhA Submits Recommendations For The Term "Meaningful Use" In TheDevelopment Of Policy Related To Electronic Health Records
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) submitted comments to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology"s (ONC) request for feedback on determining criteria for the term "meaningful use" of electronic records (EHRs), prepared by ONC"s HIT Policy Committee.
generic viagra online
Study Details Quality Of Life For Prostate Cancer Patients Four Years Out From Treatment
A long-term study by researchers at UCLA"s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that the three most common treatments for localized prostate cancer had significant impacts on patients" quality of life, a finding that could help guide doctors and patients in making treatment decisions.
News of the day
Washington Post Examines Focus On Abortions Later In Pregnancy After Tiller Murder
The Washington Post on Friday examined the renewed attention on abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy following Kansas provider George Tiller"s shooting death on Sunday. Tiller was one of the few physicians in the U.S. who performed late abortions. The Post reports that these abortions make up a small portion of the 1.2 million abortions performed each year -- more than 88% of abortions are performed in the first trimester and less than 1% are performed after 21 weeks" gestation. Data published in 2001 from 15 states and New York City show that as many as 2,400 abortions after 24 weeks" gestation were performed in the U.S. that year, according to Stanley Henshaw, a senior fellow at the Guttmacher Institute. He added that most of those abortions likely were performed in the 25th or 26th week.Henshaw said that little is known about the circumstances surrounding third trimester abortion procedures and that "information just isn"t available." The government does not collect detailed data regarding the number of such procedures, who is performing them and under what circumstances. In addition, abortion providers who perform the procedure later in pregnancy supply very little published information, the Post reports. According to the Post, most abortion providers will not perform the procedure after 22 or 24 weeks" gestation because of legal and other concerns, social stigma, or inadequate training and lack of experience. A 2001 survey of 1,819 abortion providers indicated that 18 clinics and 12 hospitals performed abortions at 26 weeks" gestation. However, the Post reports that the number of providers offering abortions later in pregnancy likely has declined in correlation with the decreasing number of overall providers. Henshaw said the number of providers offering the procedure later in pregnancy also likely has declined.Abortion-rights supporters say that third-trimester abortions are performed only when medically necessary, such as when a fatal abnormality is detected in the fetus or a life-threatening complication in the woman is discovered. Other circumstances include cases when the woman suffers serious emotional issues or is undergoing cancer treatment, the Post reports. Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, said that women who experience such pregnancies have "no good choice" and "nee[d] to terminate their pregnancies to protect their own health." Tiller "provided both the emotional and physical care for women in that situation," she said (Stein, Washington Post, 6/5).Los Angeles Times Profiles Abortion Provider Hern The Los Angeles Times on Friday profiled Warren Hern, a Colorado-based abortion provider who performs the procedure later in pregnancy and was a close friend of Tiller"s. Hern has provided abortions since 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized the procedure with Roe v. Wade. He said he "felt doing abortions was the most important thing I could do with my life." Hern opened the Boulder Abortion Clinic in 1975, and in the 1980s authored and self-published a textbook, Abortion Practice. He said that he eventually began to focus on abortion procedures later in pregnancy, which currently make up the majority of his practice. Such abortions usually are performed because of medical complications in the woman or abnormalities in the fetus. Patients at Hern"s clinic receive counseling to explain the procedure and to ensure the woman wants it, although he said many women have already made their decision with their own physician. Hern said that although Tiller"s death has been an emotional situation, his clinic is "pretty busy taking care of people who said they couldn"t find anyone else" to perform abortions later in pregnancy (Correll, Los Angeles Times, 6/5).Bond Set for Tiller Shooting Suspect Sedgwick County, Kan., District Judge Warren Wilbert on Thursday set a $5 million bond for Scott Roeder, the man charged with shooting and killing Tiller, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. A preliminary hearing for Roeder is scheduled for June 16. If convicted, Roeder face
Health Insurance

Sequel Systems Supports Meaningful Use Workshop's Recommendations To Health IT Policy Committee

Sequel Systems, Inc. announced it supports the recommendations from the US. Department of Health and Human Services" Meaningful Use Workgroup for the definition of "meaningful use" as it pertains to electronic health records (EHR). On June 16, the Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee"s Meaningful Use Workgroup released its initial recommendations on how "meaningful use" will be defined. In a three-page preamble, the key goals postulated in the initial recommendations are: to improve quality, safety and efficiency, and reduce health disparities; to engage patients and their families; to improve care coordination, to improve population and public health; and to ensure privacy and security protections for personal health information. "Although it is a daunting and complex endeavor to define "meaningful use," the Workgroup has clearly developed the foundation of an inspiring and comprehensive definition that sets the groundwork for a tangible and substantial vision of transforming health care delivery while highlighting that this is a progressive undertaking focused on results and not merely an exercise in software implementation," said Irfan Iqbal, Director of Medical Informatics, Sequel Systems. President Barack Obama signed into law on February 17 the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that qualifies hospitals and physicians for $17 billion worth of incentive payments from Medicaid and Medicare over five years. The ARRA authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide financial incentives to physicians and hospitals that successfully become "meaningful users" of EHRs, beginning in 2011. By 2015, all physicians and providers must be using EHRs in compliance with the "meaningful use" definition, or else be subject to graduated penalties under Medicare. "In developing the recommended criteria and prioritizing the progression towards a fully interoperable health information system, we have found it necessary to balance the competing goals of encouraging provider participation while promoting progress towards reform of our current health care system," the workgroup stated in its preamble. The workgroup further states that the use of EHRs will not only improve the prevention and management of chronic diseases, but will also prevent unnecessary amputations, premature deaths and other medical errors. An Institute of Medicine report showed that 100,000 people die each year from medical errors in hospitals, and more than 1.5 million people are injured. As a result, these medical errors have cost U.S. taxpayers $17-$29 billion annually. "Sequel Systems supports the Meaningful Use Workgroup"s initial recommendations while underscoring the fact that Sequel Systems" successful customer implementation experience proves that those users who started utilizing EHRs early on not only have had the luxury of implementation time on their side, but also have improved their workflows and quality of patient care in a progressively "meaningful" manner while benefiting from advances in technology along the way," Mr. Iqbal said. "Sequel Systems believes that sound implementation strategies with emphasis on an "evolutionary" versus "revolutionary" approach - keeping in mind the diverse needs of users, whether small practices and clinics or large hospitals and organizations - will be the cornerstone of meaningful EHR adoption." Sequel Systems


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009