- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Jul 30,2011
Disparity Between Hospital Costs and Reimbursement Could Have Implications for Various Patient Populations and Delivery of Healthcare Services
Study results released at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) 8th Annual Meeting reveals that treatment costs for some neurovascular conditions remain higher than reimbursement in the form of Medicare payments. For many hospitals across the nation, particularly those that are already financially strapped, these results shed additional light on an already sobering reality.
“In today’s economy, many hospitals are feeling the strain of higher costs and stable or lower reimbursements,” said Harry Cloft, M.D., Professor of Radiology & Neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic and study author. A detailed assessment of both of these factors is necessary to helping us understand the impact on these institutions and explore the potential consequences for patient populations who benefit from these treatments, such as the elderly.”
Two data sets were released in tandem with studies designed to assess costs vs. reimbursements for treatment (clipping and coiling) of unruptured aneurysms, as well as therapies to address carotid stenosis (carotid endarterectomy and carotid stenting) in asymptomatic patients. For the first study, results showed that costs of both clipping and coiling have increased from 2001 to 2008. Additionally, the median hospital costs for clipping and coiling were higher than the average Medicare payment in cases without complication, complicated by major morbidity and complicated by mortality. Read the rest of this entry »
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- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Jul 29,2011
Futbol Club (FC) Barcelona, FC Barcelona Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation kicked off a three-year partnership today to energize the global fight to end polio and draw attention to the promise of life-saving vaccines. Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with FC Barcelona President Sandro Rosell and Manager Josep Guardiola, announced the partnership at the Newseum in Washington, DC. They were joined by players Andres Iniesta and Seydou Keita.
The first year of the partnership will focus on polio eradication. Polio has been reduced globally by 99 percent and is one of the best examples of the value of life-saving vaccines. The disease once crippled children worldwide, but there are now just four countries–Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan–where polio transmission has never been stopped.
“We have the chance to score a big win against polio, but we need loud and passionate voices to join the fight,” said Gates. ”FC Barcelona’s commitment to using sport for social good will help us rally support for vaccines and end polio once and for all.” Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Jul 28,2011
In a survey released by Kimberly-Clark Professional, 89 percent of safety professionals said they had observed workers not wearing safety equipment when they should have been. Twenty-nine percent said this had happened on numerous occasions.
“This high rate of noncompliance with PPE protocols presents a serious threat to worker health and safety,” said Gina Tsiropoulos, manufacturing segment marketing manager for Kimberly-Clark Professional. “While the reasons for noncompliance are varied, the threat to workers is clear-cut. Without the proper use of PPE, they are at risk of serious injury or even death.”
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires the use of personal protective equipment to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective. Yet, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that of the workers who sustained a variety of on-the-job injuries, the vast majority were not wearing PPE.
It is therefore no surprise that 78 percent of respondents said workplace accidents and injuries were the concerns most likely to keep them up at night. Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Jul 27,2011
The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future sponsors national contest, honoring nurses’ dedication to the profession
The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future, as part of its ongoing campaign to support nurses and nursing education, is honored to sponsor the “Amazing Nurses” national contest to celebrate and reward the important role that these valued caretakers play in our communities.
Nursing is one of the most important professions in this country, yet over the past decade the United States has experienced a profound shortage of nurses, and the national vacancy rate for registered nurses (RN) currently stands at more than 4 percent. Consequently, long term programs to support the profession are crucial.
Recognizing that nurses are the critical backbone of medical care in emergency rooms, hospitals, military facilities, clinics, schools, homeless shelters and nursing homes, Johnson & Johnson has created the “Amazing Nurses” contest to provide an opportunity for families, patients and communities to celebrate the contributions of individual nurses. Read the rest of this entry »