2 of 3 Hospitals Will Take Hit on Readmissions
A decisive majority of hospitals will face penalties over the hospital readmissions reduction program that kicked off October 1, according to new statistics from the Medicare Payment Advisory...
View ArticleCentral Line Infections Slashed By 40%
A nationwide patient safety project funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has reduced the rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in intensive care units by...
View ArticleFor Hispanics, Cancer Becomes the Top Cause of Death
Cancer has surpassed heart disease as the top cause of death among U.S. Hispanics, according to new research. In a September report appearing in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, researchers found...
View ArticleWhat Happens When Breast Cancer Is the Diagnosis
Several years ago I decided to participate in a coaching course as an experiment to support my niece who needed clients in order to complete her coaching certification. The preliminary questions that...
View ArticleBattling Cancer, Personally and Professionally
It was June 2009, time for my annual physical. As always I would arrange to have my lab work and mammogram done in advance so the results would be readily accessible for my physician to have in front...
View ArticleHealthy Women, Healthy World
Welcome to the October issue of Case In Point. In this issue we explore women’s health, and there is a saying that inspired this issue: “Healthy Women, Healthy World.” Women play a vital role in...
View ArticleFocus on Quality of Life Boosts Care for Cancer Patients
A recent study out of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found that advanced cancer patients who receive targeted therapy for attendant issues, including emotional and spiritual therapy, report...
View ArticleWork Stress Linked to Chance of Heart Attack
On-the-job stress is bad for workers’ hearts, according to an international study published in England’s The Lancet that analyzed health and occupational data of nearly 200,000 people across seven...
View ArticleMedication Reconciliation Remains a Huge Obstacle
Despite ongoing efforts to improve rates of medication reconciliation, the lack of adherence to prescription-drug treatment plans for patients across the nation remains an enormously costly burden on...
View ArticlePut Your Knowledge to the Test: An Analysis of Women’s Health
In this month’s edition of By the Numbers we explore a range of topics devoted to women’s health by putting your knowledge to the test. Take the quiz to see if you are a leading thinker when it comes...
View ArticleConsidering Insurance Exchanges, States Assess Their Options
With the presidential election cementing forward progress ahead on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, time is running out for states to decide how, or if, they want to create their own...
View ArticleMobile Health Positioned for Rapid Growth, Bolstering Care Coordination
As the United States transitions from paper medical records to electronic ones and adopts more mobile technology thanks to cell phones and electronic tablets, the Federal Communications Commission is...
View ArticleCare Management in the Digital Age: The Advantages of Real-Time Patient Data...
Generating real-time data from a patient’s home is an integral component of providing comprehensive care management. New technologies that enhance management and coordination of care for seniors and...
View ArticleNumerical Analysis of Veteran’s Health
In this edition of By the Numbers we investigate issues and challenges impacting veteran’s health. The quiz below is based on recent news stories that have an impact on the health and well-being of...
View ArticleNew Drug Approvals: A Case Manager’s Guide
This edition of Rx Pipeline explores new FDA drug approvals. This pipeline of drugs has direct application to case managers and the patients they monitor. From the treatment of myelogenous leukemia to...
View ArticleHHS Launches Tobacco Prevention Resource Website
The Department of Health and Human Services on Nov. 16 launched BeTobaccoFree.gov, a website providing one-stop access to the latest tobacco-related information. The website includes federal and state...
View ArticleNew Medicare Rule Will Reimburse Care Coordination Services
A new Medicare rule issued Nov. 1 will pay registered nurses for services intended to effectively manage patients’ transitions from hospitals to other settings and to prevent complications and...
View ArticleHospital Falls Linked to Sleeping Pill Use
For many hospital patients, getting enough hours of sleep is a challenge, but a new study shows that individuals who take the sleep drug Ambien are at greater risk for suffering a dangerous fall....
View ArticleWomen Have Lower Health Coverage After Divorce
A new study has found that each year about 115,000 women in the United States lose their health insurance after a divorce. Not only that, but for more than two years after a divorce, a woman’s overall...
View ArticleCase Management’s Role in Military Healthcare
Welcome to the December issue of Case In Point. In this issue we provide snapshots of the work being done to provide comprehensive healthcare through the Military Health Care System and Veterans...
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