Health Care


New Hampshire HCV Case Far from Over

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said Exeter Hospital began testing some employees and medical staffers Aug. 27. Fewer than 100 are now recommended for testing, and it is voluntary.

Medical Groups Worried About Graduate Education Funding

H.R. 6352, a bill introduced in Congress on Aug. 6, would increase the number of Medicare-supported graduate medical education slots by 15,000 within five years.

Task Force Updates Myocardial Infarction Definition

Developed jointly by the European Society of Cardiology, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the World Heart Federation, the new document will be used worldwide.

DC Circuit Panel Shoots Down Graphic Tobacco Warnings

Decided on free speech grounds, the 2-1 decision blocks FDA from requiring tobacco companies to include stark warnings and photos of people fighting diseases caused by smoking.

The Lancet Launching Respiratory Medicine Journal

It will be the publication's fourth specialty journal when it debuts in early 2013. The journal's website launched Aug. 18.

China, US Sign Partnership on Smoke-Free Workplaces

Their two leading health agencies agreed to launch the partnership Sept. 7 in Beijing. The partnership aims to bring attention to employers' role in addressing secondhand smoke risks.

Study Links Hospital Workers' Sleep Deficiency to Pain

Some of the authors are investigators with the Harvard Center for Work, Health and Wellbeing, one of four NIOSH Centers of Excellence.

AOHP to Add Sharps Safety Statement to Strategic Plan

The association's executive board will take this action during the 2012 national conference in October.



Maryland Hospitals Offer HCV Testing to Exposed Patients

The number of people potentially exposed to hepatitis C by an infected contract worker is expanding.

Report Puts Lens on Built Environment's Link to Asthma

The design firm Perkins+Will released it Aug. 8, with a leader of the firm's sustainability efforts calling the asthmagens a "lurking public health threat."

Online Prescription Monitoring Program Launched in Texas

The state Department of Public Safety announced the initiative Aug. 2.

CDC Tracking Swine Flu Cases in Several States

On Aug. 3, the agency reported 12 new cases in Hawaii, Ohio, and Indiana.

Slight Drop in Comp Benefits Paid in 2010

The National Academy of Social Insurance reported it resulted mainly from a 2.1 percent drop in medical benefits for injured workers.

Mayors Join AHA Program to Expand Hands-Only CPR

The new program will award up to 1,000 CPR Anytime kits to each of five cities, the American Heart Association announced.

No Shortage of Health Info for Olympics Visitors

The World Health Organization has published a report on public health challenges from mass gatherings, focused mainly on the UK health system's preparations for the London games. The NHS also offers tips for visitors.

MRI Facilities Focused on Safety This Week

"The magnetic field of the MR scanner creates a very hazardous environment, and it is important that all personnel have a basic understanding of MR safety," said Russell Blanchard, media manager at Falck Alford Productions.

Thousands of Patients Being Checked for Hepatitis C

Expanded testing would include 6,000 people who were treated in operating rooms or ICU at Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire, where a medical technician faces charges. He worked at hospitals in seven states, CNN reported.

Aetna Wins Big Contract in Texas

The company announced it has been awarded the Medicare Advantage contract by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, effective Jan. 1, 2013.

HHS IG Issues Sobering Report on Errors

Hospital staffs did not report 87 percent of errors, although they were required to, according to the inspector general's report.

More SHARE Grants Awarded

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Health Access Reform Evaluation (SHARE) program supports research that addresses issues states face as they work to improve health coverage and access.

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