bird flu

Study: Nursing homes unprepared for pandemics

Anne Zieger — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:33:51 -0400

If your hospital is counting on having help from nursing homes when emergencies hit, think again. A new study suggests that more than half of nursing homes won't be prepared to accept hospital overflow if an influenza pandemic occurs. For example, 52 percent of nursing homes in Michigan and Nebraska don't have a plan for any pandemic, according to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Of those with a plan, only 10 percent have rehearsed it, researchers say. All told, out of 400 nursing homes in the study, only 23 percent had a specific plan for influenza pandemics. Researchers note that while any flu could result in a pandemic, the greatest threat comes from avian flu, which has killed at least 216 people worldwide since 2003.

To learn more about this study:
- read this Associated Press article

ALSO NOTED: Hospital group says quality reporting too costly; Health IT 'name game' creating headaches; and much more...

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> The Premier Healthcare Alliance, which represents 2,000 hospitals across the U.S., is raising a stink over new quality reporting standards it says are far too costly to implement. FierceHealthFinance

> Sometimes, a good idea simply doesn't work out in practice. It's looking like the federal group whose job it is to provide good definitions for key IT terms may be creating more confusion than it solves. FierceHealthIT

> Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) is accusing the Bush administration of dragging its feet when it comes to giving the FDA the $275 million more it's requested. Specter wants to see the FDA get it this year, but the administration wants to put the funding off until fiscal 2009. FiercePharma

> It looks like Baxter may be getting closer to offering a commercial version of a bird flu vaccine that fights three lethal strains of the virus. FierceVaccines

And Finally... Just in time for summer, healthy ice cream that might actually be worth eating. Article

SPOTLIGHT: Group ponders how doctors should prepare for disasters

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:59:52 -0400

Issues like the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and worries over a pandemic bird flu outbreak have driven many health professionals to look at how prepared they are for a disaster. The question is, how should doctors respond if, despite their efforts, they end up with more seriously ill patients than they can treat? How will they decide who should get care? Given the realities of disaster planning, some doctors have begun to grapple with these questions. Article

ALSO NOTED: Hospitals begin auctioning unpaid debts online; US stockpiling antivirals against bird flu pandemic; and much more.

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> Hoping to get another shot at collecting their money, hospitals are auctioning off patient debt via online auctions. FierceHealthFinance

> The U.S. has begun stockpiling Tamiflu and Relenza antivirals to protect against a potential bird flu pandemic. FiercePharma

> It looks like the prevalence of HIV in pregnant women is declining in South Africa. Article

> New research suggests that diabetes boosts liver cancer risks in hepatitis and cirrhosis cases. Article

And Finally... The sound of her baby granddaughter's terrified scream woke this woman from a coma. Article

ALSO NOTED: Bird flu pandemic risk rising; Los Angeles hospitals struggle with excess demand; and much more...

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> Experts are warning that the risk of a bird flu pandemic is rising. FierceBioResearcher

> Los Angeles hospitals are struggling mightily to cope with excess demand created by the closure of King-Harbor Medical Center. While it was going to reopen in February 2009, some now fear that the planned re-opening will be delayed for years. Article

> Kaiser Permanente has put the finishing touches on the outpatient phase of its costly electronic medical records project. FierceHealthIT

> Iowa nurses should get a raise with the state's hospitals getting a 1 percent boost in Medicaid reimbursement. Article

And Finally... This guy performed a tracheotomy on himself without anesthesia--twice. Article

ALSO NOTED: Demand for health IT pros to soar; Pharmas lobbying hard in DC; and much more...

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> Industry researchers are predicting that it will take a huge increase in the volume of professionals available (more than 40,000) to meet the near-term demand for skilled health IT pros. FierceHealthIT

> Pharmaceutical companies are lobbying hard for their position in Washington in the wake of the black eye they've taken with the Vytorin and Vioxx marketing scandals. FiercePharma

> Concerned by the potential for an outbreak, Japan has begun inoculating health care workers with a pre-pandemic bird flu vaccine. FierceVaccines

> Drugmakers Wyeth and Elan have suspended testing on their Alzheimer's vaccine study after one of the patients in the study developed skin lesions. FierceBiotech

And Finally... What's more interesting than man bites dog? Citizen tickets cop, of course! Article

ALSO NOTED: Hawaii MDs thrive; California Blue plan fights reform proposal; and much more...

Tue, 29 May 2007 20:01:30 -0400

> Doctors are doing well in Hawaii. New research by the federal government has found that doctors there make more, on average, than workers in any other job category. Article

> Blue Cross of California has launched a media campaign critical of proposed state healthcare reforms, which would require insurers to sell policies to all comers regardless of their medical condition. Article

> Medicare has announced that it won't cover lumbar disks for beneficiaries older than 60. CMS argues that studies haven't proven their value. Article

> Researchers are finding that they can predict whether embryos will be viable in the womb by studying the embryo culture medium. Article

> New health data standards are gaining support. Report

> Health systems are seek better user access control. Report

> An international team of investigators working on a specially funded project have found that antibodies extracted from bird flu victims provided immunity to mice later infected with H5N1. Report

And Finally... Are you a fan of Canada's health system? These Canadian researchers aren't. Article

ALSO NOTED: HealthSouth to open 11 rehab facilities; PA hospital focuses on breast cancer; and much more...

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:01:30 -0400

> HealthSouth has partnered with Birmingham, AL-based Wellmont Health System to own and operate 11 rehab facilities. Article

> A new hospital in Pennsylvania plans to focus exclusively on breast cancer. Article

> The FDA has approved the first U.S. vaccine for bird flu. Release

> Under threat of closure, two Schenectady (NY) hospitals targeted by the state's new healthcare commission have figured out how to work together. Article

And Finally... Maybe it's time to scrap fee-for-service medicine altogether. Blog

Tamiflu ads spark criticism

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:01:37 -0500

If Roche has its way, a gaggle of happy penguins will charm consumers into stocking up on flu drug Tamiflu. Using penguin characters from a current children's feature as a theme, Roche Pharmaceuticals has developed a multi-million dollar ad campaign to create demand for the costly medication. Tamiflu, which has attracted international attention as a possible stopgap in the war against bird flu, is designed to slow flu progression and minimize symptoms. The ads, which come just before the start of flu season, don't mention Tamiflu specifically. Critics say the promotion is irresponsible. Dr. Jerry Avorn, a Harvard Medical School professor, argues that the drug's benefits are minimal. Worse, he suggests that if consumers use Tamiflu heavily, Americans will develop a resistance to the drug and won't benefit from it if and when bird flu does become a pandemic. The drug is already proving to be a bonanza for Roche. The pharmaco reported that Tamiflu sales rose to $1.3 billion during the third quarter of this year, an increase of 88 percent over the Q3 '05.

For more background on the Tamiflu promotion:
- read this article in The Boston Globe

Related Article:
Web questionnaire could cut ED visits during flu season. Article
New infectious disease challenges emerge. Article

SPOTLIGHT: New infectious disease challenges emerge

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 20:01:32 -0400

In the sixties, physicians were confident enough to predict the end of infectious disease control issues. Today, in 2006, scientists and physicians know how wrong they were, said Dr. Antony Fauci, director of the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, who spoke at the Mid-Atlantic Bio conference this week. Public officials face more challenges than ever, including the possibility of a bird flu epidemic, anthrax attacks, SARS, extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis and the worldwide HIV/AIDS crisis. It's time for the world to pour more dollars and research into addressing some of these other emerging threats, Fauci said. Article