News From Around the Web
> Rice University researchers have developed a solar-powered sterilization system that could help 2.5 million people without adequate sanitation. "The 'solar steam' sterilization system uses nanomaterials to convert as much as 80 percent of the energy in sunlight into germ-killing heat," according to the announcement from the school. Announcement
> Electronic health record use plays a large factor in community centers' ability to help patients control their chronic diseases, according to an article published in the Los Angeles Times. At Petaluma Health Center in Northern California--one of the higher-performing centers in the state--the medical providers are self-proclaimed "data junkies and quality junkies," using EHRs use to monitor progress and help them become healthier, chief executive Kathryn Powell told the Times. Article
Provider News
> Visits for dizziness or vertigo rack up more than $4 billion annually in emergency department costs, much of which goes to imaging studies of questionable value, according to a 15-year review published in the Academic Emergency Medicine. Article
> The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $12 million in healthcare reform funds to train more than 300 primary care residents at 32 teaching health centers during the 2013-14 academic year, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has announced. The awards will help train twice as many residents than in the previous academic year. And thanks to the federal funding, 21 states now have teaching health centers, up from 14 in 2012. Article
Mobile Health News
> Mobile phones provide a feasible method for assessing asthma symptoms and medication adherence in adolescents, according to study results published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Treatment for asthma is typically addressed initially through the use of what is known as a "rescue" inhaler that is used at the time that symptoms, such as shortness of breath, cough, or wheezing, occur. If symptoms persist over time despite use of rescue medications, a controller or "everyday" inhaler is prescribed. Article
And Finally… For those not interested in reading about the future King of England's spit up. Article