Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Children Exposed To Hepatitis C May Be Missing Out On Treatment
Hepatitis C can be passed from mothers to babies, but it often is not diagnosed until much later in a person’s life. Specialists are debating new screening practices to catch the disease earlier.
Many Well-Known Hospitals Fail To Score 5 Stars In Medicare’s New Ratings
Of the 102 hospitals that received a five-star rating, few are among the elite generally praised for great care.
Congressman Decries Olympus’ Failure To Warn U.S. Hospitals About Tainted Scopes
U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) renews his call for tightened laws that would force manufacturers to notify the Food and Drug Administration when they issue safety warnings in other countries related to the design and cleaning of their devices.
Warning: Government Listing Of Clinical Trials Doesn’t Disclose Costs To Patients
Some clinics on NIH’s website charge people to participate in testing of unproven treatments — and it can come as a surprise to unsuspecting patients.
Surgeon Says Apps May Turn Organ Donation Support Into ‘Concrete Action’
Dr. Thomas Fishbein of the Medstar Georgetown Transplant Institute is optimistic that efforts by hospitals like his, advocacy groups and app makers, such as Tinder, will increase the number of organ donors.
Olympus Told U.S. Executives No Broad Scope Warning Needed Despite Superbug Outbreaks
Newly released court documents show that after Tokyo-based Olympus Corp. alerted customers in Europe in 2013, it told its U.S. operation not to warn U.S. doctors and hospitals. Since then, at least 35 patients have died after being sickened in outbreaks.
Medicare Prepares To Go Forward With New Hospital Quality Ratings
The government will soon give hospitals one to five stars to sum up their quality. Some safety hospitals and teaching hospitals won’t fare as well as other facilities.
For Surgeons, Talking About Adverse Events Can Be Difficult: Study
Research suggests surgeons might be better off if they learn to quickly and directly explain what went wrong to the patient.
Sometimes Tiny Is Just The Right Size: ‘Microhospitals’ Filling Some ER Needs
These facilities are full-service hospitals and offer a full array of emergency services but may have only a handful of beds for admitted patients.
Democrats Unite, But What Happened To ‘Medicare For All’?
Advocates for a single payer health care system say it would be more efficient, but other analysts predict that such an unprecedented change could be extremely disruptive to a key part of the nation’s economy.
Doctors Get Creative To Distract Tech-Savvy Kids Before Surgery
Anxiety before surgery can be dangerous for kids. Medication can help calm them down. But an anesthesiologist in California has come up with a safer, cheaper and much more entertaining alternative.
Heart Failure Patients Warned About The Dangers Of Mixing Prescriptions
The American Heart Association issues a statement to guide heart failure patients and doctors about the effects that drugs for other conditions can have on the heart.
Sounds Like A Good Idea? Regulating Drug Prices
Presidential candidates from both parties have proposals they say would help lower the cost of prescription drugs. But most experts say that efforts to regulate prices might not end up saving much money.
Study Finds Doctors Quick To Change Practice For Breast Cancer Patients
Despite the usual view that physicians are slow to alter their routines based on new scientific evidence, researchers found that breast cancer surgeons quickly adopted advice to not remove lymph nodes after a landmark clinical trial in 2011.
Report: ‘Convergence Science’ Has Potential To Accelerate The Research-To-Product Pipeline
Some say this trend is the future of biomedical research. But along with its potential, it also faces significant challenges.
Gingrich, Kennedy Take On Opioid Addiction — The KHN Conversation
Patrick Kennedy, a former congressman from Rhode Island, and Newt Gingrich, who was once the House speaker, are advancing policies to combat this national crisis.
American ‘Stem Cell Tourists’ Don’t Have To Travel Abroad, Study Says
Treatments marketed as everything from anti-aging applications to therapies for degenerative diseases are increasingly available at commercial clinics in the U.S., but their growing numbers raise ethical and regulatory concerns in the scientific community.
5 Things To Know About The Supreme Court’s Texas Abortion Decision
It was a big win for pro-abortion rights advocates, but abortion opponents are not daunted. Stay tuned for how it will affect presidential politics and the next generation of women voters.
Anthem, Express Scripts Face Legal Challenge Over Prescription Drug Prices
The case alleges that insured consumers were overcharged because of a contract agreement.
Ga., Calif. Hospitals Sue Blue Cross Plan For Sending ER Reimbursements To Patients
The lawsuits allege that the practice costs the hospitals money because the patients often spend the funds.
