Nearly one-third of Americans have experienced a Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) or have a friend or relative who contracted one, according to a new survey from Xenex Healthcare. HAIs (such as C. diff, MRSA, staph infections and pneumonia) are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control [...]

Medical experts are concerned about the significant number of elective deliveries (C-sections and induced labor) that are being scheduled for non-medical reasons prior to 39 weeks of pregnancy. This troubling trend can lead to serious health consequences for the baby, as well as potential dangers for the mother. Many expectant mothers are not aware of [...]

Vaccinations, eye exams, bike helmets and healthy snacks top the back-to-school health tips from physicians at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Top 10 Back to School Health Tips 1. Check with your doctor to confirm that your child has received the recommended vaccinations. “This year, the single most important health issue [...]

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced $159.1 million in grants to health care workforce training programs. These grants build on the multimillion dollar investments made under the Affordable Care Act and Recovery Act to strengthen and grow our primary care workforce. The grants will target three types of programs: Nursing Workforce Development programs; interdisciplinary geriatric [...]

A team of surgeons from Kleinert Kutz and Associates and the University of Louisville have performed yet another hand transplant at the Jewish Hospital Hand Care Center. Surgeons document the surgery, which was the facility’s first double hand transplant, by using Twitter, to provide short, real-time updates as the procedure takes place. Breidenbach said, “The [...]

As the unofficial end of summer quickly approaches with Labor Day weekend, many Americans are planning one last hurrah by gathering with family and friends for cookouts and picnics. Essential ingredients for a successful party include sunny weather, good company and delicious – and safe – food. Food safety and quality testing company Intertek offers [...]

In what may be one of the first known iPhone 4 “video calling” medical consultations since the phone’s release, surgeons at Valley Presbyterian Hospital near Los Angeles and University of Arizona used the advanced technology to successfully collaborate long distance in “real time” on a wound consultation for a patient. Using the FaceTime feature on [...]

While many U.S. companies initially hoped they could preserve much of their existing group health plans under the new grandfather provision, a new survey by Hewitt Associates, shows that almost all now believe they will not. Ninety percent of companies said they anticipate losing grandfathered status by 2014, with the majority expecting to do so [...]

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Health Statistics Reports shows continued use of the nation’s emergency rooms for conditions that could be treated in an urgent care setting. Of the 116.8 million visits covered by the 2007 Emergency Department (ED) Summary, only 16.4% were actually admitted to a hospital or [...]

A team of Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) physicians led by neurosurgical pioneer Peter Jannetta, MD, has made an important new discovery linking the central nervous system to the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Reporting today in the journal Surgical Neurology International, Dr. Jannetta and his colleagues present evidence from a prospective clinical [...]