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March 2005
Thursday, March 31 , 2005
In this Issue:
Stryker,
Smith & Nephew, Biomet, other orthopedics manufacturers announce
receipt of subpoenas related to orthopaedic service agreements
Monroeville hospital urges 200 colonoscopy
patients to get checked for hepatitis, HIV
MedAssets launches new
technology
M.S. drug linked to death
FDA aproves new drug for
hepatitis B
Pharmacy errors need reporting, including
unit-based cabinet dispensing units
Several large orthopedic implant manufacturers have confirmed that they have received subpoenas from the U.S. Justice Department regarding their relationship with surgeons. Stryker Corporation (Kalamazoo, MI) announced that it has received a subpoena from the United States Department of Justice requesting documents for the period January 2002 through the present as follows: “any and all consulting contracts, professional service agreements, or remuneration agreements between Stryker Corporation and any orthopedic surgeon, orthopedic surgeon in training, or medical school graduate using or considering the surgical use of hip or knee joint replacement/reconstruction products manufactured or sold by Stryker Corporation.” Based on an initial conversation with a Department of Justice representative, the Company understands that similar requests have been or will be directed to other companies in the orthopaedics industry. Stryker intends to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice regarding this matter. Biomet Inc. (Warsaw, IN) also announced that it has received a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice requesting documents related to any consulting and professional service agreements with orthopedic surgeons using or considering the use of Biomet's hip or knee implants. Biomet intends to fully cooperate with the inquiry. Smith and Nephew announced that its Orthopaedics division (Memphis, TN) had received a subpoena requesting consulting, professional service and remuneration agreements, in respect of reconstructive products, between Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics division and orthopaedic surgeons. Smith & Nephew is cooperating fully with this request. The New York Times reported that DePuy Orthopaedics, a unit of Johnson & Johnson based in Warsaw, IN, had also received a subpoena and was cooperating. The Times reported that Zimmer Holdings, also based in Warsaw, and the next largest orthopedics company after Stryker and DePuy, said it had not received a subpoena. Wright Medical, based in Arlington, TN, declined to say whether it had received a subpoena, according to The Times. The investigation does not, initially at least, appear to be related to whistleblower claims against a Medtronic unit, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, which has been accused of making illegal kickbacks to surgeons who used its spinal products, and Medtronic told The Times that it was not included in the subpoenas announced yesterday. Orthopedics manufacturers and other device makers have become more restrictive in the practices they follow for payments to surgeons in the last year, following guidelines adopted by Advamed, the medical device industry's largest trade group, reported The Times.
Monroeville hospital urges 200 colonoscopy
patients to get checked for hepatitis, HIV
Officials at Forbes Regional Hospital in Monroeville, PA, are warning about 200 patients who underwent colon examinations that they may be at risk for infection because the colonoscopes used had not been adequately cleaned. The risk of infection is extremely low, hospital officials and local and national health authorities said. But certain patients who had colonoscopies at Forbes between Oct. 28 and Feb. 26 nevertheless are being advised to have their blood tested for hepatitis and HIV as soon as possible. Only patients who underwent procedures with two specific colonoscopes purchased last fall are being notified for testing via certified letters. Lab workers only recently discovered that the two scopes were not being completely disinfected after each use. A toll-free hotline, 1-877-854-5450, has been established to provide information only to those patients who have received letters and to schedule them for testing. After being notified of the scope-processing problem at Forbes, the Allegheny County Health Department reviewed all cases of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV reported since September. None of the new cases had undergone colonoscopies at the hospital or otherwise had contact with a Forbes colonoscopy patient. The disinfection problem concerns two colonoscopes refurbished by and purchased from Olympus Inc. Hospital staffers did not immediately notice that the scopes had auxiliary channels, which give doctors additional capabilities for cleaning an examination area. “It appears the difficulty arose in not recognizing this was a different model of scope with an additional channel,” Chakurda said. The unused, unrecognized channels thus were never specifically disinfected. Laura Tyler, director of regulatory affairs and quality assurance for Olympus America's medical systems group, said all the company's colonoscopes and other types of endoscopes are accompanied by user manuals that contain specific instructions for cleaning. Chakurda said there were no plans to discipline any staff members in response to the incident. But the hospital will implement a policy that no newly purchased equipment will be used without a training session, regardless of the equipment's similarity to other equipment already in use. (Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) An article by Lawrence F. Muscarella, PhD, referencing similar problems and how to prevent them appeared in Gastroenterology Nursing: “Dear Los Angeles Times: the risk of disease transmission during gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gastroenterol Nurs. 2004 Nov-Dec; 27(6):271-8.”
MedAssets launches new technology
MedAssets announces CrossWalk(TM), a technology-enabled solution that manages
all patient-identifiable supplies automatically, continuously and seamlessly to
improve implant-item service line margins. Linking the hospital's supply and
revenue data streams, CrossWalk offers providers visibility enabling providers
to accurately capture and audit markups and set defendable pricing within key
service lines including orthopedics, cardiovascular, spinal, account for more
than 45 percent of all supply expenditures. The majority of hospitals currently
manage supply prices through one system, the item master, and bill for them
through another, the charge master. Although the supply cost data needs to be
communicated between the two systems, they aren't linked and manual processes
are used to keep the ever-changing information current. With tens of thousands
of items to update, inaccuracies in pricing are commonplace and often result in
missed charges, undercharges and overcharges. These are all costly mistakes in
terms of compliance and revenue. CrossWalk works to prevent such oversights by
providing: accurate, compliant pricing for supplies, procedures and services;
ongoing, accurate cost determination for each chargeable supply item; clean data
and management reports indicating areas for financial or compliance improvement;
on-going monitoring for the cost/charge relationship; and analysis of purchase
volume compared to charge volume.
M.S. drug linked to death
Biogen
Idec and the
Elan Corporation said that a third
patient had developed a fatal nervous system disorder linked to the multiple
sclerosis drug Tysabri, which the companies stopped selling last month. The
patient, who died in 2003, had Crohn's disease and took Tysabri in a clinical
trial, said a spokesperson for Biogen. Tysabri won approval in November as a
treatment for multiple sclerosis and the companies were studying use of the drug
for other conditions. (Bloomberg News)
FDA aproves new drug for hepatitis B
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, the drug manufacturer said Wednesday. The drug, entecavir, is taken orally and is designed to work by preventing the virus that causes the illness from reproducing. The chronic form of hepatitis B can permanently damage the liver and lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Entecavir is made by Bristol-Myers Squibb and will be sold under the trade name Baraclude. The company said it could be available in early April. The Hepatitis B Foundation estimates that 1.2 million Americans have hepatitis B and another 100,000 are infected annually. (The Associated Press)
Pharmacy
errors need reporting, including
unit-based cabinet dispensing units
Saferating.com unveiled a web application to track the trends of UBC
discrepancies. The system uses Saferating’s Paperless Form Technology (PFT) to
generate pharmacy reports to conform to JCAHO and State Pharmacy Commission
requirements. Unit-Based Cabinet Dispensing Units (AccuDose, Pyxis, Omnicell)
are all useful devices, but those who use them cause discrepancies, said the
company. Analysis of these discrepancies can save you aggravation, bureaucratic
interference, and fines, according to Robert (Bob) Genest, CEO. Authorized users
of Saferating’s PFT can query by drug, pocket, users, date ranges and more. Data
can be viewed online and downloaded to authorized desktops in MS EXCEL, Access,
or FoxPro for further analysis and reporting to any authorized user. The queries
and reports can be accessed though the latest encryption technology from any
web-enabled computer wherever the authorized user is, any time of day or night.
Wednesday, March 30 , 2005
In this Issue:
Florida hospital hires first female
chief executive and president
Study: Prescription drug compliance
a challenge for many patients
Crdentia to acquire Health
Industry Professionals
Acupuncture found to lower
elevations in blood pressure
FDA clears Vanguard
reprocessed ultrasonic scalpels
Venetec announces contract with Adventist
Health System
The Brewer Company signs
agreement with MedAssets
Florida hospital hires first female chief executive and president
The Sarasota County (FL) Public Hospital Board has unanimously selected Gwen M. MacKenzie, RN, MN, MHSA, as president and chief executive officer of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. MacKenzie will become CEO in mid-May following the retirement of Duncan Finlay, MD. MacKenzie currently is executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Detroit Medical Center (DMC), a nonprofit academic health system made up of nine hospitals with more than 2,000 licensed beds, 13,000 employees and 3,200 medical staff members. The system, which is the largest healthcare provider in southeast Michigan, is the teaching and clinical research site for Wayne State University’s School of Medicine, the fourth largest medical school in the U.S. MacKenzie was chosen for Sarasota Memorial’s top post following a national search and extensive interviews. MacKenzie, 50, joined the DMC in 1979 as an Advanced Practice Nurse and progressed to a number of leadership positions, including president of several DMC hospitals and interim CEO of the health system. In her current role, she has oversight for DMC’s $1.6 billion budget and its nine hospitals, as well as a number of support services. She was responsible for a $110 million system turnaround from 2003 to 2004. She began her career in healthcare as a staff nurse at the University of Michigan Hospital before becoming a research assistant and staff nurse at UCLA. In addition, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that she will be paid an annual salary of $500,000 and receive a signing bonus of $12,500, according to an employment agreement with the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board. Finlay was paid $388,845, said the Herald-Tribune.
Study: Prescription drug
compliance
a challenge for many patients
One in three (33%) U.S. adults who have been prescribed drugs to take on a regular basis report that they are often or very often noncompliant with their treatment regimens for any number of reasons. Furthermore, nearly half (45%) say they have failed to take their medications because of concerns they had about the drugs themselves, and 43 percent report having not complied with their regimens because they felt the drug was unnecessary. These are some of the results of a Harris Interactive online survey of 2,507 U.S. adults who are online conducted between March 16 and 18, 2005 for The Wall Street Journal Online's Health Industry Edition. Of the 63 percent of adults who have had prescription drugs prescribed to them in the last year, drugs which are to be taken regularly, nearly two-thirds (64%) report that they have simply forgotten to take their medication, with 11 percent saying that this has happened “often” or “very often.” Other top reasons respondents cited for noncompliance with their treatment regimens include: I had no symptoms or the symptoms went away (36%); I wanted to save money (35%); I didn't believe the drugs were effective (33%); I didn't think I needed to take them (31%);I had painful or frightening side effects (28%); and The drugs prevented me from doing other things I wanted to do (25%). http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters_wsj.asp
Crdentia to acquire Health Industry Professionals
Crdentia Corp., a U.S. provider of healthcare staffing services, announced that it has acquired Health Industry Professionals LLC, a provider of per diem nursing services throughout the Detroit metropolitan area. Founded in 1997, Health Industry Professionals has a strong existing client base with major hospitals in the region and several local Fortune 500 companies where it provides staffing for on-site private medical clinics. In addition to per diem nursing services, the Company also offers hourly and private duty homecare services. Health Industry Professionals has a database of approximately 900 healthcare professionals and will continue to operate under the direction of co-founders Matthew Cahillane and C. Michael Emery, who have joined Crdentia's senior management team. Health Industry Professionals represents one of two acquisitions recently announced by Crdentia in 2005 focusing on healthcare staffing services.
Acupuncture found to lower elevations in blood pressure
Acupuncture treatments using low levels of electrical stimulation can lower elevations in blood pressure by as much as 50 percent, researchers at the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at UC Irvine have found. In tests on rats, the researchers found that electroacupuncture treatments provided temporary relief from the conditions that raise blood pressure during hypertensive states. Such treatments, they believe, potentially can become part of a therapeutic regimen for long-term care of hypertension and other cardiovascular ailments in people. The study appears in the March issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology. In previous studies, Longhurst and his UCI colleagues have identified at the cellular and molecular level how acupuncture excites brain cells to release neurotransmitters that either inhibit or heighten cardiovascular activity.
FDA clears Vanguard reprocessed ultrasonic scalpels
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined that ultrasonic scalpels reprocessed by Vanguard Medical Concepts Inc. are “substantially equivalent” to new and has cleared the company to resume sales of the product. Vanguard voluntarily removed the scalpels from the market last fall pending an FDA request for additional documentation of the company's methodology for cleaning, testing and sterilizing the costly devices. At issue was whether the complex device, which is marketed for a single use, could be safely reconditioned for a limited number of additional uses and function “as new” without any health risk to patients.
Venetec announces contract with Adventist Health System
Venetec International, makers of StatLock safety securement devices for catheters and other medical applications, announced that it has signed a sole-source agreement to supply Adventist Health System with catheter securement devices in IV start kits for peripheral IVs. The agreement is one of the largest signed between Venetec and a healthcare system. Adventist Health System has committed to purchase StatLock IV Ultra and StatLock IV Select product line devices, to help achieve the hospital system's protocol of a 96-hour dwell period for peripheral IV catheters. Adventist Health System has 38 hospitals in 10 states covering more than 6,200 beds. The health system is the largest not-for-profit Protestant healthcare organization in the country, and one of the 10 largest integrated delivery networks. Implementation of the new agreement between Venetec International and Adventist Health System will begin with the seven hospital facilities of Florida Hospital in the Orlando area, representing 1,776 beds.
The Brewer Company signs agreement with MedAssets
The Brewer Company (Menomonee Falls, WI) has signed an agreement with MedAssets Supply Chain System. (Atlanta, GA) to provide medical seating, procedure lights, IV poles, infusion stands, mayo/instrument stands, utility carts and other medical support products to MedAssets’ members nationwide.
Tuesday, March 29 , 2005
In this Issue:
CDC releases health data for
January–September 2004
Study questions practice of
hospital advertising
CMS publishes procedures for
certain HIPAA complaints
North Dakota investigating
possible identity theft scam
Medline launches new online reporting tool
CDC releases health data for January–September 2004
Early findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’S) National Health Interview Survey (January-September 2004) show that 41.6 million persons of all ages (14.5%) were uninsured at the time of the interview, compared to the 2003 estimate of 15.2%. In addition, 12.6% of employed adults had been uninsured for more than a year. The survey tracks 15 key health indicators including health insurance coverage, obtaining needed medical care, influenza shot, pneumococcal vaccination, obesity, leisure-time physical activity, current smoking prevalence, alcohol consumption, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, general health status, personal care needs, serious psychological distress, diagnosed diabetes, and asthma. Among other findings: For the period January through September 2004, the percentage of uninsured persons was 16.4% for persons under age 65 years. For children under age 18 years, the percentage uninsured at the time of the interview was 9.2% in the first three quarters of 2004, continuing the decline observed since 1997. For persons aged 18-64 years, from 1999 to September 2004, there was an increasing trend in public coverage (from 12.4% to 16%) and a decreasing trend in private coverage (73.1% to 68.6%). From 1998 through June 2004, an increasing trend has been observed in the percentage of persons who were unable to obtain medical care due to cost (4.2% in 1998 to 5.4% for the period January through September 2004). In the third quarter of 2004, the percentage of adults who had received an influenza shot during the past year was 66.4% for persons aged 65 years and over, 41.0% for persons aged 50-64 years, and 19.4% for persons aged 18-49 years. For the period January through September 2004, 24.5% of U.S. adults aged 20 years and over were obese, which is similar to the 2003 estimate of 23.7%. The prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults aged 20 years and over has increased over time from 19.4% in 1997 to 24.5% in September 2004. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/earlyrelease200503.pdf
Study questions practice of hospital advertising
A new study contends that while academic medical centers are relying more and more on advertising to attract patients, there appears to be little oversight of these practices. The result is that many of these ads seem to place the interests of the medical center above the interests of the patients, said the study. An internal review process would go a long way toward ensuring that the interests of patients are protected, said the authors of the study appearing in the March 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. To try to characterize ads aimed at attracting patients, the authors of the study looked at all 2002 non-research print ads in the five most widely circulating local newspapers for the 17 academic medical centers included in U.S. News & World Report's annual list of "America's Best Hospitals" and interviewed members of the hospital's marketing departments. Of the 17 institutions, which included Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, 16 reported advertising to attract patients. The authors identified a total of 127 print ads not related to recruiting participants for clinical trials. Three of these promoted community events sponsored by the institution, two announced “genuine” public services while the remaining 122 were geared to attracting patients. Of those 122 ads, 29.5 percent (36 ads) promoted the entire medical center, 53.3 percent (65 ads) promoted specific departments and 17.2 percent (21 ads) promoted single tests or interventions. Then, of those 21 ads for a single intervention, 28.6 percent were for cosmetic procedures. More than half of the ads outlined benefits of the procedure but only one mentioned potential dangers, the study found. The most popular marketing strategies included appealing to emotions (61.5 percent), highlighting the prestige of the institution (60.7 percent), singling out a symptom or disease (53.3 percent), and promoting introductory lectures or special offers (47.5 percent). These offers included complementary health screenings and first-aid kits. And while all 17 centers said they had an institutional review board to approve advertising for research subjects, none had a similar process in place for ads to attract patients. (Health Day News)
CMS publishes procedures for certain HIPAA complaints
The
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on March 25 published a notice in the
federal register, describing the procedures for filing complaints of
noncompliance with certain provisions of the administrative simplification rules
under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and CMS's
procedures for reviewing those complaints. The procedures pertain to all HIPAA
regulations except for the privacy rule. The notice is effective April 25, 2005.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800
/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-5795.pdf
North Dakota investigating possible identity theft scam
The North Dakota attorney general and North Dakota Healthcare Association are warning hospitals about a scam artist requesting confidential information about patients in the state. They say a woman representing herself as a nurse for a Salt Lake City hospital has contacted hospitals in the state and requested confidential information such as patient social security numbers, claiming the patient has appeared in the caller’s emergency room, has an outstanding bill or has died. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said the callers most likely are targeting the patients for identity theft and urged healthcare facilities not to give out patient information if called. For more information, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer ProtectionDivision at (800) 472-2600 or NDHA at (701) 224-9732. (AHA News Now)
Medline launches new online reporting tool
Medline Industries Inc. is launching “Medline Insight,” a new online reporting tool that can help hospitals, health systems and nursing homes easily track their supply chain activity with Medline. Medline Insight provides customers valuable information in an easy to use self-service reporting style. Popular reports include: Descending Dollar Report, Invoice Summary & Detail Reports, Order Channel Utilization, Sales by Manufacturer, Usage by Ship-To Location, and Prime Vendor Implementation Status. Medline Insight's budgeting tool allows a budget to be set up based on the customer's general ledger codes. Reports show how budget numbers compare to actual purchasing, including per patient day calculations. Medline Insight also offers a scheduling tool that can be set to run any report at any time on a continual basis. It will then e-mail you the results which can come in a variety of formats including: PDF, MS-Excel and MS-Word.
Monday, March 28 , 2005
In this Issue:
Genome cancer project proposed
Study: Vaccine protects against
pneumococcal disease
FDA approves monthly drug for
osteoporosis
Medicare publishes proposed
rule updating
hospital conditions of participation
Consorta signs agreement for plain paper
radiology printing solution
Genome cancer project proposed
Federal officials are planning to compile a complete catalog of the genetic abnormalities that characterize cancer. The proposed Human Cancer Genome Project would be greater in scale than the Human Genome Project, which mapped the human genetic blueprint. It would seek to determine the DNA sequence of thousands of tumor samples, looking for mutations that give rise to cancer or sustain it. Proponents say a databank of all such mutations, which would be freely available to researchers, would provide invaluable clues for developing new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer. The project would cost roughly $1.35 billion over nine years, but where the money will come from is still uncertain. For now, the government is likely to start with some smaller pilot projects, officials said. Some scientists are dubious about the cost and are concerned that a big science project could take money away from smaller ones run by individual scientists. The project, which might end up with a different name, would determine the sequence of the DNA in at least 12,500 tumor samples, 250 samples from each of 50 major types of cancer. By comparing the order of the letters of the genetic code in the tumor samples with one another and with sequences in healthy tissue, it should be possible to pinpoint mutations responsible for cancer. (The New York Times)
Study: Vaccine protects against pneumococcal disease
The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the results of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine trial conducted in The Gambia which are published in the Lancet. Dr Lee Jong-wook, Director-General, WHO, declared: “The results of this vaccine trial hold great promise for improving health and saving lives in resource-poor populations. The international community's task now is to continue to work together productively to make the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine widely available to children in Africa, as lives are lost every minute to pneumococcal disease.” The Gambia vaccine trial has demonstrated that a significant proportion of illness, disability and death in African children can be averted through vaccination against this disease. Pneumonia is estimated to kill nearly two million children every year; it is responsible for approximately 18% of the more than ten million annual childhood deaths worldwide. Pneumococcal disease is caused by infection with the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium. In the Gambia and other African countries, rates of invasive pneumococcal disease are up to ten times higher than in industrialized countries and the disease is a major cause of hospital admissions and deaths. WHO estimates that between 700,000 and 1 million children under five die from pneumococcal diseases each year. A randomized, controlled, double-blind trial of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine took place in eastern Gambia starting in August 2000. 17 437 children aged 6-51 weeks were enrolled in the study. Those 8719 children in the control group received a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-Haemophilus influenzae serotype b vaccine. 8718 children received pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, mixed with the tetravalent vaccine received by the control group. Results of the trial indicated that in the group of children who received pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, there were: 37% fewer cases of pneumonia (as confirmed by chest X-ray); 15% fewer hospital admissions; 16% reduction in overall mortality; and half the rate of laboratory-confirmed pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia. Moreover, the vaccine was 77% effective in preventing infections caused by nine serotypes (strains) of pneumococcal bacteria whose sugar capsules make up the vaccine. Full details of the trial are available in a paper published in the Lancet on 26 March 2005.
FDA approves monthly drug for osteoporosis
A once-a-month pill to help women fight osteoporosis has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Boniva will be the first monthly osteoporosis medication, said Dr. Richard Emkey of Radiant Research in Reading, PA, which conducted trials of the drug. Current medications are taken weekly. Boniva is being jointly promoted by the drug companies, GlaxoSmithKline and Roche. The companies estimate that 44 million Americans over age 50 suffer from osteoporosis Known as ibandronate sodium, the 150 milligram tablets are intended for both treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The drug is expected to go on sale, by prescription, in April. The companies said they were setting up a patient support program to help patients remember to take the drug every month and to stay on the medication. In trials over three years the drug reduced the number of new vertebral fractures in women with osteoporosis and increased bone density in women who had not developed the disease. The most common side effects reported were abdominal pain, high blood pressure, upset stomach, joint pain, nausea and diarrhea. (Associated Press)
Medicare publishes proposed rule updating
hospital conditions of participation
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a proposed rule to alleviate hospitals of overly burdensome regulations and allow doctors and nurses to focus more time and energy on patient care. The proposed rule would revise requirements in the hospital conditions of participation (CoPs) for completion of history and physical (H&P) examinations, authentication of verbal orders, securing medications, and completion of post anesthesia evaluations. The proposed rule would expand the number of permissible practitioners who may perform the H&P and the time frame for its completion; would require that all orders, including verbal orders, must be dated, timed, and authenticated by a practitioner responsible for the care of the patient. During a five year transition period from publication of the final rule, it would allow all orders, including verbal orders, to be dated, timed and authenticated by the prescribing practitioner or another practitioner responsible for the care of the patient. CMS expects that sunsetting this flexibility after a five year period is sufficient time for the adoption of changes in healthcare information technology to make it easy for prescribing practitioners to authenticate all of their own orders in a timely fashion. The proposed rule also requires that all drugs and biologicals be kept in secure areas, or locked when appropriate, to prevent unauthorized persons from obtaining access and permits the post anesthesia evaluation for inpatients to be completed and documented by any individual qualified to administer anesthesia. The proposed rule may be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov.
Consorta signs agreement for plain paper
radiology printing solution
Consorta Inc. has awarded an agreement to Strong Value Group, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, to provide aycan Medical Systems’ plain paper x-ray printing solution to Consorta’s member hospitals. Strong Value Group is a value-added reseller of aycan Medical Systems, and resells the aycan x-ray printing solution as Print Solution One. Print Solution One combines a high-resolution laser printer with an aycan DICOM print server to produce any kind of medical image on plain paper, up to 11” by 17”, at near-diagnostic image quality.
Tronex International Inc., a New Jersey based company specializing in the manufacturing and marketing of superior hand and body protection has been awarded an agreement for examination gloves by MedAssets. The agreement calls for Tronex to offer its line of latex, vinyl, synthetic and nitrile gloves for the healthcare industry. The agreement runs through November, 2007.
Friday, March 25 , 2005
In this Issue:
Tommy Thompson speaks out about unmet goals,
future plans
MDMA: Masimo verdict a
victory for
patients, innovation and hospitals
Boston Scientific announces jury verdict in patent
litigation with Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson and Guidant
Corporation proposed
merger registration declared effective
STERIS adds to surgical table offering
with acquisition of FH Surgical SAS
Epidemic in northern Angola spreads to capital of Luanda
Tommy Thompson speaks out about unmet goals, future
plans
At a press conference at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation office in Washington, D.C., former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, said Thursday that his biggest regret in leaving HHS was not pushing through sweeping changes in Medicaid during his four-year term. “I really feel sad that what I didn't get done is Medicaid,” he said. He applauded Donna Shalala, former HHS leader, currently President of University of Miami, for her eight years of service. Mr. Thompson stated his reasons for what was initially thought of as an abrupt departure after four years, saying his departure had been planned for a year and that he left his post last month to pursue jobs in the private sector after spending 38 years in government. He served as a Republican Wisconsin governor before heading up HHS. “If I was ever going to get into the private sector, I was going to have to do it now,” he said. Mr. Thompson joined international law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP as a partner. He also became the chairman and senior adviser for the Deloitte Center for Health Care Management and Transformation in Washington, part of New York auditing and consulting subsidiary Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, and recently joined Logistics Health Inc., a health services contractor in La Crosse, WI, as president. In addition, Mr. Thompson said Harvard University has asked him to teach a class on medical diplomacy, a way he feels will promote the U.S., through health services and aid to foreign countries in need. While in office, he pushed for a "radical" transformation in Medicaid in an effort to change how state governments manage expenses. But Thompson said governors rebuffed his plan to have acute care funded by the states and long-term care paid for by the federal government. Medicaid "can't continue on the way it is. It needs a complete transformation," Mr. Thompson said. When asked about his publicized final departing comments from the HHS, Mr. Thompson had no regrets about his remarks and repeated warnings that the federal government has not done enough to adequately secure the nation's food supply from terrorist attacks. "I feel good about what we accomplished, but there is so much more we need to do in food security," he said.
MDMA: Masimo verdict a victory for patients,
innovation and hospitals
The Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA) hailed Masimo
Corporation's victory this week in its federal antitrust case against Tyco
International as “a critical step” in addressing the anticompetitive and other
questionable practices by certain dominant manufacturers and hospital group
purchasing organizations (GPOs). In determining that Tyco Healthcare violated
antitrust laws related to the sales of its pulse oximetry technology, a federal
jury in the Central District of California awarded Masimo $140 million, which
was then trebled to $420 million plus attorneys fees. The jury found that Tyco
had utilized various anticompetitive practices, including sole-source and high
compliance agreements, bundled rebates and co-marketing agreements, to exclude
Masimo from the marketplace. These exclusionary contracting practices have also
been the subject of three Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee hearings led
by Senators Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Mike DeWine (R-OH). “This decision is a victory
for patients, innovation and the healthcare system as a whole,” said MDMA
Executive Director Mark Leahey. “Dominant manufacturers should not be able to
prevent doctors, nurses and patients from accessing innovative, cost-effective
products.” The verdict also represents a victory for hospitals seeking to
negotiate contracts with manufacturers, said MDMA. Over the years, GPOs have
been accused of facilitating anticompetitive contracts between hospitals and
dominant manufacturers in exchange for millions of dollars in “fees” from the
manufacturers. Yet GPOs claimed the dominant manufacturers were responsible for
the terms of the contracts. “With this verdict, GPOs and their member hospitals
will have the legal cover to refuse onerous contracts from dominant suppliers.
The result will be a higher quality of care at a lower cost,” said Leahey.
http://www.medicaldevices.org
Boston Scientific announces jury verdict in patent litigation with Johnson & Johnson
Boston Scientific Corporation announced that a jury in Delaware issued a verdict in a retrial of patent litigation between Boston Scientific and Johnson & Johnson. The jury found that a single claim of Johnson & Johnson's Palmaz patent was valid and infringed by the NIR(R) stent, which was designed and manufactured by Medinol Ltd. and formerly sold by Boston Scientific. The jury only determined liability; any monetary damages will be determined in a later hearing. In addition, there are likely to be significant post-verdict motions and hearings, as well as an appeal of the decision. Boston Scientific no longer markets or sells the NIR stent. The jury's findings will not affect Boston Scientific's ability to sell its TAXUS(R) Express(TM) paclitaxel-eluting stent system or its next-generation TAXUS(R) Liberte(TM) paclitaxel-eluting stent system.
Johnson & Johnson and Guidant Corporation proposed merger registration declared effective
Johnson & Johnson and Guidant Corporation announced that the Securities and Exchange Commission has declared effective the S-4 Registration Statement concerning their planned merger. The S-4 filing contains the Prospectus/Proxy Statement for the previously announced transaction in which Johnson & Johnson will acquire Guidant. If approved by Guidant shareholders, the transaction will still be subject to certain other conditions that are described in the Prospectus/Proxy Statement. It is anticipated that the transaction will close during the third quarter of 2005.
STERIS adds to surgical table offering with acquisition of FH Surgical SAS
STERIS Corporation announced that it has completed the acquisition of FH Surgical SAS, a privately-held manufacturer of surgical tables with approximately 40 employees and manufacturing facilities in Orleans, France. The business offers a variety of surgical tables targeted at different hospital needs and sold primarily in Europe. The acquisition will be integrated into STERIS's Healthcare segment. Under the terms of the transaction, STERIS acquired FH Surgical for 8.8 million euros (approximately $11.6 million) in cash and assumed liabilities. For the year ending March 31, 2005, FH Surgical is expected to have revenues of approximately $10.7 million. STERIS is a provider of surgical and critical care products, including operating room tables and surgical lighting systems. The acquisition will strengthen STERIS's product portfolio by adding a new technology platform in surgical tables for North America.
Epidemic in northern Angola spreads to capital of Luanda
The epidemic of Marburg hemorrhagic fever that has claimed 106 lives in northern Angola has spread to the capital of Luanda, killing three others by Thursday, a health official confirmed on Friday. At least two other people have been diagnosed with the virus in the capital, he said. The health official said that the provincial government is taking measures for combat the epidemic, and called on local residents to drink clean water. Health officials urged travelers on Wednesday to avoid Uíge Province, in northern Angola. Angolan Deputy Health Minister Jose Van-Dunem said earlier that the Marburg disease is a viral infection originated from the green monkey, which clinically manifested by a hemorrhagic fever syndrome. The transmission occurs through the contact with animals, infected human beings or through the semen during unprotected sex, as well as by way of body fluids handling. The virus causes a high fever, diarrhea, vomiting and extensive hemorrhaging in the lungs and digestive tract. (Xinhuanet)
Thursday, March 24 , 2005
In this Issue:
Over 38 million surgical
procedures to be performed in 2012,
most at outpatient or freestanding facilities
States consider obesity
surgery coverage
India passes illegal patent drug bill
FDA approves first-of-kind device to treat
descending thoracic aneurysms
A 7th child is treated for kidney disease
after visiting Florida petting zoo
Consorta receives Champion for
Change award from H2E
for second consecutive year
Over 38 million surgical procedures to be performed
in 2012,
most at outpatient or freestanding facilities
The number of U.S. surgical procedures performed is on the rise due
to the aging population, the active baby boomer generation, and
increased elective surgeries, while at the same time the percentage
of these procedures performed on an inpatient basis is declining
with the increasing use of outpatient and same-day surgery. The
total number of open and minimally invasive surgical procedures and
device implantations in the United States, including those used in
cardiovascular and thoracic, orthopedic and spinal, and cosmetic
surgery, among many other categories, are forecast to exceed 38
million in 2012, up from approximately 28.5 million in 2004,
according to a detailed new report from Medtech Insight, titled
“U.S. Surgical Procedure Volumes.” This 326-page analysis provides
current and forecast U.S. surgical procedure volumes data for
leading surgical procedures in nine major categories, for the years
2004 through 2012: cardiovascular and thoracic, cosmetic, general,
gynecologic and obstetric, major organ and tissue transplantation,
ophthalmic, orthopedic and spinal, urologic, and other miscellaneous
procedures, including breast and ear, nose and throat (ENT)
procedures. Included in the analyses are annual percentage growth
rates, compound annual growth rates, procedure descriptions, medical
indications, disease prevalence, inherent surgical risks, and
emerging surgical technologies. A full table of contents and
ordering information can be viewed on the Medtech Insight Web site
at
http://www.medtechinsight.com/ReportA605.html.
States consider obesity surgery coverage
A proposal before Connecticut lawmakers would require insurance companies to cover the surgery for people with a body-mass index of 30 or more if a doctor deems the surgery medically necessary. Georgia lawmakers are considering a similar bill this year. And in Louisiana, 40 state employees were chosen last year from 1,200 applications to have the surgery paid for by the state. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama recently stopped paying for the operations while it decides how to handle claims; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida has also decided to stop paying for the operation. In Connecticut, many major plans offer coverage only for large numbers of employees. Others are considering offering the coverage for an additional charge. Last year the federal government opened the door for Medicare coverage of gastric bypass surgery. (The Associated Press)
India passes illegal patent drug bill
India, a major source of inexpensive AIDS drugs, passed a new patent law that patient advocate groups fear will hinder the supply of new drug treatments to the world’s poor. The new law, amending India's 1970 Patent Act, affects everything from electronics to software to medicines, and has been expected for years as a condition for India to join the World Trade Organization. Millions of poor people in India and elsewhere, including by some estimates half the AIDS patients in the Third World, rely on India's generic drug industry. All the generic drugs already approved in India can still be sold, though sellers must now pay licensing fees. There are also provisions allowing companies that make generics to copy drugs in the future. But there are relatively tough criteria for such copying, and activists predicted that prices for newly invented drugs will be much higher, because drug makers will have the same 20-year patent monopolies as they have in the West. All Western countries grant "product patents" on new inventions. Since 1970, India has granted "process patents," which allow another inventor to patent the same product as long as it was created by a novel process. (The New York Times)
FDA approves
first-of-kind device to treat
descending thoracic aneurysms
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new device that is intended to prevent ruptures of descending thoracic aneurysms by making a new path for blood flow. The GORE TAG Endoprosthesis System is the first endovascular grafting system approved to treat aneurysms of the thoracic aorta. The GORE TAG Endoprosthesis System consists of an endovascular graft made of ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) and a metallic support structure, and a delivery system used to implant the graft. The endovascular graft is delivered by a catheter inserted into the femoral artery in the groin. The graft re-lines the inside of the weakened aortic wall, thus strengthening the vessel and relieving pressure that could cause a rupture. The procedure, while less-invasive, than conventional surgery, does require regular follow-up medical visits and tests to monitor the success of the treatment over time. Typically, descending thoracic aneurysms are managed either medically with blood pressure-lowering drugs to reduce risk of rupture, or by surgical repair. FDA approved the Endoprosthesis System based on review of two clinical studies, involving approximately 200 people, of the System’s safety and effectiveness. Results showed that aneurysm-related deaths were lower in patients who had received the endoprosthesis than in the surgical control group. FDA is requiring that Gore conduct post-approval studies to assure that when the endovascular grafting system is used in the large general population, its safety and effectiveness will be comparable to the clinical trials, and to evaluate the long-term clinical performance of the device. The GORE TAG Endoprosthesis System is manufactured by W.L. Gore and Associates, Inc. of Flagstaff, AZ.
A 7th child is treated for
kidney disease
after visiting Florida petting zoo
Doctors
in Orlando diagnosed a seventh child with a potentially fatal kidney ailment
Wednesday. The child, as well as others admitted to hospitals in the past week,
is in critical condition with kidney failure after visiting a petting zoo in
recent weeks. Investigators are checking to see if the children became sick from
bacteria that can be found in animal feces. Sources other than petting-zoo
animals are being explored, and doctors say they won't be surprised if more sick
children show up at area hospitals. The children are suffering from an uncommon
condition called HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, which causes the kidneys to
malfunction. Of the four children at
Florida
Hospital,
three were listed in critical condition Wednesday, with one child on dialysis.
The fourth child's condition improved from critical to guarded. Two more
children in critical condition are receiving care at
Arnold
Palmer
Hospital for Children & Women, where the new case was identified Wednesday
night. A seventh child was treated at Arnold Palmer several weeks ago, and it is
not clear if that case is connected to the others. The children currently
hospitalized all touched animals recently at area fairs, including the Central
Florida Fair in Orlando and the Florida Strawberry Festival in
Plant City.
Both events were held March 3-13. Another possibility is that the children were
exposed to trouble-causing bacteria through contaminated food or beverages. Many
children with HUS recover without lasting effects, but some die or suffer
permanent kidney damage that could require dialysis later in life. (Orlando
Sentinel)
Consorta receives Champion for Change award from
H2E
for second consecutive year
For the second consecutive year, Consorta has received the
Champion for Change Award from the national Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
(H2E) program. The award recognized Consorta’s ongoing efforts to promote the
H2E program within healthcare facilities, recruit new H2E partners and support
H2E’s goals. For example, Consorta has developed a searchable database of
suppliers’ responses to an environmental practices survey. Consorta makes this
data, which is updated regularly, available to its member healthcare
organizations via its Web site. Consorta’s environmental goals for 2005 include:
Designing and testing a method to measure and report trends in the use of
mercury-free products within the Consorta membership; Developing methods to
measure and document suppliers’ waste reduction initiatives; Collaborating with
an international effort to develop a chemicals policy for healthcare; Providing
accredited continuing education programs for health care professionals that
focus on vital environmental issues; Supporting green building initiatives;
Implementing a food policy to support elimination of inappropriate antibiotic
use in food production.
Consorta’s Web site at
www.consorta.com provides its member
healthcare facilities with guidelines and tools to use in developing and
facilitating environmental initiatives.
Wednesday, March 23 , 2005
In this Issue:
Smiths completes $925 million acquisition of
Medex
New FDA guidance aims to speed personalized
medicines
Nellcor to challenge jury
decision in antitrust case
FDA seizes potentially deadly hospital beds
Cosmetic surgery on the rise
Premier receives third
consecutive
environmental leadership award
Smiths completes $925 million acquisition of Medex
Smiths Group confirmed that it has completed the acquisition of medical device company Medex Inc. The consideration comprised $655million for the shares and the assumption of net debt of $270million. Medex will be integrated into Smiths Medical to provide critical care devices used in healthcare systems worldwide. Smiths Medical is a supplier of devices and equipment used in hospitals and other locations providing intensive and continuing care for patients. Smiths Group designs and manufactures safety-critical systems and products in the markets of aerospace, detection systems, medical devices, mechanical seals and interconnect products.
New FDA guidance aims to speed personalized medicines
As part of an agency-wide initiative to speed development of new medical products through the science of pharmacogenomics, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final guidance titled "Pharmacogenomic Data Submissions." Pharmacogenomics allows healthcare providers to identify sources of an individual's profile of drug response and predict the best possible treatment option for this individual. For example, genomic tests are helping to identify cancers that have a good chance of responding to a particular medication or regimen. This technology has enabled the development of targeted therapies like Herceptin for metastatic breast cancer, Gleevec for chronic myeloid leukemia and Erbitux for metastatic colorectal cancer. "FDA's efforts will bring us one step closer to 'personalizing' medical treatment," explained Janet Woodcock, M.D., Acting Deputy Commissioner for Operations, FDA. "This new technology will allow medicines to be uniquely crafted to maximize their therapeutic benefits and minimize their potential risks for each patient." Doctors should eventually be able to analyze a patient's genetic profile and prescribe the best available drug therapy and dose from the start. Both the guidance and a new Web page are part of a broad effort underway at FDA to foster pharmacogenomics during drug development. FDA also recently approved the first laboratory test, the Amplichip Cytochrome P450 Genotyping Test, which will enable physicians to use genetic information to select the right doses of certain medications for cardiac, psychiatric diseases and cancer. The guidance "Pharmacogenomic Data Submissions," clarifies how pharmacogenomic data will be evaluated. The final guidance describes what data will be needed during the marketing application review process, the format for submissions, and the data that will be used during regulatory decision making. The guidance also explains a new mechanism for industry to voluntarily submit research data to further the scientific exchange of information as we move into more advanced areas of pharmacogenomic research. FDA's new pharmacogenomics Web page is available at http://www.fda.gov/cder/genomics/default.htm.
Nellcor to challenge jury decision in antitrust case
Nellcor announced that it will challenge in post-trial motions and, if necessary, appeal a Los Angeles jury's finding of antitrust violations in a case brought by Masimo, a manufacturer of pulse oximeters. Nellcor is part of Mallinckrodt, a Tyco Healthcare Company. Nellcor asserts that the company's business practices have always been in full compliance with Federal and state antitrust laws. Masimo claims that Nellcor's contracts with hospital group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and other contracting practices limited the amount of pulse oximetry sales that Masimo could achieve in the marketplace. The jury awarded Masimo $140 million in damages, which are automatically tripled under antitrust laws to $420 million, with attorneys' fees also added. However, Nellcor will not pay any monetary damages unless there is a final ruling against Nellcor, after all appeals and other steps in the case are complete.
FDA seizes potentially deadly hospital beds
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, citing a risk of suffocation, said on Tuesday it ordered the seizure of enclosed hospital beds made by Toledo, OH- based Vail Products Inc. The FDA said it was aware of 30 people who became trapped in the beds, seven of wom died. The FDA said it directed U.S. marshals to seize all finished Vail 500, 1000, and 2000 enclosed beds as well as components, labeling and promotional materials for those models. The agency said the beds are misbranded because they are dangerous when used as recommended in the labeling. They also lack adequate directions for use and adequate warnings, it said. The FDA said Vail Products failed or refused to furnish requested information, and inspections show that the company has continually failed to follow quality requirements. (Reuters)
Americans continue to turn to facial plastic surgery according to a recent study released by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). Facial plastic surgeons report a 22 percent increase overall in cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures compared to last year. The annual study, which reports the latest trends in facial plastic surgery gathered from board certified AAFPRS members, shows that overall the most sought after procedures from 2003 to 2004 were filler injections, up 115 percent, and Botox, up 107 percent. In addition, there have been significant increases in procedures among men. Laser resurfacing and forehead lifts both increased almost 300 percent, while Botox injections were up 210 percent. Approximately 130,400 men and women underwent blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) in 2004 and 107,400 patients did undergo rhinoplasty (nose surgery). AAFPRS surgeons report that men and women consistently cite looking younger as the primary motivation for having cosmetic surgery. Over half of all patients (54 percent) have had multiple procedures in the same year. Another trend is an increase in teens undergoing cosmetic surgery (37 percent of surgeons identified this as a trend). The most common surgical procedures for females were eyelid surgery, nose surgery and facelifts. In addition, more than one-third (37 percent) of doctors feel that overall patients are getting younger. http://www.FACEMD.org.
Premier receives third consecutive
environmental leadership award
For the third consecutive year, Premier Inc. has been recognized for its national leadership in helping healthcare facilities with their environmental efforts, including waste minimization and the elimination of the use of mercury. Premier, a national alliance of hospitals and healthcare systems, is the recipient of a 2005 “Champion for Change” Award from Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E). Premier, the first hospital group purchasing organization to earn the award (in 2003) now becomes the first GPO to be honored three consecutive years. A partnership that includes the American Hospital Association and the Environmental Protection Agency, H2E is an industry-wide collaborative effort that educates healthcare professionals about pollution prevention opportunities and assists hospitals in reducing mercury use and minimizing waste. Catholic Healthcare West, one of Premier's members and shareholders, also has been named a Champion for Change award winner. Premier's environmentally preferable purchasing program is administered by its Safety Institute in collaboration with group purchasing services. Another factor in Premier's selection was the ongoing education offered through its Safety Institute, including comprehensive Web-based tools and resources available at www.premierinc.com/safety. Premier offers the only publicly available list of mercury-containing pharmaceuticals to help hospitals identify, manage, and dispose of these potentially hazardous drugs. The 2005 Champion for Change awardees include Premier, Catholic Healthcare West, Baxter Healthcare, California Department of Health Services, Hospital Pollution Prevention Program, Consorta, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Novation, Ohio Hospital Association, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1, Vanguard Medical Concepts, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Wheaton Franciscan Services. For more information, visit www.h2e-online.org.
Tuesday, March 22 , 2005
In this Issue:
World Tuberculosis Day: U.S. rate at all
time-low
FDA issues nationwide alert on
ONE lot of Pharmedium
Services magnesium sulfate
solution
Bill would require
hospitals to report
prices for display on Internet
Newborn dies from MRSA infection in UK
Study: J&J heart drug impairs kidney function
Consorta signs agreement for
hood certification services
World Tuberculosis Day: U.S. rate at all time-low
More than one-third of the global population is infected with the
tuberculosis (TB) bacterium, and TB disease remains one of the
world’s leading causes of disease and death. Each year, 8 million
people become ill with TB, and 2 million people die from the
disease. World TB Day on March 24, the date in 1882 that scientist
Robert Koch announced his discovery of the TB bacterium, is an
international call to action against the disease. In the United
States, the latest national surveillance data show a significant,
but slowing, decline in the case rate of TB. In 2004, a total of
14,511 TB cases were reported in the U.S. The overall TB case rate,
4.9 per 100,000 persons, was the lowest rate ever recorded since
reporting began in 1953. However, the decline in the case rate from
2003 to 2004 was one of the smallest in more than a decade (3.3
percent compared with an average of 6.8 percent per year). Seven
states now bear more than half the total burden of TB disease in the
U.S. California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York,
and Texas account for 59.9% of the national case total. Hawaii once
again reported one of the nation's highest rates of active TB, twice
the national figure, largely because the state has a significant
population of immigrants from Southeast Asia. Globally, Asia
accounts for the largest number of TB cases. CDC is working to
strengthen global partnerships to address TB among populations
hardest-hit by the disease. These efforts include improving overseas
screening for immigrants and refugees, and testing recent arrivals
from high-incidence countries for latent TB infection. CDC is also
improving the notification system that alerts local health
departments about the arrival of immigrants who are known or
believed to have TB, and collaborating with public health teams in
Mexico to improve TB control among those who frequently cross the
U.S.-Mexico border. Along with state and local health departments,
CDC is working to ensure that adequate local resources are in place
in communities with the greatest burden of TB. For more information,
visit
www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/WorldTBDay/2005.
FDA issues nationwide alert on ONE lot of Pharmedium
Services magnesium sulfate solution
The
FDA is issuing a nationwide alert against the use of PharMEDium Services
Magnesium Sulfate 1 gram in 50mL D5W (piggyback) IV solution, lot number
100504900049 and expiration date 4/4/05. This product is manufactured by
PharMEDium Services of Houston, TX, and may be contaminated with Serratia
marcescens bacteria that can cause serious, life-threatening illness in patients
with compromised immune systems. This product is frequently administered
intravenously to patients undergoing cardiac surgery and was apparently
distributed to several hospitals around the country. To date it has been
associated with at least 5 recent cases of Serratia marcescens infection in a
hospital in New Jersey. All patients have responded to treatment with
antibiotics and are reportedly recovering well. The firm has notified FDA that
it is in the process of withdrawing this lot from hospitals. FDA, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other public health authorities
are investigating this problem to determine if other lots of this product may be
affected. More information will be provided as the investigation develops.
Hospitals with questions may contact the company at 1-847-457-2300. Persons
wanting to report anything to the Food and Drug Administration regarding this
products may contact FDA's MedWatch office at 1 800-FDA-1088.
fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2005/NEW01166.html
Bill would require hospitals to report
prices for display on Internet
Legislation introduced in the U.S. House Friday would require hospitals to report prices for their 25 most commonly performed inpatient and outpatient procedures and 50 most prescribed medications to the Department of Health and Human Services for posting on the Internet. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-IL, sponsored the Hospital Price Disclosure Act (H.R. 1362) with Rep. Bob Inglis, R-SC. (AHA News Now)
Newborn dies from MRSA infection in UK
A newborn at Ipswich Hospital, UK at died when he was just 36 hours old from the superbug MRSA he contracted at the hospital. His parents initially refused to sign his death certificate because it had no mention of MRSA. The hospital eventually did include (in the death certificate) MRSA infection as the cause of death. The action has led some to question the true number of deaths caused by MRSA infection. Health experts are still investigating the source of the MRSA. There were 7,647 MRSA bloodstream infections from 2003 to 2004, an increase of 3.6% in England over the last year. National Audit Office (NAO) estimates there have been 5,000 deaths a year attributable to hospital-acquired infections. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) study found that MRSA was mentioned as a contributory factor in 800 death certificates in 2002. The Chief Medical Officer's report called for an audit of deaths from healthcare associated infections which will be introduced from 2006. Proposed changes should enable death certification to be done electronically. Information from patient records will be linked electronically to the registration, with the consent of a family member, registering the death. (Medical News Today)
Study: J&J heart drug impairs kidney function
Johnson & Johnson's treatment for congestive heart failure, Natrecor, became the latest drug to come into question over safety issues when an article in the journal Circulation said that the drug had reduced kidney function. An accompanying editorial in the journal, published by the American Heart Association, questioned why the Food and Drug Administration had failed to follow up on concerns about Natrecor's impact on the kidneys and suggested that the drug should have received stronger labeling when it was approved in 2001. A cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic said he had had concerns about the drug's safety since he cast the only vote against it while serving on an FDA advisory panel. The cardiologist, Dr. Steven Nissen, said his concerns were based on data showing excessive renal problems. Johnson & Johnson defended the product yesterday and criticized the analysis, which was conducted by three cardiologists, saying they had relied on data from patients who had received higher doses than are now recommended. The analysis, by Dr. Jonathan D. Sackner-Bernstein and Dr. Hal A. Skopicki of North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., and Dr. Keith D. Aaronson of the University of Michigan, was based on a review of clinical trial data submitted to the F.D.A. before the drug's approval. The article concluded that Natrecor caused a 40 percent to 50 percent greater risk of reduced kidney function when compared with more conventional therapies for heart patients. (The New York Times)
Consorta signs agreement for hood certification services
Consorta Inc. has awarded an agreement for fume hood testing and certification
services to Independent Certification Services (ICS), Plymouth, MN. Under the
two-year agreement, ICS will provide Consorta members with competitive pricing
for its services, which include calibration, testing, repair and certification
of biological safety cabinets, laminar flow clean benches, chemical fume hoods
and barrier isolators. In addition, ICS provides the cleanroom testing required
under United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Chapter 797 for sterile compounding
pharmacies.
Monday, March 21 , 2005
In this Issue:
Rubella virus eliminated in the
United States
Cancer center to reimburse government $382,400
Researchers discuss risk
factors for allergic disease
Sani-Cloth germicidal disposable wipes receive
EPA approval as virucidal against HBV and RSV
Ansell’s new Micro-Touch
Smooth Nitrile exam gloves
are FDA approved for handling chemotherapy drugs
Rubella virus
eliminated in the
United States
Fewer than 10 people a year in the United States now contract the rubella virus or German measles. Since 2002, all cases have been traceable to foreigners who carried the virus in from abroad. Between those rare events, however, no rubella virus has circulated in the United States. After years of assiduous vaccination, virtually the entire U.S. population is immune. A woman infected with the rubella virus in the first three months of pregnancy will probably suffer miscarriage, or deliver a stillborn or permanently disabled child. “This is a milestone,” said Julie L. Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It is a major step forward in our ability to eliminate this problem in the Western Hemisphere, and then in the world." She will announce rubella's disappearance from the United States at the National Immunization Conference. According to the CDC, more than 93 percent of children younger than 3 have been vaccinated, usually with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shot. In the United States, there was a single case of the syndrome in 2003, none in 2002 and three in 2001. The total number of U.S. rubella infections was nine in 2004, seven in 2003 and nine in 2002, according to the CDC. (The Washington Post)
Cancer center to reimburse government $382,400
The Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center has agreed to reimburse the federal government $382,400 in the wake of a yearlong federal investigation into its billing practices, according to the Justice Department. The investigation stemmed from a whistle-blower complaint from a former center employee. Among other things, the worker said the clinic was submitting claims to Medicare and Tricare for services that were more complicated and expensive than those actually performed. Under the terms of the settlement, the whistle-blower will receive $95,600. The Capitol Hill clinic combines conventional medicine with Eastern-influenced healthcare. For example, patients can receive acupuncture for relief from the side effects of chemotherapy. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Researchers discuss risk factors for allergic disease
Specific IgE levels are directly related to the development of allergic disorders and significant differences in IgE levels were found between parents and their children, supporting the fact that allergies are increasing, according to new research presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). P. Brock Williams, PhD, from Children's Mercy Hospital in Olathe, Kansas, recruited families with at least one parent having reversible airway disease and tested their levels of specific IgE to several common allergens, including dust mites. The study found that 45.3% of the parents and 60.1% of their children had specific IgE to dust mite. Researchers also found that the level of specific IgE to dust mites in children was considerably higher than the level observed in their parents. The significant difference between the parent and child may be due to environmental factors or that genes responsible for these diseases are now more common since affected individuals have a better chance of survival due to treatment. Other research presented at the meeting showed: Allergies early in life may predict the development of wheezing by age three. Researchers also believe that obesity in children impacts the severity of asthma, the level of asthma control and airflow obstruction. A review of 278 children between the ages of 5 and 20 with confirmed diagnosis of asthma showed a very high prevalence of obesity in the asthmatic population. While there was no difference in asthma severity and control, the obese asthmatics demonstrated significantly greater airflow obstruction compared to normal weight children. Early treatment of obesity in children may help reduce the risk of allergy development, according to the findings. Researchers also found that obese children had significantly higher serum levels of IgE, a predictor of future development of allergies. They also observed a significant correlation between IgE levels and leptin levels, a hormone involved in the regulation of eating behavior, in those children who have allergies. Pediatricians should consider parental history of allergies as a risk factor for the development of allergies in children as early as age one. The top four aeroallergens the children were sensitized to at age one were: dust mite, timothy grass, cladosporium mold and maple trees. http://www.aaaai.org
Sisters of Charity of
Leavenworth
Health System selects
Broadlane to provide array of supply chain services
Broadlane announced the signing of a five-year agreement, effective in June, with the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System (SCLHS). The agreement will deliver a comprehensive and advanced supply chain management solution to the multi-state Catholic healthcare system that includes eight acute care hospitals. Broadlane will provide national and local strategic sourcing services for consumable supplies, capital equipment and purchased services. In addition, Broadlane will provide centralized purchasing, contract management, electronic commerce, item master management (via Broadlane’s proprietary e-procurement technology), comprehensive value analysis and consulting services. Broadlane will assume day-to-day responsibility for all of SCLHS’s purchasing operations, which will be provided through a centralized purchasing operation that will be located in Broadlane’s Dallas offices. This operation will serve all eight SCLHS hospitals, utilize Web-based technology for purchase order processing and be tied to a single, centralized contract and item master. Broadlane will also provide SCLHS with capital equipment services that include participation in coordinated group buys, equipment lifecycle planning and quote review services to ensure complex capital purchases adhere to contractual terms and conditions.
Sani-Cloth germicidal disposable wipes receive
EPA approval as virucidal against HBV and RSV
Sani-Cloth Plus and Super Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable Wipes from Professional Disposables International have been proven to kill Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) when used as directed, in addition to the other viruses and bacteria claims previously approved for the disinfection, cleaning, and deodorizing of hard, non-porous surfaces in healthcare settings. Sani-Cloth Plus contains 14.85% alcohol and kills RSV in 1 minute; HBV and HIV-1 in 2 minutes; TB (Mycobacterium bovis), MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus), and VRE (Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus faecalis) in 5 minutes, and has been tested effective against a total of 11 microorganisms. Super Sani-Cloth contains 55% alcohol and kills TB and RSV in 1 minute; HBV and HIV-1 in 2 minutes; MRSA and VRE in 5 minutes, and has been tested effective against a total of 17 microorganisms.
Ansell’s new Micro-Touch Smooth Nitrile exam gloves are
FDA approved for handling chemotherapy drugs
Ansell Healthcare Products LLC announced the launch of its new Micro-Touch Smooth Nitrile powder-free, latex-free examination gloves. The Micro-Touch Smooth Nitrile exam glove provides excellent chemical and puncture resistance and is FDA approved for handling chemotherapy drugs. Healthcare workers are advised to wear an FDA approved glove when reconstituting a powdered hazardous drug or when diluting or concentrating liquid forms of these drugs. Healthcare workers should also wear FDA approved gloves when administering hazardous drugs by intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intravenous routes (implanted port devices, PICC lines, etc.) or if there is risk of any type of spillage of these drugs. This non-sterile, 100% nitrile glove reduces powder- and latex-related complications for both the healthcare professional and patient. Its smooth finish provides superior tactile sensitivity, while its blue color makes it easy to identify as a nitrile glove.
Friday, March 18 , 2005
In this Issue:
Senate votes to remove
Medicaid cuts
Medicare expands coverage of
carotid artery
stenting for patients at high risk for surgery
HIMSS analytics data indicates
ongoing use of health IT systems
with both vendor and self-developed applications
New group takes aim at healthcare supply chain
Healthcare consortium to build data network
University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center implements supply chain
and revenue cycle solutions from MedAssets
Senate votes to remove Medicaid cuts
The Senate voted 52-48 Thursday to remove all proposed Medicaid cuts from the $2.6 trillion budget for next year. The Medicaid cuts could be reintroduced when the House and Senate try writing a compromise budget next month. The House approved a budget Thursday by 218-214 that is tougher on domestic spending than the Senate is, including up to $20 billion in Medicaid savings. By their vote, senators deleted the $14 billion in five-year reductions that Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg, R-NH, included in his fiscal outline. That would be a 1 percent reduction from the $1.12 trillion Medicaid is expected to spend in federal money during that period. Instead, a commission would be appointed to study the program for a year. (Associated Press)
Medicare expands coverage of carotid artery
stenting for patients at high risk for surgery
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it is expanding coverage of Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA) of the carotid artery concurrent with stent placement to patients who are at high risk for carotid surgery. The coverage expansion reflects the latest evidence on the effective use of stenting, and includes support for development of better evidence in additional uses. The national coverage determination (NCD) issued Thursday expands Medicare coverage for carotid artery stenting to high risk patients with symptomatic narrowing of carotid artery of 70 percent or more. Medicare also will cover patients who meet the FDA labeled criteria for carotid stents (who are at high risk for CEA and have symptomatic carotid artery stenosis between 50 percent and 70 percent and asymptomatic high risk patients with carotid artery stenosis of 80 percent or more) in Category B IDE clinical trials, as a routine cost under the clinical trials policy, or in post approval studies. Under previous policy, CMS only covered carotid artery stenting in clinical trials. CMS and Guidant Corporation are working with the FDA to expand the scope of post approval studies and increase the number of participating facilities and study enrollees. Guidant Corporation is currently the only company with an FDA approved carotid stent and an ongoing post approval study. Medicare is limiting use of carotid stenting to facilities and providers who have been determined to be competent in performing the evaluation, procedure, and necessary follow-up care. Each year about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke. www.cms.hhs.gov/coverage.
HIMSS Analytics LLC has released details from its database of approximately 4,000 hospitals regarding the use of healthcare information systems, including penetration rates for key applications, replacement plans and top vendors in several areas. The HIMSS Analytics Database (derived from the Dorenfest IHDS+ Database) revealed the following facts collected based on data as of the end of fourth quarter, 2004: ● The top four patient billing vendors account for 73 percent of the installed application market. ● Only one-third of the hospitals use eligibility applications as a component of their revenue cycle management. ● Self-developed applications remain one of the top five solutions for credit/collections, electronic claims, managed care contract management, patient billing, and registration solutions. ● Pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, surgery, and emergency department applications have the highest replacement numbers for installed applications for 2004-2005. ● Most applications for cardiology and obstetrics systems were signed after 2000. Nearly one-third of laboratory and surgery contracts were signed before 1994. ● Only 19 percent of hospitals have installed enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions. ● Thirty three percent of hospitals have installed a Picture Archive and Communication System (PACS) application, and 32 percent of hospitals plan to purchase a PACS application for the first time over the next 24 months. ● Hospitals in the 100-299 bed size segment rank at the top or the highest planned percentage in 2004 – 2005, for hospitals acquiring PACS solutions. ● Only 12 percent of ambulatory clinics associated with hospitals have installed an electronic medical record (EMR). ● The top five ambulatory EMR vendors, associated with clinics owned or managed by hospitals, control approximately 68 percent of the current market. www.himssanalytics.com
New group takes aim at healthcare supply chain
Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI) is a not-for-profit organization intent on shaping the future of the healthcare supply chain. With a mix of top supply chain executive members representing the various trading partners of the healthcare supply chain, this organization is committed to reducing operational costs for all parties involved. Members include leading Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs) as well as healthcare manufacturers, distributors, IT companies and service providers. The Board of Directors of SMI is comprised of 12 persons, six IDNs and six healthcare Partners. SMI held its first Forum February 8-10 in Dallas, TX, where 70 members experienced the Interactive Meeting Process employed by the group. The Forum was moderated by Tom Hughes, executive director for SMI. This Forum will be a semi-annual event held in the spring and fall of each year. SMI called together those who usually sit on opposite sides of the table to collaborate on initiatives designed to identify cost savings opportunities within the healthcare supply chain. Carl Manley, vice president of materials management for Sentara Healthcare is chair of the board of directors for SMI. At the SMI Forum, John Kenagy, MD, of Kenagy & Associates, provided an overview of his approach relating disruptive innovation and adaptive design to the current healthcare environment. John Brandt, CSP, founder and CEO of MPI, Inc., gave a perspective on the global supply chain. Jeff Bauer, PhD, Senior Vice President of Superior Consultant Company, now ACS Healthcare Solutions, conveyed his outlook for the future of the healthcare supply chain. Interdisciplinary groups worked to identify three initiatives that could be adopted and implemented as first steps to improving the supply chain.
Healthcare consortium to build data network
Pennsylvania healthcare organizations are taking their first steps toward creating an electronic data network aimed at improving patient care and reducing costs. Twenty-eight groups announced this week that they are working to build a network that could become part of a national system for storing patient records electronically. Among the participants in the Pennsylvania e-Health Technology Consortium are the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, as well as the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. While most healthcare agencies in the state have electronic billing, many hospitals and perhaps 90 percent of doctors' offices do not have electronic storage of patient records, said Darlene Kauffman, associate director for payer relations at the medical society. One challenge to broader adoption of electronic records is getting different computer systems to communicate with one another, said Dr. G. Daniel Martich, a critical care physician who has been leading an effort to develop electronic systems at UPMC Health System. Still another, he said, is getting doctors and health systems to agree to share information. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
University
of Pittsburgh Medical Center implements supply chain
and revenue cycle solutions from MedAssets
MedAssets announced that University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), based
in Pittsburgh, PA, is expanding its relationship with MedAssets to include
supply chain and revenue cycle solutions as a means to improve UPMC's cash from
existing operations to fund its quality of care mission. UPMC's annual supply
spend is approximately $1 billion, of which $400 million is currently
on-contract. The multi-year relationship is effective immediately. Specific UPMC
facilities have been utilizing MedAssets Net Revenue Systems' revenue cycle
management technology including chargemaster maintenance, charge capture audit,
and rate modeling tools; other UPMC facilities within the system are moving to
the MedAssets tool suite. Through the experience of working with MedAssets in
this capacity and after a thorough review of the supply chain technology and
services offered by other companies, UPMC chose MedAssets as their supply chain
partner. With the addition of supply chain technology, UPMC will have access to
MedAssets' local compliance catalog which includes local, regional and national
contracts, as well as strategic information services that provide clean supply
chain data and extensive financial reporting options for insight and decision
support.
Thursday, March 17 , 2005
In this Issue:
Report: Obesity will reverse life expectancy
gains
Survey shows hospital
executives
oppose mandatory error reporting
UCLA launches $20 million stem cell institute
to investigate
new approaches to HIV, cancer and neurological disorders
Study of families of ill children in day care
shows flu virus
found in 80 percent of
home phones
Report: Obesity will reverse life expectancy gains
U.S. life expectancy will fall dramatically in coming years because of obesity, in effect reversing a trend toward longer lives, researchers said in a report published Thursday. By their calculations, within 50 years obesity likely will shorten the average life span of 77.6 years by at least two to five years. That's more than the impact of cancer or heart disease, said lead author S. Jay Olshansky, a longevity researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The author contends that this trend could even inadvertently help "save" Social Security. Researchers said that the rise in childhood obesity has already shaved four to nine months off the average U.S. life span. Obesity currently affects at least 15 percent of U.S. school-age children. The report appears in the New England Journal of Medicine. In an accompanying editorial, University of Pennsylvania demography expert Samuel H. Preston calls the projections “excessively gloomy.” Opposing forecasts, projecting a continued increase in U.S. longevity, assume that obesity will continue to worsen, but also account for medical advances, Preston said. Still, failure to curb obesity “could impede the improvements in longevity that are otherwise in store,” he said. Americans' current life expectancy already trails more than 20 other developed countries. Dr. David Ludwig of Children's Hospital Boston, a study co-author, cited a number of obesity statistics including the fact that childhood diabetes has increased 10-fold in the past 20 years. (The Associated Press)
Survey shows hospital executives
oppose mandatory error reporting
A new survey of hundreds of executives running hospitals in six states finds a majority object to state laws requiring hospitals to report major and minor medical errors. Many expressed concerns that these regulations will actually inhibit full disclosure due to doctors' and administrators' fears of litigation as errors are made public. However, the survey of executives from 203 hospitals also found that those in states with mandatory reporting laws already in place were less likely to voice strong objections to these rules, compared to executives in states without such laws on the books. “It seems that there's a resistance to change [among executives] but that familiarity with these laws breeds acceptance,” said lead researcher Joel S. Weissman, a professor of medicine in the department of healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School. His team reported the findings in the March 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. According to the National Academy for State Health Policy, 21 states now require some form of mandatory reporting of medical errors. In their 2002-2003 study, Weissman's team conducted interviews with chief executive officers, chief operating officers, and chief financial officers from 203 hospitals in six states. Specifically, 79 percent of executives surveyed thought non-confidential, mandatory reporting would encourage lawsuits, 69 percent thought it would discourage internal reporting, and 73 percent thought it would end up having either no effect, or even a negative effect, on patient safety. Weissman cited studies at both the University of Michigan Health System and the Veterans Administration health system that showed that increased openness about medical errors has actually saved hospitals money and legal hassles. (HealthDay News)
UCLA launches $20 million stem cell institute to investigate
new approaches to HIV, cancer and neurological disorders
UCLA officials announced the formation of the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine to conduct embryonic and adult stem cell research that may lead to better treatments for HIV, cancer and neurological disorders. UCLA will provide $20 million over five years to launch the campuswide institute, which will enable teams of researchers to compete for state grants created by the passage of Proposition 71. Dr. Owen Witte, a renowned scientist whose laboratory research laid the groundwork for development of the targeted leukemia therapy Gleevec, is director of the new institute. He also stressed the interdisciplinary approach necessary to face the challenges related to stem cell research. Researchers are hopeful that stem cell research will lead to revolutionary new treatments for Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer's, cancer and other diseases, and perhaps shed new light on how some diseases develop. However, most scientists agree that human treatments are years or even decades away. Proposition 71, passed by 59 percent of California voters in November, will provide $3 billion for stem cell research. A 29-member oversight and governing board will oversee the institute and review requests for funding. The UCLA Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine will focus its embryonic and adult stem cell research on HIV, cancer and neurological disorders.
The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) along with the Coalition for Patient-Centered Imaging (CPCI) believes that medical specialists should be able to perform and interpret imaging studies in their offices. At a hearing to discuss the management of medical imaging services, the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health explored ways to encourage best practices among specialists who seek to apply imaging to patients' diagnoses and care regimens. The benefits of increased speed, accuracy and healthy outcomes from medical imaging were examined in effort to establish a balance between promoting best practices and managing costs to public insurance programs. CPCI, which represents more than 18 physician organizations who use in-office imaging as part of their diagnosis and treatment regimens, participated in the hearing. The CPCI was formed to promote and protect patients' ability to have their medical imaging performed by their specialist in office settings. As more specialists use imaging to diagnose illness, patients avoid more invasive procedures such as catheterizations or exploratory surgeries, said CPCI. By conducting the scans in their offices, specialists are better able to control the results they need for prompt diagnosis. As Congress examines the role of in-office imaging in patient care, a recent poll conducted for the Coalition for Patient-Centered Imaging by Fabrizio McLaughlin and Associates found that 85% of consumers believe that they should have the option of having their medical imaging done at their specialist's office.
Study of families of ill children in day care shows flu virus
found in 80 percent of home phones
It only takes one child coming home with the flu for the virus to spread to phones, doorknobs and nearly 60 percent of surfaces in a household, according to a new study published by the Journal of Infection. The study, conducted by researchers at The University of Arizona, studied the presence of Influenza A virus, the virus most commonly associated with the flu, in day care centers and in the homes of families with children enrolled in the programs. In the centers, researchers found Influenza A on 53 percent of surfaces tested during the spring. In homes, during March 2003, where one child had the flu, the number was higher with 59 percent of all surfaces tested positive for the virus. The researchers tested the most commonly touched household surfaces, including phones, refrigerator handles, kitchen faucets and light switches. Phone receivers were the biggest problem area with 80 percent testing positive for the virus. In day care centers, kitchen dishcloths were most likely to test positive for the virus at 58 percent, followed by diaper changing areas at 57 percent. In both homes and centers, bathroom surfaces were among the least contaminated surfaces, a fact that the study author contributes to regular cleaning of bathrooms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu season is late hitting this year, with high flu activity only now being reported in many areas of the country. As part of a two-year study on the health of children in day care, the Study, funded by The Clorox Company, examined the occurrence of the Influenza A virus on commonly touched surfaces in eight homes and 14 day care centers in Tucson, AZ. Generally, cleaning with disinfecting products can help reduce the possibility of viral transfer, transmission and possible infection.
Wednesday, March 16 , 2005
In this Issue:
New CDC study shows limited
use of electronic medical records
Study shows valve surgery aids
survival
even for symptom-free patients
FDA panel backs two new
whooping cough vaccines
B. Braun announces three new
online courses focusing
on safety, infection control and patient Care
Orthovita issued patent for
composite implants
in a range of orthopedic procedures
New CDC study shows limited use of electronic medical records
Less than a third of the nation’s hospital emergency and outpatient departments use electronic medical records, and even fewer doctors’ offices do, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 31 percent of hospital emergency departments, 29 percent of outpatient departments, and 17 percent of doctors’ offices have electronic medical records to support patient care, as reported in CDC’s ambulatory medical care surveys, conducted from 2001 to 2003. Electronic billing systems are used in three-quarters of physician office practices, but computerization of clinical records has been much slower. The survey measured the use of systems to improve the accuracy and safety of prescription drug use. About 8 percent of physicians use a computerized physician order entry system (CPOE). The study found younger physicians, those under 50 years of age, were twice as likely as physicians age 50 or over to use this computerized system for ordering prescriptions. About 40 percent of hospital emergency departments use automated drug dispensing systems (ADD), compared to about 18 percent of outpatient departments. These automated systems were more likely to be in use in emergency departments located in metropolitan areas and those with the highest volume of patients. For outpatient departments, medical school affiliation was associated with use of automated drug systems. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad353.pdf
Study shows valve surgery aids survival
even for symptom-free patients
People with severe mitral
valve regurgitation, often diagnosed after doctors hear a heart murmur during
routine exams, should consider surgery even if they don't have symptoms,
according to a study in the March 3 New England Journal of Medicine. This advice
could result in more aggressive diagnostic screening and tens of thousands of
preventive heart surgeries a year. Moderate-to-severe mitral valve regurgitation
affects 2 million to 2.7 million Americans, said the study's lead author,
Maurice Enriquez-Sarano, a cardiologist and director of the Valvular Heart
Diseases Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. That number is expected to
rise to 3.8 million to 4.8 million by 2030 as the population ages. The
prospective study is the first to analyze and compare patient outcomes for those
treated surgically and nonsurgically. People with a defective valve may
experience fatigue, exhaustion, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, cough and
shortness of breath, or may go for years without any symptoms. The general
practice has been to adopt a wait-and-see approach because it was not known how
the risks of the condition at this stage stacked up against the risks of
surgery. The research, conducted by the Mayo Clinic from 1991 to 2000 and funded
by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health,
followed 456 patients, slightly more than half of whom had surgery. The study
grouped patients by severity of mitral valve leakage, classifying them as mild,
moderate or severe, according to the volume of blood backwashing into the upper
chamber. Sixty- three percent of participants were men; their average age was
63. Findings showed that patients with the most severe regurgitation who did not
receive surgery to repair or replace their leaky valves had a five-year survival
rate of 58 percent, 20 percentage points lower than would ordinarily be
predicted for people that age. Similar patients who had surgery had survival
rates of 78 percent, equal to that of the general population. As a result of the
findings, the researchers suggest that patients with severe regurgitation
promptly undergo cardiac surgery. (The Washington Post)
FDA panel backs two new whooping cough vaccines
A U.S.
advisory panel on Tuesday urged approval for two new vaccines designed to
elevate immunity against whooping cough, a disease that is making a comeback
despite widespread immunization of children.
GlaxoSmithKline's vaccine,
Boostrix, and a Sanofi-Aventis vaccine called Adacel both appear safe and
effective for use as booster shots after immunity to whooping cough has waned,
the Food and Drug Administration panel unanimously said. GlaxoSmithKline is
seeking approval to market Boostrix for people age 10 to 18. Sanofi-Aventis
wants to sell Adacel to a larger group, people age 11 to 64. The products are
the first to combine a vaccine against whooping cough, also known as pertussis,
with the routine tetanus and diphtheria booster shot given to adolescents. Young
children are routinely vaccinated against whooping cough, but experts believe
immunity diminishes by adolescence. Health officials are concerned because
reports of whooping cough and infant deaths from the disease are on the rise in
the United States, and older people who carry the bacteria can easily infect
young, unvaccinated children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, there were 18,957 pertussis cases reported in 2004, up from 10,670
in 2003. FDA reviewers said both manufacturers showed their vaccines, given as a
single injection, likely would protect against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
Side effects appeared similar to vaccines already on the market, except that
Glaxo's Boostrix yielded more reports of injection site pain than a diphtheria
and tetanus shot used as a comparison. Glaxo said the difference was in reports
of mild to moderate pain, not severe pain. Both companies said data suggested
immunity would last at least five years. Panel members urged longer-post
approval studies to determine how long the effects endured and whether the
vaccine halted the rise of pertussis reports. (Reuters)
B. Braun
announces three new online courses focusing
on safety, infection control and patient Care
B. Braun Medical Inc. announced the offering of three new online continuing education courses through the Aesculap Academy. The new courses are offered at no charge and focus on safety, infection control and patient care. “DEHP Plasticized Medical Products: Are They Hazardous to Your Health?” defines what PVC and DEHP materials are and their possible hazardous effects on humans and the environment. Various IV drugs, which are related to this issue and alternatives in providing safer infusion therapy to patients, will also be discussed. “Pulmonary Embolism” will focus on the pulmonary thromboembolic process, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Information about etiology and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, interventions and treatment of DVT and PE will be discussed. “Medication Errors in Infusion Therapy” will discuss potential causes, solutions and improvements to the problem of medication error. Emphasis is placed on the areas of dispensing and administration of IV medications. Senior Clinical Nurse Consultant, Robin Ginter RN, BS, MBA, CCRN, and Nurse Consultant Robin Gregus, RN, as well as Clinical and Technical Support Manager Ruth M. Kortebein, RN, BS, developed the online courses in accordance with the California Board of Registered Nursing, the Florida Board of Registered Nurses, and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for CE. The American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission of Accreditation and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses accredit B. Braun as a provider of continuing education in nursing. The new online CE courses can be taken by visiting http://www.bbraunusa.com/ and linking from the home page to the Aesculap Academy page.
Orthovita issued patent for composite implants
in a range of orthopedic procedures
Orthovita Inc., a developer of synthetic biomaterials for the orthopedic market, has been granted a U.S. patent covering the development and use of composite shaped bodies for a range of applications in orthopedic surgery. The patent covers nine new claims for composite implants, including the use of Orthovita's VITOSS Bone Graft Substitute in combination with a medicament such as a protein or antibiotic. Vitoss is currently marketed in the United States and Europe as a synthetic alternative to the use of autograft or cadaver-derived bone material for a range of orthopedic clinical needs. The patent also covers the development of composite implants using Vitoss in combination with other synthetic biomaterials such as Orthovita's Cortoss Synthetic Cortical Bone. Cortoss is currently being studied for potential use in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures. The patent protection also covers the use of Vitoss in combination with inorganic fillers or with polymers such as polycaprolactone, poly-L-lactic acid or polyglycolic acid.
Tuesday, March 15 , 2005
In this Issue:
FDA rejects petition to withdraw Crestor
Life and health insurers’ profits jump 42
percent
Jury rules against Medtronic
on patent
Signs of anthrax at two Pentagon mailrooms
New aortic valve procedure shows promise
Consorta signs agreement for
device-free
outpatient monitoring technology
FDA rejects petition to withdraw Crestor
The anti-cholesterol drug Crestor does not pose a greater risk of muscle damage than other drugs like it, the FDA said Monday, rejecting an advocacy group's petition to withdraw the drug. The Food and Drug Administration also said there is no convincing evidence to support the group's contention that Crestor could cause serious kidney damage. The FDA rejected those arguments based on its own review of adverse-event reports and ongoing clinical trials and safety data gathered since the drug hit the market. All cholesterol drugs in the statin class carry some risk of muscle pain and damage, including a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis, in which muscle cells die and release toxins into the body. (USA Today)
Life and health insurers’ profits jump 42 percent
Profits of the nation's life and health insurers climbed $7.6 billion, or 42 percent, to $25.7 billion in the first nine months of 2004, according to Weiss Ratings Inc., an independent provider of ratings and analyses of financial services companies, mutual funds, and stocks. Industry profitability for the first nine months of the year reached its highest level in a decade due to the strong performance of insurers' investment returns, which rose $9.2 billion to $112.2 billion compared to the first nine months of 2003. Insurers reporting the largest year-over-year increases in earnings include: General Electric Capital Assurance. Co. (up $890.4 million), Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. (up $629.2 million), Federal Home Life Ins. Co, Continental Ins. Co., and Hartford Life & Ins. Co. Insurers reporting the largest year-over-year increases in investment income include: Union Fidelity Life Ins. Co, General Electric Capital Assurance Co, ING USA Annuity & Life Ins., Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., and Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada. The value of the industry's separate accounts climbed $161 billion to $1.2 trillion at the end of the third quarter, reflecting continued strength in the equity markets and renewed interest in variable life and variable annuity products. www.weissratings.com
Jury rules against Medtronic on patent
Medical device maker Medtronic said it lost a jury verdict on Monday in a heart stent patent dispute with Cordis Corp., a unit of Johnson & Johnson. Medtronic said damages will be determined at future hearings, which have not yet been scheduled. The jury found that Cordis’ Palmaz and Schatz patents are valid and that Medtronic’s Microstent II, GFX and GFX II coronary stents, stents no longer marketed or sold by Medtronic, infringe the Palmaz and Schatz patents.
Signs of anthrax at two Pentagon mailrooms
Sensors at two military mail facilities in the Washington area detected signs of anthrax on two pieces of mail Monday, but Pentagon officials said the mail had already been irradiated, rendering any anthrax inert. Officials weren't sure if this was an attack. Additional tests and other sensors at the two facilities, one of them at the Pentagon and the other nearby, found no presence of the bacteria, which can be used as a biological weapon. There were no initial reports of illness. The Pentagon's mail delivery site, which is separate from the main Pentagon building, was evacuated and shut down Monday after sensors triggered an alarm. It was expected to remain closed until at least Tuesday while the investigation continued. Hours later, sensors at the second Defense Department mailroom were triggered. (The Associated Press)
New aortic valve procedure shows promise
A team of cardiologists in Michigan has implanted an artificial heart valve in a 76-year-old man by feeding the device through a vein in his left leg instead of opening his chest and stopping his heart. The patient, Fernando Giangrande, had the three-hour procedure on Thursday, left the hospital on Sunday and was back at work Monday customizing vintage cars at his Ford dealership, reported The New York Times. The experimental implant was the first of at least 150 that federal regulators will require before considering approval of the technique for widespread use. But medical experts say the procedure could eventually extend the lives of many people who are too frail or ill to endure open-heart surgery. Failing valves are diagnosed in tens of thousands of Americans each year, and that number is expected to grow as baby boomers pass the age of 70, said The Times. The procedure replaces the aortic valve. Medical experts warn that even if the technique is mastered, the heart repairs may not last as long as those achieved through conventional surgery. Long-term durability has been hard to gauge so far because the only candidates for the technique in this country and abroad have been so gravely ill that some have died during the procedure. Many others survived only a few days or months, even though the new valve was functioning. Edwards Lifesciences, the company that makes the valve and the tools to install it, says the products may cost $10,000 to $12,000 per procedure. That is roughly double what Edwards and its competitors charge for surgically implanted aortic valves and the related equipment. (The New York Times)
Consorta signs agreement for device-free
outpatient monitoring technology
Consorta Inc. has signed an agreement with Pharos Innovations, a supplier of device-free home monitoring technology, to further enable Consorta’s member hospitals to manage the care of outpatients with chronic diseases. Under the agreement, Consorta will offer Pharos Innovations’ Tel-Assurance process to its more than 2,000 member healthcare facilities. Developed and validated by practicing physicians and care coordinators, the Tel-Assurance program enhances care management by driving improved patient adherence to care protocols, reinforcing patient education and extending the reach of traditional care management.
Monday, March 14 , 2005
In this Issue:
Drug complaints reach all-time
high
Poll: 73% of healthcare executives to increase
patient communications in 2005
Billing fraud cited by health plans at
California clinics
Data shows prostate cancer treatment boosts survival rate
Spine surgery technologies, products
generating clinical success,
driving and sustaining large
markets
Drug complaints reach all-time high
Drug side effects and other related health problems reported to the Food and Drug Administration reached an all-time high in 2004, a government estimate shows. The federal agency received roughly 422,500 adverse-event reports from pharmaceutical companies, health professionals and patients, up nearly 14% from the 370,887 reports filed in 2003. A final 2004 total is expected later this year, but FDA officials don't expect it to vary significantly from the estimate. The bulk of the reports comes from drug manufacturers. Doctors, nurses and patients also file, but their reports are voluntary. As a result, the annual totals are believed to cover only a percentage of the actual number of serious drug reactions and problems. An FDA official said the agency believes the rise reflects a surge in prescription drug use, not any increase in health risk, reported USA Today. Prescription drug sales totaled $235 billion nationally in 2004, a historic high that was up 8.3% from 2003 and more than triple the 1995 volume, according to IMS Health, a pharmaceutical market research firm. (USA Today)
Poll: 73% of healthcare executives to increase
patient communications in 2005
In the wake of pharmaceutical recalls and dramatically changing treatment options, healthcare technology executives plan to increase their organizations' communications with clients in 2005. In a poll conducted by Silverlink Communications at the Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Conference in Dallas in February, 73 percent of healthcare executives reported they will be increasing communications with patients in 2005 either significantly (35%) or moderately (38%). Yet, as they try to contain costs and improve service, the survey reveals that 90% of them are using what they consider to be the most expensive means, call centers and mass mailings. 61% are not satisfied that expenditures for patient communications are well spent. A total of 319 respondents from healthcare providers, pharmacy benefits managers, and managed care organizations reported on their needs and methods for communicating with their customers.
Billing fraud cited by health plans at California clinics
Twelve Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, working with the F.B.I., said Friday that they had broken up an elaborate insurance scheme in which thousands of patients from 47 states were sent to California to undergo unnecessary surgical and diagnostic procedures, for which doctors filed more than $1 billion of fraudulent insurance claims. Insurance executives and law enforcement officials said that surgery clinics in Southern California typically paid recruiters $2,000 to $4,000 for each patient who received a medical procedure. The patients, they said, received rewards in the form of cash or discounts on cosmetic surgery. An FBI chief said the outpatient surgery clinics had billed more than $1.3 billion for services provided as part of the scheme, while insurers and employers had lost $350 million in claims paid to date. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans filed a civil lawsuit on Thursday against nine surgery clinics, 21 doctors and 13 people described as owners, employees or administrators of the clinics, said The New York Times. The Justice Department and the district attorney in Orange County, CA, have filed criminal charges against some of the defendants. Millennium Outpatient Surgery Center was named as a defendant in the civil suit filed by Blue Cross and in the criminal case filed by the United States attorney in Los Angeles. (The New York Times)
Data shows prostate cancer treatment boosts survival rate
Endocare Inc. announced that 10-year follow-up data from a retrospective study demonstrated that cryoablation as a treatment for prostate cancer has a biochemical disease free survival rate of 77 percent. The data from the 10-year study was presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the South East Section of the American Urological Association (AUA). A patient was considered to be biochemically disease free if their PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) did not rise above 2.0 ng/ml at any point after therapy. This study also found that only 4 of the 230 patients treated died of prostate cancer indicating a prostate cancer specific survival of more than 98 percent. The 249-patient study is the longest outcomes study of cryoablation to date. Consistent with previously published and presented results from independent researchers and physicians, cryoablation appears to be an important alternative treatment for prostate cancer versus the current treatments including radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy. The study also found morbidity to be low. Only 2 percent of patients had severe incontinence and urethral rectal fistula occurred in less than 0.5 percent of patients. Erectile function returned with time and 50 percent of patients had some return of normal functioning beginning six months after therapy.
"The spine surgery marketplace is an arena for robust growth and market development of medical technologies," says Patrick Driscoll, President of MedMarket Diligence. "Since there is a large patient pool, numerous therapeutic alternatives possible for ameliorating spine-related problems and the advent of a very diverse range of technologies from image guidance, artificial discs, osteobiologics and others, the market will see sustainable revenue growth for well into the next few decades." The MedMarket Diligence report on spine surgery is a worldwide medical market and technology assessment of the products, technologies, and companies in the market for spine surgical technologies for the treatment of congenital spine disorders, inflammatory and infectious diseases of the spine, degenerative spine diseases, mechancial disorders of the spine, spinal trauma and tumors of the spine. Technologies addressed include the range of traditional "open" surgical procedures and minimally invasive procedures, as well as the full range of other device and osteobiologic technologies being applied or developed. Companies involved in the market or pursuing technologies include: Aastrom Biosciences, AlloSource, Alphatec Manufacturing, Alphatec Manufacturing, Altiva Corporation, Arthrocare Corporation, Arthrocare/Parallax Medical, A-Spine USA,Inc., B. Braun Aesculap, Biocomposites, Biomet/Interpore Cross, Blackstone Medical, Cambridge Scientific, Cardinal Health, Cell-Based Bone Graft Substitutes, Cloward Instrument Corporation, Co-Ligne AG, Cook, Corin Group, Cortek, DePuy Spine, Disc-O-Tech Medical Technologies, Ltd., EBI, L.P., Encore Medical Corporation, Endius, Endospine Kinetics Limited, ETEX Corporation, HydroCision, Integra LifeSciences, Interpore Cross International, IsoTis OrthoBiologics, Jupiter Surgical Systems, Kyphon Inc., LifeNet, MacroPore Biosurgery Inc., Medtronic Sofamor Danek, MTF (Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation), NeuColl, NuVasive, Orquest, Ortho Development Corporation, Orthovita, Osiris Therapeutics, OsteoBiologics, Osteoimplant Technology, Osteotech, Scient’X, SeaSpine, Smith & Nephew, Spinal Concepts, Spineology Inc., Stryker Corporation, Vertebron Inc., Wright Medical, Zimmer Spine and more. Details of the March 2005 report are available at www.mediligence.com/rpt-m501.htm.
Friday, March 11 , 2005
In this Issue:
Tenet agrees to settle unfair pricing
class-action lawsuits with consumers
Senator calls for independent office of drug
safety
Senate committee approves bill
to establish
medical error reporting database
First islet transplantation for diabetes patient
Last call for seniors to save $600 with
Medicare prescription drug credit
Amerinet signs LRGHealthcare to five-year
contract
New version of Misys
Laboratory enhances day-to-day
workflow efficiencies and patient safety
Tenet agrees to settle unfair pricing
class-action lawsuits with consumers
Attorneys representing healthcare consumers announced they have reached a proposed nationwide settlement with Tenet Healthcare Corporation. Originally filed in December 2002, the lawsuit claimed that patients not covered by insurance plans were charged excessive prices at 114 hospitals owned and operated by Tenet subsidiaries in 16 different states. The lawsuit claimed that as a result of a scheme to boost its Medicare outlier payments Tenet increased its "gross charge." The lawsuit charged that this increase in gross charges violated California's consumer protection and unfair competition laws. The settlement class includes any uninsured patient who received medically necessary services at any of its hospitals between June 15, 1999 and Dec. 31, 2004, and paid for services based on the hospital's gross charges. Under the terms of the proposed settlement, Tenet has agreed to refund amounts paid in excess of certain thresholds. During the class period, Tenet collected approximately $400 million from uninsured patients. Going forward, Tenet will also offer uninsured patients the rate that it offers its managed care clients for a period of four years at all of Tenet's facilities. As part of the settlement agreement, the company has made no admission of wrongdoing and continues to vigorously deny the allegations made by the plaintiffs. Under the proposed settlement, Tenet has also agreed to do the following for a period of four years: 1. Provide financial counseling to all uninsured patients, including help in understanding and applying for governmental financial assistance and charity care programs. 2. Treat uninsured patients fairly and with respect during and after treatment, and regardless of their ability to pay for the treatment they receive. 3. Offer uninsured patients reasonable payments and payment schedules, with no interest for the first 120 days after a patient is discharged. If a patient has applied for financial assistance, Tenet will not attempt to collect fees from the patient while an eligibility determination on the patient's completed application is pending. 4. Follow a uniform credit and collection policy, including, among other things, a commitment not to pursue legal action for nonpayment of bills against any patient who is unemployed or without other significant assets or to place a lien on a patient's home. 5. Disclose to uninsured patients the estimated charges for anticipated treatment, subject to applicable legal requirements. 6. Offer uninsured patients discounted pricing at rates comparable to the hospital's current managed care rates. Details available at http://www.hbsslaw.com.
Senator calls for independent office of drug safety
The Food and Drug Administration needs an independent office that would monitor the safety of drugs it approves and warn the public of emerging risks, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) said Thursday. Senator Grassley said he was drafting legislation to create such an office and give it authority to restrict the use of medications that develop safety problems. He said he was working on the legislation with Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which has oversight authority for the FDA. Recent internal reforms at the FDA include setting up a drug safety board that would report directly to top agency officials, and bringing in experts from the National Academy of Sciences to make recommendations about the FDA's safety system. The agency also has pledged timely public release of information about emerging safety problems. Grassley and other critics say the agency's internal reforms would not solve a built-in problem: the FDA's safety office is a unit of a much larger division that is responsible for reviewing new drugs and deciding whether they should be approved. The new office he and others are proposing would have its own independent director and additional legal authority to require drug makers to change prescribing information. Grassley is also considering whether the safety office should have the power to suspend drug advertising or sales while a problem is being investigated. In another drug safety development Thursday, a consumer group challenged recent FDA assurances that the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor is no more dangerous than similar medications. Public Citizen said its analysis of drug injury data showed rare cases of life-threatening muscle damage were more likely with Crestor than with other so-called statin drugs. Public Citizen has petitioned the FDA to ban Crestor, and the agency said it would withhold comment until it makes a formal response. (Los Angeles Times)
Senate committee approves bill to establish
medical error reporting database
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee on Wednesday approved by voice vote a bill (S 544) that would create a database to allow care providers to report medical errors. The database would be used to track medical errors, examine trends and prevent reoccurring mistakes. Information included in the database would not be used in medical malpractice lawsuits. Before the full Senate considers the measure, committee Chair Michael Enzi (R-WY) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) are expected to insert language to clarify that the bill would not affect information already available to attorneys for use in malpractice suits. The committee last year approved similar legislation, which was unanimously approved by the Senate. The House approved a separate version of the legislation, but the issue died after conference committee members were not appointed. The new bill is expected to pass the Senate. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has not yet scheduled a review of the bill. (CQ Today)
First islet transplantation for diabetes patient
A multidisciplinary team at King's College Hospital (UK) has successfully achieved islet cell transplantation in a Type 1 diabetes patient. The patient, a 61 year old man, now no longer needs insulin injections, following three transplants of islet cells isolated from cadaveric donor pancreases. Historically, islet transplants have only been partially successful, in that they have reduced the amount of insulin required, but the need for regular injections still remained. The first reports of insulin independence came recently from a program in Canada. The King's program is the first to report a comparable result for the UK. This patient has proved that it is possible for islet transplants to lead to freedom from administered insulin and diabetes treatment associated problems. The patient suffered from Type 1 diabetes for over 30 years, experiencing increasing problems with his diabetes therapy. Prior to the islet transplant he endured severe, potentially life threatening hypoglycaemic attacks, which profoundly affected his quality of life. Following the islet transplant he is now producing his own insulin and is completely free from hypoglycaemia. (Medical News Today)
Last call for seniors to save $600 with
Medicare prescription drug credit
Senior citizens and persons with disabilities can still apply for the $600 Medicare prescription drug credit, but time is running short for those who want to receive the full drug benefit. After March 31, eligible seniors will still receive a portion of the prescription drug credit, but those who apply before the March deadline will receive the full $600 credit for 2005. To be eligible for the $600 prescription drug credit, Medicare beneficiaries must have an individual household income less than $12,919; a married couple’s household income must be less than $17,320. Assets are not counted in determining eligibility. Beneficiaries with Medicaid outpatient drug coverage are not eligible for the Medicare-Approved prescription drug discount card program. Seniors can call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227) to see if they qualify for the $600 credit. Seniors should mail drug credit applications by March 15 to make sure they meet the deadline. For information about recent Medicare changes, including new, free preventative health screenings and Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage enrollment information, seniors can contact Medicare Today representatives at (404) 885-9596 x23.
Amerinet signs LRGHealthcare to five-year contract
Amerinet signed a five-year sole partnership agreement with LRGHealthcare (LRGH), Laconia, NH. The new agreement covers a range of Supply Chain Management services that will be focused on the unique needs of LRGH. Included are the Amerinet Clinical Advantage Program, the Global Health Exchange (GHX), and VSI customized electronic catalog support, as well as the AccuPrice and AccuSave tools offered by Amerinet’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Diagnostix LLC. The relationship provides for aligned goals and incentives and will be directed by a steering committee with senior level representation from both organizations. LRGH has been an Amerinet member since 1993. LRGHealthcare, the recipient of the New Hampshire Business of the Decade in Healthcare Award, represents Franklin Regional Hospital, Lakes Regional General Hospital, Affiliated Medical Providers, HealthLink, Community Wellness Centers, the Dental Resource Center, Lakes Region Adult Day Health Care Center, the Holistic Health Center, and other community-based services.
New version of Misys Laboratory enhances day-to-day
workflow efficiencies and patient safety
The latest version of Misys Laboratory from Misys Healthcare Systems, being demonstrated at the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA) Conference, introduces new enhancements to blood bank and microbiology modules that improve workflow and productivity and eliminate time-consuming manual steps during lab testing. Generally available to Misys Laboratory clients this spring, new graphical user interface (GUI)-based features in this release include: Blood Bank Quality Assurance (QA) checks that generate password overrides; electronic crossmatch and instrument interfacing to automate manual testing; customized specimen inventories per lab facility with security levels for viewing and accessing blood products enterprise-wide; streamlined microbiology workflow that includes results viewing from one screen; and enhanced General Laboratory rule-based logic and calculations via new tools for editing and testing.
Thursday, March 10 , 2005
In this Issue:
HIMSS analysis of CPOE study in JAMA:
Implemented correctly,
CPOE can help reduce medical
errors
Former Health and Human
Services Secretary Tommy Thompson
named president of Logistics
Health Inc.
Sanofi-Aventis flu vaccine
cleared by the FDA
The American College of Cardiology joins IHI's
national campaign to save 100,000 lives
Sage Products’ new skin check guide helps
hospitals
meet guidelines, reduce clinical workload
Cardinal Health opens new manufacturing plant
for Pyxis products in Puerto Rico
HIMSS analysis of CPOE study in JAMA: Implemented correctly,
CPOE can help reduce medical errors
Despite the recent study in the March 9, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concluding that Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) systems can increase the risk of medication errors, analysis of the research results by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) pinpoints specific concerns with the study methodology and its subsequent outcomes. These are: 1) The study presents a limited view, showing certain problems with certain systems, without looking at the big picture of how CPOE is improving care. The study is based on interviews with ordering physicians and observations of them at work, but it does not provide actual measurement of errors or adverse events. 2) The study does not compare errors from paper ordering to computerized order entry. Other studies, including the Davies Awards of Excellence managed by HIMSS, show that when compared to paper ordering, CPOE results in a substantial overall decrease in errors and adverse drug experiences (ADEs). As for the future of CPOE, HIMSS recommends the following steps: Idea exchange with vendors; Updated CPOE: The system studied was an older-generation CPOE system; Unintended consequences: Several published studies including the JAMA article reference “unintended consequences” of CPOE and other systems. Rather than discard these systems, develop a forum for rational discussion of this topic, primarily for the basis of improving the state of current systems.
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson
named president of Logistics Health Inc.
Logistics Health Inc. (LHI), a provider of medical readiness and homeland security solutions, announced that former Health and Human Services Secretary and Wisconsin Governor, Tommy G. Thompson, has joined the company as President. Privately-held LHI provides services that allow its customers to achieve high levels of medical preparedness for both military and civilian pursuits. These services are provided to a wide variety of commercial and government clients through two core divisions: the Healthcare Services unit, which includes the Federal Strategic Health Alliance program (Feds_Heal) and provides medical readiness solutions for the U.S. military reserves; and the Homeland Security unit, which provides disaster response training services and vaccination scheduling, management and delivery, including the coordination and networking of critical disease information, to thousands of healthcare providers across the country. Founded in 1987, LHI is headquartered in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.
Sanofi-Aventis flu vaccine cleared by the FDA
Sanofi-Aventis AG reported Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration
approved the drug maker's preservative-free flu vaccine for children for the
2005-2006 flu season. The company said the vaccine formulation is the only one
approved for use in children 6 months to 35 months of age. The new formulation,
under the Fluzone brand, will replace the previous pediatric versions of the
vaccine, which contained trace amounts of the mercury-based preservative
thimerosal. Sanofi-Aventis plans to produce 8 million doses, almost double the
supply of pediatric flu vaccine produced for the 2004-2005 season. The company
produced a total of 58 million doses of flu vaccine for the season. The new
pediatric formulation will come in a 0.25 milliliter single-dose, pre-filled
syringe as opposed to the 0.50 milliliter standard dose syringe.
The American College of Cardiology joins IHI's
national campaign to save 100,000 lives
The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) announced at its 54th Annual Scientific Session that it has joined the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 100,000 Lives Campaign, the first-ever national campaign to enlist up to 2,000 hospitals in a commitment to implement proven, life saving interventions. To achieve this goal, IHI is also joining hands with dozens of other leading healthcare organizations who can help disseminate powerful improvement tools, with supporting expertise, throughout the American healthcare system. As part of its support, the College will urge all of its 30,000 members to advocate that their hospital facilities join the Campaign. The Campaign is designed to save 100,000 lives by June 2006 through the implementation of six proven interventions that can reduce morbidity and mortality. One of the six interventions focuses on the reliable delivery of care for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart attacks. The College will encourage the adoption of the AMI guidelines through its educational endeavors, which focus on transferring the latest knowledge in cardiovascular health and treatment to physicians and their patients. To learn more about the 100,000 Lives Campaign, go to www.ihi.org/ihi/programs/campaign.
Sage Products’ new skin check guide helps hospitals
meet guidelines, reduce clinical workload
To lessen the burden of nursing responsibilities, Sage Products has developed I-See-Red Skin Check Guide, the first tool that empowers patient care assistants/technicians and helps caregivers to observe and communicate changes in skin condition. Conducting daily skin monitoring is critical to patients’ care plans; however, due to lack of time or resources, routine skin assessments are, not always conducted on patients. The tool included on Sage’s Comfort Bath product is a simple peel-and-stick label that can be adhered to patient’s chart or daily goal sheet. The label has an outline of the human body and staff circles the body areas of concern. The label serves as a communication tool about the patient’s condition so that follow-up care can be given. The guide helps staff to comply with the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel’s guideline that calls for daily skin inspection and documentation of assessment results. Because the skin check guide facilitates ongoing discussion between caregivers, the tool also helps staff to meet the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization’s (JCAHO) 2005 Hospital National Patient Safety Goal requirement on improving communication. For more information, visit http://www.sageproducts.com/products/skincheck.asp.
Cardinal Health opens new
manufacturing plant
for Pyxis products in Puerto Rico
Cardinal Health announced the opening of a new manufacturing plant in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico for its Pyxis Products business. Cardinal Health now operates six facilities employing nearly 1000 in Puerto Rico. The latest expansion in Las Piedras will manufacture components for the Pyxis MedStation automated medication management system and Pyxis SupplyStation supply management system. Finished goods for the Pyxis HelpMate SP automated trackless robotic courier will also be manufactured there.
Wednesday, March 9 , 2005
In this Issue:
JAMA: Hospital computer systems not living up
to expectations
Increased likelihood of
extension of
specialty hospital moratorium
Most patients have discontinued
use of COX-2 inhibitors
AmerisourceBergen Technology Group’s Choice
systems
selected as 340B Prime Vendor for inventory management
GNYHA Services, Inc. announces
comprehensive
regional GPO agreement with GE Healthcare
JAMA: Hospital computer systems not living up to expectations
Two new studies suggest that high-tech computer systems may not immediately provide the benefits they are expected to deliver. One paper, based on a lengthy study of a large teaching hospital’s use of a "computerized physician order entry" (CPOE) system, found 22 ways that a computer system for physicians could increase the risk of medication errors. The reports appear in the March 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Most of these problems, the authors said, were created by poorly designed software that often ignored how doctors and nurses actually work in a hospital setting. Among the potential causes of errors they listed were patient names' being grouped together confusingly in tiny print, drug dosages that seem arbitrary and computer crashes. In some cases, staffers said they needed to go through up to 20 screens to find a patient's full medication record, according to the report. The research focused on ways that computer systems can unintentionally increase the risk of medical errors. The study did not try to assess whether the risks of computer systems outweigh the benefits, like the elimination of errors that had been caused by paper records and prescriptions. Another article in the journal looked at 100 trials of computer systems intended to assist physicians in diagnosing and treating patients. They found that many CCDS systems reviewed did improve “practitioner performance”, especially those systems designed to help remind patients to get regular preventive screenings (i.e., mammograms, cholesterol check-ups), diagnostic systems, or software that helped doctors prescribe or dose medications. It was also noted that most of the favorable assessments of those clinical decision support systems came from technologists who had a hand in designing the systems. An accompanying editorial said the message from the research studies was that computer systems for patient records, the ordering of treatments and clinical decision support have not yet shown themselves to be mature enough to be useful in most hospitals and doctors' offices. Some experts argue that the technology is still developing rapidly and some of the computer systems reviewed were old. National coordinator for health information technology, Dr. David J. Brailer, called the articles a “useful wake-up call,” but added that technology alone is never a lasting solution, reported The New York Times. Dr. Brailer took issue with the suggestion that the Bush administration is encouraging a rush to invest in health information technology. For the next year, he said, his policy efforts will be to try to encourage the health industry to agree on common computer standards, product certification and other measures that could become the foundation for digital patient records and health computer systems. "We're not ready yet to really accelerate investment and adoption," Dr. Brailer said. "We have about a year's worth of work."
Increased likelihood of extension of
specialty hospital moratorium
A negative tone towards specialty hospitals from most members of the Senate Committee on Finance and House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health during hearings on physician-owned specialty hospitals increases the likelihood that the moratorium (which ends June '05) will be extended through Jan. 1, 2007 per MedPAC's recommendation, reported Goldman Sachs. MedPAC also recommended: 1) Refining the Medicare payment structure by reworking the DRG system and adding a severity adjustment factor, which would reduce the ability to profit from focusing on more profitable DRGs and healthier patients. 2) Having a transition period for these changes which would redistribute Medicare payments among hospitals and, 3) Allowing gain sharing arrangements and giving the Secretary of HHS the ability to regulate them.
Most patients have discontinued use of COX-2 inhibitors
Nearly two-thirds of patients who were taking a COX-2 inhibitor prior to the Vioxx recall and Celebrex/Bextra study findings have abandoned this class of pain medication, according to a new poll by Spine-health.com. The poll of 375 back pain patients who were taking Celebrex, Bextra, or Vioxx shows that only 36% are still taking some brand of COX-2 inhibitors. 42% switched to other pain medications (e.g., Aleve, Advil, Bayer, Tylenol), and 9% switched to non-drug pain relievers (e.g., herbal/dietary supplements). 13% are forgoing any medication until more safety information is available. What patients may now realize is that COX-2s don't necessarily alleviate pain any better than other pain medications, including those available over the counter. COX-2's do remain a viable and perhaps preferred option for certain patients, such as those at risk for ulcers.
AmerisourceBergen Technology Group announced the selection of its Choice 340B Replenishment System software by HPPI (Healthcare Purchasing Partners International, LC) as a 340B Prime Vendor’s preferred provider of inventory management systems. Choice 340B Replenishment System software is designed to help pharmacies increase the efficiency of their supply chain management while decreasing ordering and inventory errors and discrepancies. The 340B Replenishment System provides the ability to track, report, and replenish 340B inventory, process drug dispense files to determine qualified transactions, accumulate and track qualified drug usage, automatically manage the reorder process to maximize savings, and provide a complete audit trail of all 340B transactions. One specific benefit will be the handling of virtual inventory. With the Choice 340B Replenishment System software, 340B clinics will not need to physically separate inventories of medications and supplies intended for 340B recipients. HPPI, a group purchasing organization co-owned by VHA Inc. and the University HealthSystem Consortium, has managed this federal program exclusively since June 2003. The 340B Prime Vendor Program was established to increase the discounts already offered under Section 340B of the U.S. Public Health Service Act.
GNYHA
Services, Inc. announces comprehensive
regional GPO agreement with GE Healthcare
GNYHA Services, Inc., a for-profit subsidiary of Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA), announced that GE Healthcare has signed a comprehensive regional group purchasing agreement with GNYHA Services, Inc. Through this agreement, GNYHA Services’ hospital clients will be able to purchase GE Healthcare diagnostic imaging products and services. GE Healthcare will also assist clients with the planning, purchase, and implementation of these products. According to the multi-year agreement, GE Healthcare will become the preferred provider of diagnostic imaging equipment and services for GNYHA Services’ client hospitals. GE Healthcare will also work closely with GNYHA Services in developing and implementing targeted, strategic initiatives, cost reduction programs, technology planning, and leadership development programs for program participants.
Tuesday, March 8 , 2005
In this Issue:
Unethical business practices in
U.S.
healthcare alarm physician leaders
GAO Report: Inadequate
oversight raises
concerns about rebates paid to states
Four new human cases of avian
flu reported in Vietnam
Omnicell joins National Patient Safety
Foundation in
celebration of Patient Safety Week, March 6 - 12
Surgical Information Systems appoints new
president
Unethical business practices in U.S.
healthcare alarm physician leaders
Physician leaders in hospitals, large group practices and academic health centers are deeply concerned about ethical violations and unethical business practices impacting U.S. healthcare, according to results of a newly-published survey. Conducted by the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE), the survey found high percentages of physician leaders are either "very concerned" or "moderately concerned" about: Physicians refusing to accept calls on patients who don't have insurance (79%); Influence exerted by medical device manufacturers (79%); Over-treating patients to boost income (78%); Influence by pharmaceutical companies (76%); Board members with conflicts of interest (66%); and Non-physician executive leaders with conflicts of interest (66%). One of the most startling findings: nearly 54 percent of the survey respondents said there was a healthcare organization in their community that they believed to be involved in unethical business practices. The findings and articles that look at ways to avoid ethical conflicts in healthcare are published in a special report, "Ethical Debates/Ethical Breaches," which appears in the March/April issue of The Physician Executive Journal of Medical Management. Nearly 1,500 physician leaders across the U.S. participated in the survey. About 10 percent were CEOs or the equivalent; 29 percent, senior executives; 18 percent, medical directors of hospitals or group practices; 25 percent, department chairs; and 19 percent, practicing physicians or consultants. For a summary of the survey results, contact Bill Steiger at mailto:bsteiger@acpe.org.
GAO Report: Inadequate oversight raises
concerns about rebates paid to states
Concerns have been raised about rising Medicaid drug spending. GAO studied (1) federal oversight of manufacturer-reported best prices and average manufacturer prices (AMPs) and the methods used to determine them, (2) how manufacturers’ determinations of those prices could have affected rebates, and (3) how the rebate program reflects financial concessions in the private market. GAO found that current rebate program oversight does not ensure that manufacturer-reported prices or price determination methods are consistent with program criteria specified in the rebate statute, rebate agreement, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) program memoranda. In administering the program, CMS conducts only limited checks for reporting errors in manufacturer-reported drug prices. In addition, CMS only reviews the price determination methods when manufacturers request recalculations of prior rebates. In four reports issued from 1992 to 2001, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) identified several factors that limited its ability to verify the accuracy of drug prices reported by manufacturers, including a lack of clear guidance on how AMP should be calculated. In some cases, OIG found problems with manufacturers’ price determination methods and reported prices. There was considerable variation in the methods that manufacturers used to determine best price and AMP, and some methods could have reduced the rebates state Medicaid programs received. Manufacturers are allowed to make assumptions when determining best price and AMP, as long as they are consistent with the law and the rebate agreement. The assumptions often involve the treatment of discounts and other price reductions in best price and AMP. States could have to repay any excess rebates if manufacturers revise their assumptions and request recalculations of prior rebates. The rebates that manufacturers pay to states are based on prices and financial concessions manufacturers make available to entities that purchase their drugs but may not reflect certain financial concessions they offer to other entities. GAO recommends that CMS issue clear, updated guidance on manufacturer price determination methods and price definitions. It also recommends that CMS implement systematic oversight of manufacturer methods and a plan to ensure the accuracy of reported prices and rebates to states. HHS agreed with the importance of guidance to manufacturers but did not agree that the program had received inadequate oversight. GAO acknowledges HHS oversight actions but does not believe they ensure accurate rebates to states. To view the full product: www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-102.
Four new human cases of avian flu reported in Vietnam
Vietnam has reported four new cases of human avian influenza, including those of a 21-year-old man and his 14-year-old sister, the World Health Organization said Monday. The health agency said that the man died but that it did not know the status of his sister and the two other people affected. All four became ill in early or mid-February. Vietnamese officials also are trying to determine whether a 26-year-old nurse admitted to a hospital in Hanoi last week developed avian influenza. Bloomberg News reported that a W.H.O. official said the nurse tested positive for influenza A(H5N1). Health officials worry that the avian strain's genes may combine with genes from human influenza viruses to create a deadly new virus. Information on new human avian influenza cases is "urgently needed" because data about the molecular composition of the virus could help scientists determine whether it is changing, the W.H.O. said. The possible case of the nurse in Hanoi is particularly important because of his occupation. Bloomberg News reported that he carried a 21-year-old avian influenza patient on a stretcher and provided direct care at a hospital. If tests identify the A(H5N1) strain as the cause of his illness, and other sources of exposure are ruled out, he could become the first health worker to have contracted avian influenza. (The New York Times)
The installation of nurse-designed SafetyMed RN, an advanced bedside solution for reducing medication errors, will continue at Opelousas General Health System (OGHS) this coming week as the nation celebrates National Patient Safety Week, March 6-12. An Omnicell Inc. team is currently installing SafetyMed RN in nursing units throughout OGHS. SafetyMed RN helps ensure patient safety by performing verification checks at the patient's bedside when medication is administered. Nurses may use a variety of hardware devices to access the SafetyMed RN system. The system utilizes bar code scanning technology to capture and input data from the patient's wristband, medication packaging, and the nurse's own identification badge. SafetyMed RN can also function if bar codes are unavailable. Omnicell will participate in the Annual NPSF Patient Safety Congress May 4 - 6, 2005 in Orlando, FL.
Surgical Information Systems appoints new president
Surgical Information Systems (SIS), a provider of total perioperative information systems, announced that Scott L'Heureux, one of the company's founding members, has been promoted to President and COO. L'Heureux, who has been the company's executive vice president of Sales, succeeds Richard L. Jackson, who will remain the company's CEO. The appointment of Scott L'Heureux is based on his more than 15 years experience in healthcare, including management roles with HBOC, IBAX Healthcare and Pharmacia Upjohn Pharmaceuticals.
Monday, March 7 , 2005
In this Issue:
U.S. marshals seize drugs from GlaxoSmithKline
plants
New research shows $100 billion lost
each year to payment errors
Drug-coated stent devices show positive results
IOM examines lessons learned from
smallpox vaccination program
Reports examine flu activity,
healthcare worker
vaccination strategies
PAR Excellence to provide
automated supply distribution
system to Adventist Health
hospitals
U.S. marshals seize drugs from GlaxoSmithKline plants
United States marshals seized batches of the antidepressant drug Paxil CR and diabetes drug Avandamet at manufacturing and distribution plants in Tennessee and Puerto Rico after federal officials said the manufacturer failed to correct violations of production safety standards. The marshals seized the drugs at three plants operated by the drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, one in Knoxville and two in Puerto Rico, on orders from the Department of Justice and the United States Food and Drug Administration. F.D.A. officials said that they had told the manufacturer in letters and warnings during the last three years that they had to correct problems their inspectors found with the drugs' production. GlaxoSmithKline has voluntarily recalled some of the affected lots, officials said, but it failed to recall all affected products, forcing the agency to seek warrants from the United States District Courts for the seizure of the drugs. In a statement, F.D.A. officials said that they knew of no harm that had come to any consumers as a result of the violations, and that the agency “does not believe that these products pose a significant health hazard to consumers.” Nevertheless, they said, they were "concerned that GSK's violation of manufacturing standards may have resulted in the production of poor quality drug products that could potentially pose risks to consumers." They said consumers taking the two drugs could continue their medication but urged them to talk to their doctors about the possibility of using alternative products “until the manufacturing problems have been corrected.” An FDA inspection found Paxil CR tablets could split apart, potentially leaving patients with portions lacking either the active ingredient or the controlled-release effect. The inspection also found that some Avandamet tablets lacked an accurate dose of one active ingredient. GlaxoSmithKline said consumers may see short-term shortages of the two drugs. (The New York Times)
New research
shows $100 billion lost
each year to payment errors
The U.S. healthcare industry is losing upwards of $100 billion each year due to payment errors, which increases the cost of care paid by Americans and further jeopardizes the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund. These findings are presented in a report, "America's Hidden Healthcare Crisis," which was released at the National Managed Health Care Congress' Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Research for the report was conducted by HSS, Inc., a Hamden, CT-based company that provides consulting and software solutions for streamlining medical coding, regulatory and reimbursement processes. The report documents how the healthcare industry's complex billing practices and confusing regulations have created a business climate where payment errors frequently occur. These payment errors may have totaled nearly $104 billion in 2003, and are projected to total as much as $120 billion in 2005. The majority of these payment errors are the result of hospitals, physician offices and other care providers overbilling private insurance companies and public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid for services that they cover. Also, a small percentage of payment errors are the result of healthcare providers underbilling for the services they deliver. In many instances, underbilling is a direct result of inadequate coding and billing infrastructure. The report details how the economic impact eventually trickles down to patients in the form of increased premiums and higher deductibles. Some of the HSS recommendations: CMS needs to revise its regulatory update cycle to give health insurers and providers sufficient time to react and implement new regulations that change many times throughout the year. Health insurers should validate and group the medical claims that they receive from health providers to prevent overpayments to providers that make mistakes, or are overly aggressive in their medical coding practices to increase the dollar amount of payments. Healthcare information vendors and healthcare providers ought to streamline their own deployment and implementation of updates to regulatory content. The report can be found at www.hssweb.com/hiddencrisis.html
Drug-coated stent devices show positive results
At an American College of Cardiology conference on Sunday, doctors reported that drug-coated stents by both Boston Scientific Corporation (Taxus) and Johnson & Johnson’s Cordis Corporation (Cypher) are equally effective at keeping blood flowing smoothly, although one might be better for diabetics. Both are vast improvements over the plain metal stents sold a few years ago. Benefits apparently last for years, and even big blockages in small vessels can be fixed this way. The devices work so well that when an older stent clogs, it is better to put a new drug-coated one inside it than to treat the problem with radiation as has been done in the past, one study found. Competitors also are being developed that could help cut the price of these devices. One novel type dissolves in the body once its job is done. Nearly a million angioplasty procedures are performed each year in the U.S., and in most cases a stent is placed to keep the artery from closing shut again. While the arteries reclogged about one-fourth of the time with the previous generation of stents, drug-coated ones have cut the rate to about 5 percent. Study results showed the drugs used by each stent are comparable. The study involved 1,353 patients in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Rates of heart attacks, strokes and repeat procedures were similar with both stents. Cordis, which sponsored the study, said Cypher was safer because more blood clots occurred with Taxus, but researchers said the study was not big enough or designed to answer that question. Another study led by doctors with no ties to Cordis showed Cypher outperformed Taxus in 250 diabetics, whose arteries are more prone to reclogging. Problems were two to three times as frequent among those who got Taxus stents. Other research confirmed the effectiveness of both stents two and three years after treatment. (The Washington Post)
IOM examines
lessons learned from
smallpox vaccination program
An Institute of Medicine panel has recommended that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention work with state and local partners to define smallpox preparedness, assess it regularly and communicate that status to the public. In its final report regarding the nation’s smallpox vaccination program, the panel said a failure to clearly communicate the rationale used in decision-making led to poor participation in the program. In future efforts to prepare for bioterrorism, the report recommends public health officials and policymakers develop strategies to balance national security concerns such as protecting classified information with the need to share appropriate information. (AHA News Now)
Reports
examine flu activity, healthcare worker
vaccination strategies
Making flu vaccination convenient and available at no cost can markedly increase the proportion of healthcare workers who receive the vaccine, based on studies in California and Minnesota reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the latest CDC update, flu cases have been confirmed in all 50 states with widespread activity reported in 33 states the week ending Feb. 19. U.S. flu activity typically peaks between December and March, and may climb yet this season, CDC said. To date, nine pediatric deaths have been associated with the flu this season, compared with 153 in the previous flu season. However, that number is expected to increase, as numerous flu outbreaks have been reported among school children and in long-term-care facilities, CDC said. (AHA News Now)
PAR Excellence to provide automated supply distribution system to Adventist Health hospitals
PAR Excellence Systems, which provides supply chain products, solutions and services, announced an agreement with Adventist Health of Roseville, CA. The agreement makes PAR Excellence Systems the first choice for open point-of-use solutions at each of Adventist’s 20 acute care facilities and affiliated organizations. The PAR Excellence System is an affordable and extremely flexible, point-of-use supply chain management solution that can be modified to fit the individual needs of each hospital in the Adventist Health system. In addition to automating the replenishment process and reducing supply utilization, it eliminates the present system of manually tracking patient charges by interfacing with their existing MMIS system. The PAR Excellence software includes a unique, browser-based management tool (PAR Vision), that displays data from any PAR Excellence database in a graphical data format while prioritizing and highlighting any required action. Since this tool is browser-based, it may be accessed from any networked computer. PAR Vision, when fully implemented in Roseville, will allow Adventist Health’s corporate materials management department access to supply information throughout the entire system. Adventist Health anticipates the PAR Excellence System to significantly reduce supply chain costs system-wide.
Friday, March 4 , 2005
In this Issue:
Johnson & Johnson and CLOSURE Medical
Corporation
announce acquisition agreement
Sacramento court to act on CNA lawsuit to reverse
emergency order attack on patient safety
White Paper: Hospitals fall short in cost
containment efforts
Provena Health hospitals volunteer for
unannounced JCAHO inspections
RF Technologies introduces
Safe Place
risk and safety solutions
Johnson & Johnson and CLOSURE Medical Corporation
announce acquisition agreement
Johnson & Johnson and CLOSURE Medical Corporation, a provider of biomaterial-based medical devices, have announced a definitive agreement whereby CLOSURE Medical will be acquired in a cash-for-stock exchange. CLOSURE Medical is expected to operate as a stand-alone entity reporting through Ethicon, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, with whom CLOSURE Medical has worked since 1996 on the development of topical adhesives. The value of the transaction as of the anticipated closing date is estimated to be approximately $370 million. The board of directors of CLOSURE Medical Corporation has approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of CLOSURE Medical's stockholders and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2005. CLOSURE Medical designs, develops and manufactures a number of medical adhesives and delivery devices based on a proprietary medical-grade cyanoacrylate technology for specific applications in wound care and wound closure. This technology is found in the family of DERMABOND(R) Topical Skin Adhesive (2-octyl cyanoacrylate) products, which are marketed by Ethicon, Inc. under an exclusive distribution agreement. The cyanoacrylate formulations offer speed, ease-of-use and performance. Ethicon and CLOSURE Medical have both focused on further developing topical adhesives.
Sacramento court to act on CNA lawsuit to reverse
emergency order attack on patient safety
A lawsuit by the California Nurses Association against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and other members of his administration for illegal actions to roll back hospital patient safety standards will be heard in Sacramento Superior Court Friday, March 4. Last November, Gov. Schwarzenegger issued an emergency order to overturn key portions of the California law requiring minimum safe RN-to-patient staffing ratios in hospitals. The governor suspended the ratios in emergency rooms and blocked the implementation in general medical units of the minimum ratio of no more than one RN for every five patients that was to go into effect in January, 2005. The governor's Department of Health Services is now working to make the changes permanent. CNA charges the governor and his Department of Health Services with "compromising patient protections, unlawfully abusing executive authority to overturn a legislative mandate, and setting a dangerous new precedent that threatens decades of health and safety protections for Californians," said CNA Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro. A Sacramento Superior Court Judge issued a tentative order late Thursday to vacate Gov. Schwarzenegger's illegal emergency order. The final decision, if it follows the tentative order, would be an injunction against Gov. Schwarzenegger. It would immediately require hospitals to restore compliance with the ratio law in emergency rooms and immediately implement ratios of no more than one RN for every five patients in general medical units. For more background, see the CNA website at http://www.calnurses.org.
White Paper: Hospitals fall short in cost containment efforts
Findings of over 13,000 thousand hours of research conducted by Strategic Initiatives In Healthcare, LLC (SIH), a Jackson, NJ based healthcare expense management firm, indicates that hospitals and health networks currently utilize 25 year old tools, and an early 1980s view of product and service evaluation concepts to head up their efforts. According to Joe Colonna, President and CEO of the firm, “Our research indicates that current value analysis processes produce only sub-optimal results because, while hospitals are working hard to try to reduce their non-labor expenditures, they often do not have the right people with the right skills and right tools performing the right jobs.” Spanning a two-year period, a team of experts from SIH has analyzed all aspects of the efforts made by healthcare providers to manage non-labor expenses over the past 30 years. These efforts included the impact and effectiveness of volume purchasing programs, shared service organizations, cross-functional team infrastructures, quality improvement initiatives, organization-wide efforts to gain acceptance to change initiatives, as well as reengineering programs and the most current Six Sigma and Lean campaigns. To summarize the findings of SIH’s investigative process, the firm will release a series of whitepapers which highlight many of the shortcomings of past efforts and outline actions which must be taken to improve the industry’s efforts to deal with today’s challenges and those of tomorrow. The first document, Shared Services-Back to the Future, addresses the saving potential for the healthcare industry by the sharing of services between multiple independent healthcare organizations. The second paper in the series, Matching Actions with the Hospital Industry’s Needs: Function over Form, will be released on or before April 15, 2005. For more information, visit www.SIHealthcare.com or call 1-877-717-7444.
Provena Health hospitals volunteer for
unannounced JCAHO inspections
Provena Health's six hospitals are among the 86 hospitals nationwide and the only hospitals in Illinois whose leaders have asked the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) to conduct their 2005 inspections without any advance notice. Margaret Gavigan, the Catholic system's chief clinical officer, said. "Asking JCAHO to inspect unannounced is one of many steps we're taking this year to continue enhancing quality. It's in harmony with our mission and vision and our effort to retain a culture that is constantly ready to meet the needs of those we serve in a manner consistent with high standards." Historically, JCAHO on-site evaluations of hospital operations have been announced weeks or even months in advance. Optional unannounced surveys were first made available last year. "The Joint Commission review is intended to help us improve," said Gavigan. "By asking inspectors to arrive without notice, we're allowing for a more critical review of our efforts. We expect to learn more and, therefore, to be able to make even more improvements for the benefit of our patients." Gavigan cited the system's development this year of an intensive care unit network as another example of Provena Health's focus on clinical quality. When completed later this year, the Provena eICU Connection will electronically link all the patients in the 128 intensive care unit beds across all six hospitals to a remote monitoring center. Recent studies have shown that a center such as the one Provena Health is creating can reduce mortality rates in ICUs by as much as 26 percent.
RF Technologies introduces Safe Place risk and safety solutions
RF Technologies recently changed the name of its hospital emergency department (ED) patient monitoring and safety solution from SafeWatch to Safe Place ED, to fit within its newly branded Safe Place Risk and Safety Solutions family of products. Safe Place products, which include Infant/Child, Fall and ED Monitoring, are designed to deliver enhanced safety and efficiency throughout hospitals. All Safe Place products operate on the same platform, allowing hospital staff to communicate internally in a streamlined manner. Safe Place ED uses a discreet banding technology to monitor patients at risk of elopement. Beta testing conducted at Mercy Hospital (a division of Allina Hospitals & Clinics) has generated measurable results that include a 60 percent decrease in patient watches, and a total savings of approximately $71,675 as translated back to patient watch time, said RF Technologies.
Thursday, March 3 , 2005
In this Issue:
Florida
Attorney General accuses Tenet of Medicare scheme
Hospital and physician cost
savings agreements
VHA study: 64% of physicians believe hospital
supply standardization
efforts are effective, 40%
unaware of programs
UK allows full production at Chiron plant
Preventing diabetes-related hospitalizations
could save $2.5 billion annually
Florida Attorney General accuses Tenet of Medicare scheme
By inflating its Medicare charges, the Tenet hospital chain
improperly took more than $1 billion that could have been used by
public hospitals, Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist alleged in
a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in
Miami.
The complaint charges that Tenet hospitals nationwide engaged in a
racketeering scheme that removed funds from the Outlier Pool that
public hospitals could have used. Tenet spokesman Steven Campanini
issued a statement: “This appears to be a lawsuit motivated by a
number of our
Florida
competitors and critics. It is specious and unwarranted. We will
vigorously defend ourselves against these charges.” Among the
plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the North and South Broward hospital
districts and the Public Health Trust, which represents the Jackson
Memorial Hospital system.
Experts said the Miami filing might be a precursor for similar
lawsuits across the country and could lead to a class-action claim
against Tenet. Fifteen of Dallas-based Tenet's 78 hospitals are in
Florida, including Palmetto General and North Shore in Miami-Dade
and the Florida and North Ridge medical centers in Broward. But none
of the 30 hospitals that Crist alleges inflated their charges are in
Florida. Most are in California and Texas. ''It is certainly
possible that this could end up being a criminal action depending on
what facts are revealed,'' Crist said. The allegations involve
Tenet's behavior between 1999 and 2003. Urbanowicz, the Tenet
lawyer, said, “Frankly, we are surprised that the plaintiffs would
bring this suit, more than two years after Tenet voluntarily reduced
the amount of outlier payments we received from the Medicare program
and adopted stringent new policies governing such payments well
before federal regulators promulgated such policies for the entire
hospital industry.”
(The
Miami Herald)
Hospital and physician cost savings agreements
The federal government recently gave approval to its seventh "gain-sharing" contract that allows hospitals to split savings on supply costs with physicians. Some healthcare providers are reluctant to enter such agreements for concern over breaking Medicare rules that govern relationships between doctors and hospitals. In two separate advisory opinions released last week, the Department of Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG), in examining proposed arrangements by two hospitals to pay certain physician groups a share of the cost savings achieved by specific changes in the group’s cardiac catheterization lab or operating room practices, said that while the proposed arrangements would constitute an improper payment to induce reduction, the OIG would not impose sanctions on the requests. The OIG analyzed the arrangement under the anti-kickback statute and the prohibition on paying a physician to reduce or limit services to a patient under his or her care. The OIG said the circumstances and safeguards of the proposed arrangement posed a low risk of patient or program abuse. The opinions provide an analysis similar to advisory opinions posted by OIG on Feb. 3 and 17. Reuters Health reports that HCA Inc. is seeking approval for a gain-sharing contract that covers orthopedic implants at its hospitals and its outpatient surgery centers, and analysts say this could lead to pricing pressure for medical device makers. Triad Hospitals Inc. executives said in a Feb. 18 conference call that the operator of 52 hospitals and 14 outpatient surgery centers is not planning to enter gain-sharing contracts because of the lack of clear regulations, but it is monitoring developments in the industry, said Reuters. Joane Goodroe, president of Goodroe Healthcare Solutions, said that gain-sharing can lead to at least 10 percent savings in supplies' costs. For the OIG reports, visit http://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/docs/advisoryopinions/2005/ao0505.pdf and http://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/docs/advisoryopinions/2005/ao0506.pdf
VHA study: 64% of physicians believe hospital supply
standardization
efforts are effective, 40% unaware of programs
Research by VHA Inc. demonstrates the positive and difficult points in hospital-physician relationships. According to the report, most physicians are willing to work with hospitals on mutually beneficial projects. However, hospitals are not maximizing opportunities to involve physicians when it comes to supply purchases, the second greatest expense category for hospitals and the area where physicians have significant influence. The study, entitled Physician Hospital Relationships: Forging the New Covenant, was completed by VHA. The survey, conducted by Market Strategies Inc. from December 2003 to January 2004, surveyed more than 1,000 physicians nationwide. The new report shows that physicians are open to getting involved in standardization and utilization efforts, programs that reduce the overall costs of purchasing and using medical, surgical and pharmaceutical supplies. Of the physicians involved in hospital standardization or utilization programs, 64 percent found standardization effective and 56 percent found utilization programs to be an effective means of balancing patient care and financial decisions. For hospitals to reduce costs, it is important for physicians to become involved and better yet, lead in standardization and utilization efforts. However, the study reported that only 36 percent of the physicians surveyed were actually involved in hospital standardization and utilization programs, and more than 40 percent were unaware if their hospital even sponsored such programs. In addition, of the physicians involved in standardization or utilization efforts, 16 percent and 13 percent, respectively, did not even know if those programs were effective. For more on the study, visit www.vha.com.
UK allows full production at Chiron plant
Regulators in the UK have decided to allow Chiron's flu vaccine plant in Liverpool to start full production allowing it to deliver vaccines for the 2005- 2006 flu season. The decision is contingent on Chiron's continued implementation of its remediation plan and operational improvements, with the ability of the regulators to monitor progress through regular weekly updates. The FDA has not yet commented.
Preventing diabetes-related hospitalizations
could save $2.5 billion annually
The United States could save almost $2.5 billion annually by preventing diabetes-related hospitalizations, according to a study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, CQ HealthBeat reports. According to the study, based on data from AHRQ's 2001 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, reducing hospital admissions for diabetes-related complications, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and circulation problems that can lead to amputations, could save Medicare $1.3 billion per year and Medicaid $386 million per year. The study also found that in 2001, 30% of people with diabetes who were hospitalized had two or more hospital stays, and that hospital costs for patients with multiple stays averaged $23,100, compared with $8,500 for patients who had a single hospital admission. Women with diabetes were two to four times as likely to be hospitalized for cardiovascular disease as women who did not have diabetes, according to the study. In addition, African Americans and other minorities, as well as low-income patients regardless of race, are more likely to have multiple hospitalizations related to diabetes compared with white and higher-income patients, the study found.
Wednesday, March 2 , 2005
In this Issue:
Leavitt encourages hospitals to participate
in Medicaid reform debate
Amerinet announces support of
healthcare data standards
Hospital recognized
for protecting
and preserving the environment
Rubbermaid Mobile Medication Station
wins Good Design Award
Medline introduces new odor-control reusable underpad
Leavitt encourages hospitals to participate
in Medicaid reform debate
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt urged hospital leaders to work with their governors and communities on strategies for reforming the Medicaid program, saying he hoped to see a broad national debate on the issue. Speaking at the Federation of American Hospitals’ annual meeting in Washington, Leavitt said many of the nation’s governors agree that Medicaid overpays for prescription drugs, must give states greater flexibility in constructing benefit plans, and should not serve as an “asset protection program” for those who need long-term care. He said many governors also would like Medicaid payment rates aligned with those of Medicare and tied to quality, and the option to set co-payments. He said Medicaid must not become the “default health plan” for America’s workers as employers cut coverage, but rather that alternatives are needed to help those in need while promoting personal responsibility and allowing the U.S. to remain economically competitive. A Web cast of the speech will be available soon at kaisernetwork.org. (AHA News Now)
Amerinet announces support of healthcare data standards
Amerinet announces its agreement with Uniform Code Council Inc. (UCC) for implementation of the Global Location Number (GLN) for Amerinet’s 24,000 members. The GLN is a 13-digit reference number maintained by the EAN UCC standard system to identify all relevant healthcare locations, from legal entities down to ship-to and deliver-to points. The GLN is designed to replace the thousands of proprietary account and location numbers that suppliers and providers currently maintain to conduct purchasing, contracting and reporting. Amerinet will implement and maintain the GLN for its members for two years, after which the healthcare providers will begin maintaining their own data. Amerinet will continue to provide assistance until the membership is self-sufficient. Healthcare industry studies have shown that major errors exist in purchase orders, invoices and pricing files due to incorrect information maintained in proprietary systems. Data standardization can eliminate these inconsistencies as well as streamline the efficiency of sharing correct information between trading partners.
Hospital recognized for protecting
and preserving the environment
Imperial Point Medical Center (IPMC), Fort Lauderdale, FL, has received a certificate of recognition from the Broward County Board of Commissioners as part of the Emerald Award program for demonstrating their commitment to protect the environment. IPMC successfully showed their concern for the environment through excelling in the following categories; Pollution Prevention, Hazardous Waste Reduction, Innovative Procedures/Process Improvement, and Recycling. The hospital was commended for their ongoing compliance with environmental regulations as well as going over and above statutory requirements in the above categories. In addition to the certificate of recognition, IPMC is a candidate for the Emerald Award Trophy and for the Business of the Year Emerald Award, issued to one recipient who has gone over and above all others in protecting the environment. Imperial Point Medical Center is a facility of the North Broward Hospital District.
Rubbermaid Mobile Medication Station
wins Good Design Award
The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design has awarded Rubbermaid Medical Solutions the GOOD DESIGN Award for 2004, for the Mobile Medication Station. Founded in 1950, GOOD DESIGN is among the most prestigious of industrial design competitions worldwide. Rubbermaid Medical Solutions’ eMAR Delivery System provides a solution for integrating health information technology and medication administration at the point of care. Rubbermaid Medical Solutions offers a proven solution, simplifying work flow, improving accuracy and productivity, and reducing caregivers’ paperwork load.
Medline introduces new odor-control reusable underpad
Medline Industries Inc. launched a reusable underpad that will help control odors, as its HaloShield technology harnesses chlorine and kills bacteria. The underpads are infused with the same treatment introduced in Medline's HaloShield sheets. The patented technology in HaloShield is a durable coating that binds chlorine molecules, used during a regular wash cycle, to nearly any textile. The coating is rechargeable, meaning the antimicrobial properties of the chlorine are renewed each time the sheet is laundered in an EPA-registered chlorine-based sanitizer. The HaloShield treatment maintains its ability to bind chlorine to the product throughout its life cycle.
Tuesday, March 1, 2005
In this Issue:
U.S. life expectancy reaches
record high
CDC issues guidelines to
hospitals for reporting on infections
Chemotherapy drugs can cause
cancer
among healthcare workers
Pharmaceutical and healthcare
firms ranked on
how they treat online customers
Hill-Rom announces “Design Your Own” web site
MedAssets
signs agreement with U.S. Benefits Plus Inc.
U.S. life expectancy reaches record high
Average life expectancy in the United States rose to a record 77.6 years in 2003 from 77.3 years in 2002, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although women on average still live longer than men, the gender gap continued its 25-year narrowing trend with the gap now at 5.4 years. The agency attributed the improvement in life expectancy to corresponding drops in eight of the 15 leading causes of death. Death rates for the three biggest killers: heart disease is down 3.6%, cancer is down 2.2%, and stroke down 4.6%. Lower death rates were also reported from HIV (down 4.1%), drug abuse (down 3.3%), alcohol abuse (down 4.3 %) and use of firearms (down 3%). The overall death rate fell 1.7 percent from 2002 when adjusted to account for changes in the age distribution of the population. The death rate from Alzheimer's disease rose nearly 6 percent. The second highest increase, 5.7 percent, came in deaths from hypertension and hypertensive kidney disease. The death rate from Parkinson's climbed 3.4 percent. Final figures will be available in September. For more go to http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/05facts/lifeexpectancy.htm or http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr53/nvsr53_15.pdf
CDC issues guidelines to hospitals for reporting on infections
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines on
Monday designed to help states track and alert the public to potentially deadly
infections in hospitals and clinics. Nearly two million people contract
pneumonia, bacterial sepsis and other infections following surgery, insertion of
catheters or other medical procedures in U.S. hospitals each year. About 90,000
die as a result. Illinois, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Florida have passed laws
forcing hospitals to publicly report infections related to healthcare. Another
30 states are moving to mandatory release of such information. While
acknowledging it was unsure whether these measures would lower infection rates,
the CDC said it decided to issue voluntary recommendations after lawmakers and
others sought its advice on how to set up mandatory reporting systems. The CDC
guidelines urge states that do so to consult with disease experts, adhere to
established infection surveillance methods and provide regular and confidential
feedback to healthcare providers. (Reuters)
For a copy of the guidance go to
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/PublicReportingGuide.pdf
Chemotherapy
drugs can cause cancer
among healthcare workers
Last March, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued an alert to healthcare workers that the drugs used in chemotherapy can themselves cause cancer and pose a risk to those who handle them. The next step was to be a study of actual exposures at three hospitals, operated by the universities of Maryland, North Carolina and Texas. The plan was to take blood and urine samples from about 50 pharmacists, nurses and pharmacy technicians at the hospitals and look for signs of drugs such as cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide. But the study, formally proposed in July 2002, is on hold. Twice the CDC submitted the proposal to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Twice it was withdrawn, after the OMB raised questions. It has yet to be resubmitted. NIOSH issued the alert on chemotherapy drugs because human and animal studies have shown they have the potential to cause cancer or reproductive problems. Some studies have found higher-than-expected prevalence of these ailments among healthcare workers. Exposures can occur by inhaling airborne drug particles or absorbing traces through the skin that have collected on work surfaces. Traces of the drugs can be found on medical equipment, clothing and in patient excreta. Many European countries require hospitals to monitor employees and keep even minuscule amounts of the drugs from being spilled or aerosolized. U.S. authorities have no way to accurately estimate how much harm has been caused by the careless handling of these drugs. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) first issued handling guidelines for hazardous drugs in 1986, calling for, among other things, the use of gloves, gowns and biological safety cabinets or respirators with high-efficiency filters. These were voluntary measures, however, not rules. OSHA still has no regulatory standards for cancer-fighting drugs and NIOSH says adherence to the guidelines is spotty. Meanwhile, healthcare workers are seeing more cancer patients, using higher doses of drugs and delivering them in new combinations. A spokesman said the CDC will continue to discuss the proposed three-hospital study with the OMB. (The Washington Post)
Pharmaceutical and healthcare firms ranked on
how they treat online customers
The Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm that focuses on how corporations treat their customers online, released the results of its First Quarter 2005 Online Customer Respect Study of the country's largest Pharmaceutical and Healthcare firms. Overall Medco Health Solutions did best among Medical Practice, Prescription Benefits Management and Health Services firms (and best overall), while Community Health Systems did worst. Allergan topped the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers list, while Eli Lilly fared worst. Kaiser Permanente did best among Health Care Plan firms, while PacifiCare Health Systems did worst. Henry Schein topped the Medical Equipment & Devices list, while Stryker Corporation fared worst. The study is the only one to bring objective measure to the analysis of corporate performance from an online customer's perspective. It assigns a Customer Respect Index (CRIT) rating to each company, which is a qualitative and quantitative in-depth analysis and independent measure of a customer's online experience when interacting with companies via the Internet. The Customer Respect Group has determined the attributes that combine to create the entire online customer experience: Simplicity (ease of navigation), Responsiveness (quick and helpful responses to inquiries), Privacy (respect for the privacy of the customer), Attitude (customer-focus of site), Transparency (open and honest policies) and Principles (values and respects customer data). Compared with the last study of this sector in 2004, there were improvements in a few areas. Most notably, the percentage of companies that don't respond consistently or at all to inquiries was down to 36 percent, from 49 percent. In addition, more firms have placed privacy policies on their sites (94 percent vs. 87 percent). Problem areas continue in the areas of Privacy: 16 percent share user information with business partners or unrelated businesses without permission; and Simplicity: 40 percent of sites provide no means to "opt out" of future marketing campaigns. In addition, in the area of Responsiveness, 15 percent don't provide an online means for users to communicate with surveyed firms. http://www.customerrespect.com/
Hill-Rom announces “Design Your Own” web site
Hill-Rom (Batesville,
IN) offers a first-of-its-kind "Design Your Own" Web site for healthcare
professionals in search of premium furniture for their facilities. Using the
site, www.hill-romdesign.com, customers are able to match up fabrics and wood
finishes to instantly visualize their new furniture. The collection includes
visitor chairs, high back chairs, multiple seating, large-capacity chairs,
large-capacity seating, three-position recliners, bedside cabinets and tables.
MedAssets
signs agreement with U.S. Benefits Plus Inc.
MedAssets and U.S. Benefits Plus Inc., an Irving, TX-based national provider of loyalty benefits, have signed an agreement to offer a branded loyalty program consisting of discounted products and services to MedAssets member organizations’ staff and employees. The agreement is effective immediately and will run through November 30, 2007.