Dispatches from the Field – January 2, 2008

Hospitals Slow in Heart Cases, Research Finds

In nearly a third of cases of sudden cardiac arrest in the hospital, the staff takes too long to respond, increasing the risk of brain damage and death, a new study finds.

Researchers estimate that the delays contribute to thousands of deaths a year in the United States.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/health/research/03heart.html?ex=1357016400&en=3d9a627e28ec54c9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Fewer Small Firms Offer Health Insurance

Fewer small employers offered health insurance this year, despite the widespread availability of new, lower-cost high-deductible insurance plans, a survey released today by benefit firm Mercer shows.

Advocates of the high-deductible plans touted them as one solution to the growing number of uninsured, expecting the plans to appeal to small employers, who would continue to offer health insurance as a result.

“That’s not happening,” says Blaine Bos, a Mercer partner and one of the study authors. “In fact, the reverse is happening.”

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/insurance/2007-11-19-health-insure_N.htm

 

Students Face Health Issues Without Insurance After College

Patrick Rastelli ‘08 had hoped to take a year off after graduating from Brown this spring. But after some thought, Rastelli decided to travel last summer instead, and when he graduates, he wants to get a job as quickly as possible. He’s not seeking prestige or money, but rather something most college students take for granted: health insurance.

http://media.www.browndailyherald.com/media/storage/paper472/news/2007/10/29/CampusNews/Graduating.To.The.Ranks.Of.The.Uninsured-3061887.shtml

Report Links Higher Rates of Uninsured and Suicide

The higher the percentage of residents in a state who say they can’t afford health care, the greater the prevalence of serious depression and the higher the suicide rate in that state, suggests a report released to USA TODAY.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-11-28-healthcare-suicide_N.htm

Who Is Involved in the IT Selection Process at Your Health Care Facility?

Forty-two percent of nurses spend four or more hours a day using IT, but just 15% of staff nurses and 27% of nurse managers are involved in the IT selection process at their facilities, according to a survey of nurses by CDW Healthcare.

Results are based on a July 2007 online survey of 1,028 nurses from a variety of health care settings.

 For complete story, click here.

Dispatches from the Field – November 21, 2007

Interest in Wellness Programs Grows: Survey

More employers are providing financial incentives designed to drive employee participation in wellness efforts, a survey shows.

http://www.businessinsurance.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=11554

Employers Shift Focus to Prevent Obesity

The seven most common chronic diseases — six of which can be caused or worsened by obesity — are costing employers $1.1 trillion in lost productivity, a recent study says.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2003997221_webobesity06.html

Program Quantifies Costs of Chronic Conditions

It’s no secret that chronic medical problems, such as high blood pressure and low back pain, can mean time off the job. What’s hard to quantify, is how much that absenteeism can cost a company. Until now.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2007/11/05/story2.html?b=1194238800^1544416

Consultant: Prepare for PHRs

Patients will demand personal health records, so health care organizations should be preparing technology and privacy models now, a consultant specializing in emerging technologies says.

http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/personal_health_records_PHRs_privacy_security25179-1.html

Drugstore Clinics Spread, and Scrutiny Grows

“We’ve got big problems in health care, and this is not the answer,” said Dr. Rick Kellerman, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “They are a response, they are a niche market and an economic opportunity, but we still have an underlying primary care crisis in this country.”

Patients, however, have flocked to the clinics, according to a new industry group, the Convenient Care Association.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/23/nyregion/23clinic.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=0b7cd9bcc251d519&ex=1188792000