Category «Medicine»

PulseNet – connecting foodborne illness cases together using DNA “fingerprinting” of the bacteria making people sick

“PulseNet connects cases of foodborne illness to potential outbreaks. PulseNet is a national laboratory network  made up of 87 laboratories−at least one in each state. PulseNet  connects foodborne illness cases together to detect and define outbreaks using DNA “fingerprinting” of the bacteria making people sick  using a standardized process called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Every state has …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine

Measuring the Impact of Ebola: Will it Reach 1.4 Million?

Josh Michaud and Jennifer Kates, Kaiser Family Foundation, September 29, 2014. “More than six months have passed since Ebola was first identified in West Africa, and the scale of the crisis continues to grow. Over the last few weeks cases and deaths have increased significantly in the two most affected countries – Liberia and Sierra …

Subjects: Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

“The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.” Locate a Collection Site Near You For use by the general public to locate a collection site by Zip Code or County/City/State. Law …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine

Interactive Map Shows Recent Evolution of State Policies Shaping Access to Abortion Coverage in Medicaid and Private Insuranc

“A new interactive map from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides a broad look at states’ laws shaping access to coverage for abortion in Medicaid and private insurance. The map includes the ability to view snapshots showing the extent of such limitations in states across the nation for the years 2000, 2010 and 2014. Taken together, the maps …

Subjects: Health Care, Medicine

CDC data show declines in 5 major diabetes-related complications among U.S. adults

“A new CDC study shows that rates of five major diabetes-related complications have declined substantially in the last 20 years among U.S. adults with diabetes. The study, Changes in Diabetes Related Complications in the United States, 1990 -2010, published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, used data from the National Health Interview Survey, National Hospital …

Subjects: Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine

New Report on Combating Antibiotic Resistance

White House: “Today, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a report to the President, Combating Antibiotic Resistance. The report was released simultaneously with a National Strategy on Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria as well as with a Presidential Executive Order, emphasizing to the Nation the importance of addressing this growing challenge. The evolution of antibiotic resistance …

Subjects: Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine

New GAO Reports – 8(a) subcontracting, Healthcare.gov, Health Insurance Exchanges, IRAs

8(A) SUBCONTRACTING LIMITATIONS: Continued Noncompliance with Monitoring Requirements Signals Need for Regulatory Change, GAO-14-706: Published: Sep 16, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 16, 2014. HEALTHCARE.GOV: Actions Needed to Address Weaknesses in Information Security and Privacy Controls, GAO-14-730: Published: Sep 16, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 16, 2014. HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGES: Coverage of Non-excepted Abortion Services by Qualified Health Plans, GAO-14-742R: Published: Sep 15, 2014. Publicly Released: …

Subjects: E-Government, Economy, Financial System, Health Care, Medicine

Federal Open Payments Database Tracking Pharma Arriving September 30

KFF – Shefali Luthra: “Despite technical glitches, the federal “Open Payments” database – which tracks pharmaceutical company contributions to doctors and teaching hospitals – remains on track for its scheduled Sept. 30 launch, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services confirmed. It was mandated by a sunshine act included in the federal health law seeking to ease concerns that pharmaceutical …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Health Care, Legislation, Medicine

New GAO Reports – Defense Planning, Education, DHS Training, USAID, Older Americans, Veterans Affairs

DEFENSE PLANNING: DOD Needs Specific Measures and Milestones to Gauge Progress of Preparations for Operational Access Challenges, GAO-14-801:  Published: Sep 10, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2014. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: Status of Prior GAO Recommendations, GAO-14-848T: Published: Sep 10, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2014. DHS TRAINING: Improved Documentation, Resource Tracking, and Performance Measurement Could Strengthen Efforts, GAO-14-688: Published: Sep 10, 2014. …

Subjects: Defense, Economy, Education, Government Documents, Health Care, Knowledge Management, Medicine

World health report 2013: Research for universal health coverage

“Everyone should have access to the health services they need without being forced into poverty when paying for them. The World health report 2013 “Research for universal health coverage” argues that universal health coverage – with full access to high-quality services for prevention, treatment and financial risk protection – cannot be achieved without the evidence …

Subjects: Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine

New GAO Reports – Crop Insurance, Defense Infrastructure, DOD Education Benefits, Medicaid, Contractor Controls, DoD Special Operations

CROP INSURANCE: Considerations in Reducing Federal Premium Subsidies, GAO-14-700: Published: Aug 8, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 8, 2014. DEFENSE INFRASTRUCTURE: DOD Needs to Improve Its Efforts to Identify Unutilized and Underutilized Facilities, GAO-14-538: Published: Sep 8, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 8, 2014. DOD EDUCATION BENEFITS: Action Is Needed to Ensure Evaluations of Postsecondary Schools Are Useful, GAO-14-855: Published: Sep 8, 2014. Publicly Released: …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Education, Food and Nutrition, Government Documents, Health Care, Intellectual Property, Internet, Knowledge Management, Medicine

Suicide Among Adults Aged 35–64 Years – United States, 1999–2010

CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) “Suicide is an increasing public health concern. In 2009, the number of deaths from suicide surpassed the number of deaths from motor vehicle crashes in the United States. Traditionally, suicide prevention efforts have been focused mostly on youths and older adults, but recent evidence suggests that there have …

Subjects: Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine