Healthcare :: Communication of patient information in hospitals warrants rethink
The handover of patient information during nursing shift changes is a key area under investigation in a national effort to improve patient safety in hospitals.
Healthcare
Healthcare :: Doctors and medical ethicist discuss whether doctors should participate in capital punishment
Should doctors be involved in the state-ordered administration of capital punishment? In the September issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, three anesthesiologists and a medical ethicist take an in-depth look at this question in a commentary and two editorials.
Depression :: Study finds primary care depression treatment often does not follow quality guidelines
Most patients with depression who are treated by primary care physicians do not receive care consistent with quality standards, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Mental Health :: Mind responds to Healthcare Commission report into community mental health services
Leading mental health charity Mind comments on a new Healthcare Commission survey highlighting the continuing social exclusion faced by people with mental health problems.
Cancer :: New report indicates changes in how Americans get their information about health and cancer
Among a growing number of Americans seeking general health information and information about cancer, the Internet remains a frequent first source, even though the public?s trust in online material about health has declined, reports a government study.
Alcohol :: Alcoholics with cirrhosis of the liver have more brain damage than noncirrhotic alcoholics
Cirrhosis of the liver is one of the most common and serious medical complications linked to alcoholism.Heavy alcohol use can also cause brain damage.Cirrhotic alcoholics appear to have even more impaired brain function than noncirrhotic alcoholics.
Stroke :: Patients who stop using statins after stroke increase risk of death
Patients who stop taking cholesterol-lowering drugs within a year of surviving a stroke had a two-fold increased risk of death, researchers reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
West Nile Virus :: Age not a factor in avoiding west nile virus infection, Kern County Health Dept.
The Kern County Department of Public Health is concerned that residents are not taking necessary precautions to prevent West Nile virus infection. To highlight the personal impact West Nile virus has had on infected individuals and their survival, a video presentation of California survivors was shared with the news media about their personal stories to recover from the disease.
Health Care :: National Health Plan Collaborative Enters Phase Two of Its Work to Improve the Quality of Health Care for All
Collaborative of major health plans now covers nearly half of all commercially insured Americans and millions served by Medicare and Medicaid.
Prostate Cancer :: SCI announces CyberKnife clinical trial for prostate cancer patients
Benefis Healthcare’s Sletten Cancer Institute announces plans for a prostate cancer clinical trial that begins this month, and is seeking patients to participate in the trial. A total of 100 patients will be enrolled.