RWJF News Digest -

Woman Sues Hospital Over Fall Off Operating Table

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 23 May 2023 00:00:00 EDT

A woman sued a Connecticut hospital Tuesday, saying she was severely injured when she fell off an operating table after surgery.

Realigning Health with Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The misalignment between the expansive goal of “health” and a cramped definition of “care” has cost the United States untold lives and treasure.

Using Social Network Analysis to Predict Early Collaboration Within Health Advocacy Coalitions

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Social network analysis (SNA) is a tool used to measure the structure, scope, and interaction of individuals or organizations in a network, often to evaluate the strength of relationships.

Which American Cities Are Fittest?

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Minneapolis-St. Paul is the nation's fittest metropolitan area, with Washington, Boston, San Francisco and Hartford right behind it, according to a comprehensive "Fitness Index" drawn up annually by the American College of Sports Medicine… The American Fitness Index might well become the score card for cities looking to attract health-conscious companies and people to settle in for a spell. It draws on parks and recreation data from the Trust for Public Land, on nutrition and health behavior collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and on federally tallied school report cards to learn about school policies that promote fitness.

Portland Tackles Childhood Obesity with Four School Fitness Courses

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Local officials on Monday celebrated the opening of four schoolyard fitness courses, a project representing the end of two years and $1.8 million in federal grant investments in healthy living initiatives in the city.

How Rivals Built an ACO

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

About three years ago two rival Minnesota health systems—HealthPartners and Allina Health Hospitals and Clinics—began exploring how they could combine their resources to accomplish together what they couldn't do alone. The two formed Northwest Metro Alliance an accounable care organization (ACO) to focus on achieving the triple-aim of health care—better care, better health, and lower cost—for 27,000 high-risk members who live in the northwestern suburbs of Minneapolis.

Health Insurance Cutbacks Squeeze The Insured

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Amber Cooper and her husband were doing OK. They both had jobs. A healthy 5-year-old son, a house in Riverbank, Calif., and health insurance from her job in the accounting department of a small manufacturing company.

School Programs Lead Fight Against Childhood Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

It's a typical day in the Fort Bend ISD school's culinary classroom, where professional chefs from Recipe for Success guide students through healthy cooking lessons, organic gardening and nutrition education. The classes are one component of Activate for Kids, a health and fitness pilot program developed by UnitedHealthcare and the United Health Foundation. The program, which kicked off this year in six school districts in Texas, Florida and Georgia, is among a growing number using a more holistic approach to tackle the childhood obesity epidemic.

Schools Given $25K to Help Kids Move

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

As the district director of physical education and health literacy for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Jayne Greenberg's annual budget is $0. That's right -- $0… [But] she has also found a way to encourage students to sign up for gym class again. Miami-Dade County Public Schools is one of nine regional finalists in the Active Schools Acceleration Project's first annual Innovation Competition. ASAP is an initiative started by ChildObesity180.org, an organization dedicated to reversing the trend in childhood obesity.

Editor’s Note: ChildObesity180 is a grantee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Texas Lawmakers Study Food Shortages Across State

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Texas lawmakers should pass laws that make it easier to produce and sell fruit and vegetables in poor communities to promote better health, farmers and activists testified Tuesday.

Intervention Reduces Use of Restraints in Nursing Homes

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Nursing homes using a multi-component intervention that included staff training and supportive materials for staff, residents and relatives had a lower rate of use of physical restraints such as bilateral bed rails and belts, according to a study which appears in the May 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

How Patients Judge What Makes ‘Excellent’ Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Alice Walton looks at a new study of 374 breast cancer patients, finding that the women’s opinions of care received didn’t necessarily line up with the quality of care provided.

Poisoning Kills More Americans Than Car Crashes, Report Says

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Poisoning, primarily by drugs, kills more people than car accidents, making it the biggest injury- related cause of death in the U.S., said a report by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Mobile: The Health-Care Fix We’ve Been Waiting for?

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

It is projected that there will be more than 10 billion mobile devices in use around the world by 2016, and a new report from Brookings Institution’s Darrell West outlines just how powerful mobile devices could be in the battle to bring down health care costs while simultaneously improving and expanding care.

States Scored on Injury Prevention

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A report released today by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation scored states on a scale from zero to 10 on steps taken to reduce the risk of accidental injury.

Gains in Health System Seen as Lasting by Some

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The new health care law is already transforming the way care is delivered, and the changes will continue regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on the mandate for most Americans to carry health insurance, a Democratic senator and an Obama administration official said Tuesday.

GOP Mixed on Health Moves

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Congressional Republicans are divided over what to do if the Supreme Court strikes down all or part of the health-care overhaul next month.
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How Patients Judge What Makes ‘Excellent’ Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Alice Walton looks at a new study of 374 breast cancer patients, finding that the women’s opinions of care received didn’t necessarily line up with the quality of care provided.

Americans Eat More Fresh Foods Than They Did Five Years Ago

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

As Congress debates whether to trim the food stamps budget as part of the massive Farm Bill reauthorization, lawmakers might want to consider this striking statistic from a new W.K. Kellogg Foundation survey: Three-quarters of Americans say they support a national program that would double Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or food stamp) benefits at farmers markets… What’s more, 70 percent of respondents said they have purchased fresh produce from a farmers market or stand in the past year (although only 14 percent use this source as their regular outlet for fruits and vegetables). And more than 68 percent of those surveyed say they eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables than they did five years ago.

Prostate Cancer Screening: Men Should Forgo PSA Testing, Panel Advises

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Men should not get routinely screened for prostate cancer using the PSA test, a government panel recommends. The panel finds that there is little evidence that testing for PSA, or prostate specific antigen, saves men’s lives, while causing too much unnecessary harm from the treatment of tumors that would never have killed them.

Americans Eat More Fresh Foods Than They Did Five Years Ago

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A Long View on Health Care: Think Like an Investor

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Could health care costs be reined in by improving access to preventive care?

For Medical Students, Dual Degrees Gain Popularity

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A growing number of medical students nationwide are putting in the extra time to earn dual degrees in public health, academic medicine and seemingly disparate fields such as law and business. They are motivated by an interest in developing the interdisciplinary skills necessary to tackle complex issues like health care reform and global health care, and how to be more effective in prevention, educators say.

New York Pilot Program Aims to Cut Readmissions

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Like soldiers inserted into the battle front, a pilot program in New York’s Hudson Valley has embedded in primary practices a network of nurse care managers, who catch patients who fall off physicians’ radar to turn around their health status. The Hudson Valley Initiative is helping to transform primary care practices into medical home models and deploying registered nurse case managers in the practices to coordinate care for those patients most in need because of chronic conditions.

War on Childhood Obesity Must Be Fought on Multiple Fronts [Opinion]

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

While improving the quality of foods and beverages served and sold in schools is not a solution by itself, such efforts should be part of comprehensive action, involving both parents and schools, to help students build stronger bodies with less excess fat. Helping our children eat healthier and attain physical fitness is good for Maine, for our families and for our national security.

Fight Against Childhood Obesity Kicks Off

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

More than one in four children in San Diego County is obese, and county leaders are determined to see that number shrink. Toward that end, on Monday the San Diego Childhood Obesity Initiative, a public-private partnership, launched a new campaign to promote healthy eating and exercise habits among kids.

Kinsman Fresh-Food Center Partners with Tri-C to Open Bridgeport Market Cafe and Community Kitchen

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The operators of a fresh-food production center slated to open in Cleveland's Kinsman neighborhood this summer have partnered with Cuyahoga Community College and local chefs to help residents learn about the benefits of fresh food and healthy eating… Tim Tramble, executive director for Burten, Bell and Carr, expects the project to serve about 30,000 people in its first year. He said the facility will also include a cold storage unit for urban farmers and a mobile food market, allowing residents to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from a refrigerated truck.

C. Diff Infections Are Rising, Study Finds

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Cases of the bacterial infection Clostridium difficile -- also known as C. diff -- are increasing in the United States, and many cases aren't contracted from a hospital, according to a new study. Mayo Clinic researchers found that C. diff infections between 2004 and 2009 were 12 times higher in children, compared with cases between 1991 and 1997. And among these cases, 75 percent of them were not contracted from a hospital.

Shot Protects Against More Than the Flu for Pregnant Women

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Giving the flu vaccine to pregnant women may bring significant benefits to their babies even before birth, a new study has found.

Republicans Pounce on CDC Director Over Stimulus Funds for Healthcare Programs

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The House Majority Whip had a loaded question for the director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday.

Casinos and American-Indian Health

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The influence of casinos on American Indian politics culture — and American culture more generally — has often been debated.
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Few States Set for Health Exchanges

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

When health insurance exchanges open in 2014, it is now clear that the federal government will be playing the lead, not the understudy.

Hospice Being Marketed as a Cost-Cutter for Hospitals

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Hospice marketers, exploring possibilities for new revenue to help continue the industry's remarkable growth, are looking to exploit a provision in the 2010 health care law by persuading hospitals to send Medicare patients into end-of-life hospice care instead of readmitting them to the hospital.

What Could Revolutionize Health Care? This Database.

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Think of it as a health policy wonk’s dream: Football stadium after football stadium packed to the brim with...health insurance claims data.

Hospitals Struggle to Provide Translators for Patients Who Don’t Speak English

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A visit to the emergency department or a physician’s office can be confusing and even frightening when you’re trying to digest complicated medical information, perhaps while you’re feeling pain or discomfort.

Notre Dame, Catholic Institutions Sue Obama Over Contraception Mandate

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The University of Notre Dame joined other Catholic institutions Monday in suing the Obama administration over its contraception mandate.

Jon Gruber on Obamacare, Premium Support and Health Policy Dreams

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Jonathan Gruber has a dream. Actually, he has a few of them. And, even for an M.I.T. economist, they get pretty wonky.

Study: APRNs Bring Palliative Care to Oncology Units

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A consultative visit between a nurse practitioner and a metastatic cancer patient can go a long way to improving the patient's emotional and mental well-being, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study.

Hospitals Struggle to Provide Translators for Patients Who Don’t Speak English

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Cancer Doctors Put Competition Aside to Share Treatment Options for Their Patients

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Over an informal dinner in a Chevy Chase home, 25 doctors peppered one another with questions about prostate cancer treatments and clinical trials.

A Dire Sign of the Obesity Epidemic: Teen Diabetes Soaring, Study Finds

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Karlton Hill was only 12 years old when he found out he had diabetes… Public health experts have been worrying for years that the obesity epidemic would lead to an epidemic of Type 2 diabetes among kids. Now, for the first time, researchers have direct evidence that those fears are coming true — that Karlton Hill is far from alone. Researchers analyzed data from 3,383 youths ages 12 to 19 who participated in a federal survey and found that the proportion of those with diabetes or "prediabetes" increased from 9 percent in 1999 to 23 percent in 2008, according to a paper published in the journal Pediatrics.

American Men Finally Closing the Longevity Gender Gap

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Between 1989 and 2009, life expectancy for U.S. males grew by 4.6 years while predicted lifespans for American women rose by 2.7 years, according to the recent report from Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

UTEP Changes the Way Doctors Are Trained

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The changing fabric of our nation where it concerns cultures, diseases and technology has prompted the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to change how it educates future doctors. The university has hired a new project director for its Transformation in Medical Education (TIME) pilot program to examine how the faculty educates its medical students in accordance with changing health care needs in the U.S.

AMA Calls for Two Year Delay of ICD-10 Enforcement

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The American Medical Association (AMA) issued a May 10 letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recommending a two year wait instead of one for physicians to appropriately transition to the roughly 68,000 ICD-10 billing codes. The transition will require new training of physicians and staff and upgrading technology, equipment.

Diabetes on the Rise Among Teenagers

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Nearly one in four American adolescents may be on the verge of developing Type 2 diabetes or could already be diabetic, representing a sharp increase in the disease’s prevalence among children ages 12 to 19 since a decade ago, when it was estimated that fewer than one in 10 were at risk for or had diabetes, according to a new study.

More Than Half of Overweight and Obese Adolescents Have Heart Disease Risk, CDC Study Says

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Univerisity of Miami Nursing School Receives $7.6 Million Grant for Minority Health Research

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies has received a five-year $7.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help eliminate health disparities.

Higher Prices Charged By Hospitals, Other Providers, Drove Health Spending During Downturn

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Higher prices charged by hospitals, outpatient centers and other providers drove up health care spending at double the rate of inflation during the economic downturn– even as patients consumed less medical care overall, according to a new study.

Data Trove May Shed Light on Health-Care Uncertainties

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

How much do hospitals and doctors actually charge insurers for their services?

Your Stories Of Being Sick Inside The U.S. Health Care System

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

To get a feeling for what being sick in America is really like, and to help us understand the findings of our poll with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, NPR did a call-out on Facebook.

Study: Higher Prices for Care May be Driving Health-Care Costs

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A new study could pose a challenge to the basic premise of President Barack Obama’s approach to controlling health costs — that spending will come down if doctors don’t give patients as much unnecessary medical care.

Higher Prices Charged By Hospitals, Other Providers, Drove Health Spending During Downturn

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Data Trove May Shed Light on Health-Care Uncertainties

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

How much do hospitals and doctors actually charge insurers for their services?

Soccer for Success After-School Program Makes Net Gains in Nutrition

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

There's a party planned later this week at Historic Fort Wayne in southwest Detroit, a celebration for more than 600 third- to fifth-graders who participated in the inaugural year of Soccer for Success in Detroit. The free afterschool program, developed by the U.S. Soccer Foundation, was designed to positively impact the lives of children in underserved urban communities by promoting health and nutrition while learning skills of the most popular sport in the world.

A Health Champion and His School Without Junk Food

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A student at Codman Academy, a charter public high school in Dorchester, once wrote a paper about buying some fresh fruit for lunch. She’d have to take a bus for miles, past fast food restaurants and liquor stores, to get to a produce market. It was a call to action for Mbakwe Okafor, Codman’s wellness director. His mission: to pull students with few options for healthy eating off the road to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

U.S. Obesity Plateau Shows What Works in Weight Battle [Editorial]

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Obesity has become a danger far greater than hunger. Yet amid the alarming stories about its harm to America’s health and economy, one bit of information has been drowned out: The percentage of U.S. adults who are obese appears to have plateaued… It should not, however, be reason to give up the fight. Rather, the findings lead us to twin conclusions: We can make gains against obesity, and we should find ways to accelerate that progress.

Editor’s Note: This editorial mentions an Institute of Medicine report on obesity prevention, and a study on the potential impact of a sugary beverage tax, both of which were funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Fatter the Nation Is, the More You Pay [Editorial]

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Ever wonder why health care costs keep rising faster than inflation? One major contributor is America's struggle with weight. Estimates of the cost of treating obesity-related conditions run from $150 billion to $190 billion a year, the majority of which is passed on to others in the form of higher insurance premiums and government expenditures...The need to cut health care costs — the biggest driver of federal deficits and a major drag on living standards — is going to produce more policing, from both government and the private sector. In fact, initiatives in both areas are already showing some promise.

More Than Half of Overweight And Obese Adolescents Have Heart Disease Risk, CDC Study Says

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Half the nation’s overweight teens have unhealthy blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels that put them at risk for future heart attacks and other cardiac problems, new federal research says. And an even larger proportion of obese adolescents have such a risk, according to the alarming new numbers.

Study Ties Secondhand Smoke to Bladder Irritation in Kids

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Parents who smoke may put their children at greater risk for bladder irritation, according to a small new study.

Sleep Apnea Linked to Higher Cancer Death Risk

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Sleep apnea has already been linked to a host of adverse health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Now, new research suggests that in people who already have cancer, the sleep disorder may raise their risk of dying from cancer.

Nurse Practitioners in Iowa on the Rise

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

When patients come to see Marcia Hillman at Arrowhead Medical Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa, they sometimes call her doctor. Hillman gently corrects them because she's actually an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) but she understands their confusion. According to the Iowa Board of Nursing, there are currently 2,230 ARNPs in the state, and rising. ARNPs provide medical care with a nursing background which seems something many patients and clinics favor.

Doctors Seek New Approach for Jailed

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A group of prominent addiction doctors has mounted a quiet legal campaign on behalf of Cameron Douglas, the troubled son of the actor Michael Douglas, in hopes of finding a sympathetic ear for their view that drug addiction is best handled with more treatment, not more prison time.

The Fatter the Nation is, the More You Pay

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Ever wonder why health care costs keep rising faster than inflation?

Is Early Morning P.E. the Answer to Better Student Performance?

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Some state representatives are trying to get schoolchildren more physically active as they move to improve health and school test scores. Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clinton, and Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, are considering several approaches, including a program that introduces high heart rate physical education classes before the school bell even rings in the morning.

Medicaid Gets a Rehab

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

If you're having trouble affording medical care, Medicaid might be an option you haven't considered.
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Medicare Quality Ratings for Private Plans Questioned By Critics

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

As the federal government pumps billions of bonus dollars into private Medicare health plans to encourage better care, the quality rating system used to award the bonuses is coming under increasing fire.

The National Progress Report on E-Prescribing and Interperable Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

This report provides health care industry stakeholders with a unique view of e-prescribing in the United States.

Fees Lead Some Kids to Skip After-School Sports: Survey

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Schools that charge kids to participate in sports may be benching some children, a new survey finds.

Test Baby Boomers for Hepatitis C, Says CDC

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants all Americans born between 1945 and 1965 -- the baby boom generation -- tested for hepatitis C.

Individual Insurance Benefits To Be Available Under Health Reform Would Have Cut Out-Of-Pocket Spending In 2001–08

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Under the Affordable Care Act, individual health insurance will probably become more generous and more like employment-related insurance.

Health, United States, 2011 Report

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Health, United States, 2011 is the 35th report on the health status of the Nation and is submitted by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to the President and the Congress of the United States in compliance with Section 308 of the Public Health Service Act.

Healthcare Costs for American Families in 2012 exceed $20,000 for the First Time

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Because of the way employer-sponsored health insurance is paid for, many families may not realize the cost of their healthcare for a single year is roughly equivalent to the cost of a basic mid-size sedan.

Opinion: African-American Women and Fat?

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Talking about being overweight is always an uncomfortable topic, no matter what color you are.

Breastfed Babies May Gain Less Weight: Study

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Babies who are breastfed gain less weight over their first year of life compared to babies fed either breast milk or formula from a bottle, according to a U.S. study.

Realigning Health with Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The misalignment between the expansive goal of “health” and a cramped definition of “care” has cost the United States untold lives and treasure. Yet realignment is in reach: Through expanding the scope of health care, the place where it is delivered, and the workforce that provides it, the US health care system could significantly improve health outcomes and reduce inefficiencies.

GOP Ready to Pounce after Health Ruling

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Thirty minutes. That’s the roughly time it took for conservatives to jump all over Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and his leadership team after the GOP’s game plan for dealing with President Barack Obama’s health care law leaked to the media.

Physicians: Keep the Care in Health Care (Opinion)

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Keeping the “care” in health care was never an easy thing to do, but it has undoubtedly become more challenging. Physicians have had to adapt to the transition from the practice of medicine to the business of medicine in order to keep the lights on in their offices, or provide for all the uninsured patients in their ERs. There’s plenty of pressure to maintain patient satisfaction scores or pack more patients into an hour’s office time. But it still means delivering the kind of patient care to redo a suture to ensure its placed just right.

Medical Boards Step Up Disciplinary Actions

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The number of bad doctors who were punished by their state medical boards increased 6.8 percent between 2010 and 2011, with significant increases in high population states such as Florida, California, Ohio and Texas, according to the latest annual summary from the Federation of State Medical Boards. But a recent report indicates that most state medical boards continue to fail to protect the public from bad doctors, especially in states that have the lowest physician penalty rates.

The Power of Nursing - Fixes looks at solutions to social problems and why they work

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In 2010, 5.9 million children were reported as abused or neglected in the United States. If you were a policy maker and you knew of a program that could cut this figure in half, what would you do? What if you could reduce the number of babies or toddlers hospitalized for accidents or poisonings by more than half? Or provide a 5 to 7 point I.Q. boost to children born to the most vulnerable mothers?

Well, there is a way. These and other striking results have been documented in studies of a program called the Nurse-Family Partnership, or NFP, which arranges for registered nurses to make regular home visits to first-time low-income or vulnerable mothers, starting early in their pregnancies and continuing until their child is 2.

We tend to think of social change as more of an art than a science. “What’s unique about Nurse-Family Partnership is that the program was studied in what’s considered the strongest study design, and it showed sizable, sustained effects on important life outcomes which were replicated across different populations,” explained Jon Baron, president of the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy, a nonpartisan group. “This is very unusual. There are probably only about ten programs across all areas of social policy that currently meet that standard.”

Thanks to Seed Money, Students' Garden Grows

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Students at John I. Leonard High School grew herbs, eggplant, tomatoes, strawberries and other edibles in a small garden this year, marking the first high school garden in Palm Beach County created through a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant program intended to reduce obesity among youth.

Drowning Is Leading Cause of Kids' Accidental Death: CDC

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Drowning kills more American children 1 to 4 years old than any cause except birth defects, according to a new federal report.

Fewer Young Americans Smoking, Survey Finds

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Smoking rates among American teens and young adults fell between 2004 and 2010, but too many of them still light up, a new federal government report reveals.

Fewer Girls Completing All Three HPV Shots: Study

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Among girls and women who get their first human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine, the percent who complete all three doses is dropping, according to a new study.

Ex-cons step in to mediate conflict, prevent gun violence

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Two men scuffle on the ground one cool morning on the main strip of McElderry Park, near downtown Baltimore. A large man bursts from a storefront and separates the brawlers.

The big man is Dante Barksdale, an outreach worker for Safe Streets, a program that enlists former convicts to battle neighborhood violence. Safe Streets and similar programs are winning plaudits from police, mayors and the Justice Department.

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says the Baltimore program gets some of the credit for a 56% reduction in homicides in the Cherry Hill neighborhood from January 2009 through December 2010.

The programs are modeled after one in Chicago called CeaseFire.

Innovation Grants: Adding Resources to Ideas to Improve Health Care Delivery

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

To save on health care, you have to invest in it.

Is Healthy Food Really More Expensive?

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Contrary to popular belief, it can actually cost more to eat badly.

One Shareholder's Lonely Pro-Smoking Battle

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

This time of year, shareholders bombard corporations with suggestions about executive pay, governance and other arcana.

California City Puts Soda Tax on November Ballot

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Voters in Richmond are set to decide whether to make the San Francisco Bay area city the nation's first municipality to tax soda and other sugary beverages to help fight childhood obesity.

Nearly 62,000 ‘Uninsurable’ Patients Could Lose Coverage If the Health Care Law Is Overturned

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Cancer patient Kathy Watson voted Republican in 2008 and believes the government has no right telling Americans to get health insurance.

More Doctors Are Ditching the Old Prescription Pad

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Dropping a paper prescription at the drugstore is becoming old-school: More than a third of the nation's prescriptions now are electronic, according to the latest count.

Study: Healthcare Law Would Save Consumers Nearly $300 Per Year

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

If the Affordable Care Act had been in place between 2001 and 2008, people in the individual insurance market would have saved about $280 per year on out-of-pocket costs, the study says.

Nurses Union is Getting Tougher

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In what they described as a move toward becoming more like a traditional trade union, members of the New York State Nurses Association have decided that supervisors in their respective hospitals or other health care facilities can no longer serve on the association’s board of directors. Basically it looks like they are drawing a line between supervisors and rank and file nurses. The association also plans to push hard in the Legislature for rules that would mandate new nurse-to-patient ratios.

Richmond Soda Tax to Fight Obesity Makes Ballot

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Richmond voters will decide this fall whether to impose what could be the nation's first municipal tax on soda and other sugary beverages - a penny-per-ounce surcharge intended to fight childhood obesity.

Supermarket Intervention Prompted Shoppers to Buy More Produce

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Researchers in Arizona looked at whether a little education could change what goes in the supermarket basket. They recruited 153 people who were randomly selected at a supermarket in Phoenix. Some shoppers got counseling from a nutrition educator, who offered an overview of labels and shelf signs in the store that tagged products as being a “healthier option” or “immune booster” or “calcium rich,” among other attributes set out in federal and American Heart Assn. guidelines. The educational sessions lasted last than 10 minutes… The sessions didn’t have any effect on the total servings of vegetables purchased, nor did they influence the amount of total fat, saturated fat or trans fat they put in their carts. But the shoppers who got the counseling did buy twice as many dark green and yellow vegetables and 75% more fruit.

Youth Smoking Falls as Taxes Make Cigarettes Too Costly

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Fewer American teenagers and young adults are lighting up as cigarette taxes that have broken the $3-a-pack threshold in some states make smoking too costly, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Senate Panel Looks at Innovative Health Care Strategies

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

No matter how the Supreme Court rules next month on the challenges to the 2010 health care law, there will be a continued focus on making the health care system more efficient, and senators looked at some promising options Wednesday.

Doctors Ditching the Prescription Pad as More than a Third of Prescriptions Now Are Electronic

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Doctors increasingly are ditching the prescription pad: More than a third of the nation’s prescriptions now are electronic, according to the latest count.

Panel Passes Domestic Partner Benefits Bill

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A week after President Barack Obama publicly proclaimed his support for same-sex marriage, a Senate panel easily passed a measure that would extend benefits to gay and lesbian partners of federal workers.

Doctors Ditching the Prescription Pad as More than a Third of Prescriptions Now are Electronic

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Doctors increasingly are ditching the prescription pad: More than a third of the nation’s prescriptions now are electronic, according to the latest count.

Senate Panel Looks at Innovative Health Care Strategies

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Detroit High School Joins with MSU to Train New Doctors

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Michigan State University (MSU) is partnering with Dr. Ben Carson High School students in Detroit to expose them to the medical profession. As part of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Future DOcs program started last fall to increase urban children’s interest in entering the medical field and enhance their potential of gaining college admission.

Why Some Medical Students Are Learning Their Cadavers’ Names

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

At Indiana University Northwest, an IU branch campus located in Gary, Ind., anatomy professor Ernest Talarico instructs his medical students to probe beyond the nerves and muscles of the bodies lying on their examination tables and think of the cadavers as their “first patients.” The students even meet their families. Critics contend this may cross an ethical line and put students in an uncomfortable position.

Cisco College, Texas Tech Team Up for New Nursing Program Agreement

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Nursing and the Health Sciences Center of Cisco College in Abilene have teamed up to revitalize a program designed to help licensed vocational nurses pursue an associate degree. The Texas Board of Nursing withdrew approval for Cisco College's Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program in January because of fewer than 80 percent student passing rates.

Achieving Better Quality of Care for Low-Income Populations: The Roles of Health Insurance and the Medical Home in Reducing Health Inequities

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In the United States, uninsured and low-income adults experience substantial health and health care inequities when compared with insured and higher-income individuals.

Recommended Core Measures for Evaluating the Patient-Centered Medical Home: Cost, Utilization, and Clinical Quality

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The patient-centered medical home has emerged as a promising solution to address the significant fragmentation, poor quality, and high costs that afflict the U.S. health care system.

Draft Blueprint for Approval of Affordable State-based and State Partnership Insurance Exchanges

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Affordable Care Act establishes Affordable Insurance Exchanges (Exchanges) to provide individuals and small business employees with access to health insurance coverage beginning January 1, 2014.

Health Insurers Eye $1 Trillion High Court Decision: BGOV Study

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected in June to decide the fate of President Barack Obama’s health-care overhaul law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The Weight of the Nation

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Last week, obesity took center stage in Washington, D.C. with the conference "The Weight of the Nation," sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that convened researchers, advocates and clinicians to tackle the epidemic facing our country today.

What Makes a Community Healthy? Q&A with Howard Frumkin

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Creating healthier places is a conversation every town, city and state is having now. To help advance that conversation, NewPublicHealth spoke with Howard Frumkin, MD, MPH, PhD, dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Washington, and the former chair of the County Health Rankings Advisory Board.

Study: A 20% ‘Fat Tax’ Would Improve Public Health

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Oliver Mytton, of the British Heart Foundation’s Health Promotion Research Group, and his colleagues at the University of Oxford conducted a review of about 30 international studies to determine the effect that food taxes — which are levied at a higher rate on food items considered unhealthy — have on public health. The team concluded that fat taxes can improve outcomes — but only if they put a significant dent in consumers‘ wallets.

Michael Shank: U.S. Peace Index Q&A

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Institute for Economics and Peace recently released the second annual United States Peace Index, which provides an assessment of U.S. peacefulness at the state and city levels.

Should recess be jettisoned if schools are going to overhaul the way they educate?

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Should recess be jettisoned if schools are going to overhaul the way they educate?

Monday’s post about Godfrey-Lee Superintendent David Britten calling for wholesale changes to our educational system sparked some interesting comments, especially this email from Barbra Katerberg.

She’s an occupational therapist working in the Grand Rapids Public Schools’ early childhood program, and is worried that some districts are making the wrong kinds of changes.

Opinion: African-American Women and Fat? Consider Context, Choices

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Talking about being overweight is always an uncomfortable topic, no matter what color you are.

Miss. Kids Turning Tide on Obesity, Report Shows

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A new report released by the Center of Mississippi Health Policy suggests the state's uphill battle against obesity is making headway among elementary students. The report shows a dramatic drop in the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among elementary students, from 43 percent in 2005 to 37.3 percent in 2011.

Editor’s Note: The report by the Center for Mississippi Health Policy was supported in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Healthy Eating Can Cost Less, Study Finds

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Is it really more expensive to eat healthy? An Agriculture Department study released Wednesday found that most fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods cost less than foods high in fat, sugar and salt.

Chain Restaurants Don't Meet U.S. Nutrition Guidelines, Study Says

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

For a study published online in the journal Public Health Nutrition, researchers looked at the nutritional content of 30,923 menu items, including those from children’s menus, from 245 brands of restaurants. They found that 96% of them failed to meet recommendations for the combination of calories, sodium, fat and saturated fat set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Life and Health in a Low-Income Neighborhood

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Where you live determines your health. This idea has been steadily gaining traction as emerging research continues to highlight the connection between place, lifespan and quality of life. As healthycal.org recently reported, for instance, researchers have found that stress can get under your skin and that violence can alter a child’s DNA. The poorest counties in California have the worst health, while the richest, generally, have the best.

CDC Cuts Lead Poisoning Limit for Kids

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Preventing the exposure of kids to lead is a great idea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today. The public health honchos agreed with an expert panel that recommended in January that anything greater than 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood for kids 5 and younger should be considered dangerous. That's half the current standard and represents the first reduction since 1991.

New Data on the Health of These United States

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released their annual health report for 2011 on Wednesday. The report contains more than 150 data tables on the U.S. population's well-being, with a special focus on socioeconomic status.

Bloomberg Gives to Calif. Tobacco Tax Campaign

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has given half a million dollars to a campaign supporting a California initiative that would raise the state's cigarette tax to fund cancer research.

Targeting Diabetes Prevention Among Medicare Beneficiaries

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Recent studies might suggest an increase of Type 2 diabetes among children and young adults, but the real low hanging fruit, according to diabetes and policy experts, may be among the Medicare population.

Health Food No More Costly Than Junk, Government Finds

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Contrary to popular belief, many healthy foods are no more expensive than junk food, according to a large new government analysis.

Study: 96% of Restaurant Entrees Exceed USDA Limits

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

If you plan to chow down tonight at a big chain restaurant, there's a better than nine-in-10 chance that your entree will fail to meet federal nutrition recommendations for both adults and kids, according to a provocative new study.

States Must Submit Plans for Insurance Marketplaces by Nov. 16

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

States must provide details to the federal government by Nov. 16 – just 10 days after the presidential election – on how they will run online insurance marketplaces, according to guidance released Wednesday.

Bid to Coax States on Health Exchanges

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Obama administration on Wednesday made a fresh bid to coax reluctant governors to work with the federal government to help enact the health-overhaul law.
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Top 25 Institutions Graduating Latinos in Health Professions

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Too few Latinos are graduating with health care-related degrees, says a new report, but 25 institutions are leading the way. For the academic year 2009-2010, the top institutions graduating Latinos in the health care fields were Miami Dade College at the Associate level, Florida International University at the Bachelor level, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences at the Master’s level, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey at the Doctoral level.

CDC: Higher Income and Education Levels Linked To Better Health

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

More educated people who make more money have lower rates of several chronic diseases, including obesity, compared to people with lower education and income levels, according to Health, United States, 2011, a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report.

CDC: Higher Income and Education Levels Linked to Better Health

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Soda Makers Scramble to Fill Void as Sales Drop

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In much the same way their ancestors on the prairie had to check their guns at the door of the saloon, the 320 students in the Faulkton Area School District in tiny Faulkton, S.D., will be required to dispose of all carbonated soda containers before stepping into school buildings.

Higher Education Linked to Longer Life, CDC Report Shows

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Education may not only improve a person's finances, it is also linked to better health habits and a longer life.

Immigration Status Is a Health Policy Challenge

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Obama administration’s drive to cut down on America’s uninsured is about to get multilingual.

Improving Patient Handoffs to Cut Medical Errors Focus of Mobile Tool

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Can health care professionals receive automatic updates when a patient's room or medication has been changed? A health care IT startup has developed a mobile collaboration solution to improve communication between the team of doctors, nurses and health care professionals associated with a patient’s care in a move to reduce medical errors.

Nurse Family Partnership: The Power of Nursing (Opinion)

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

What if you could reduce the number of babies or toddlers hospitalized by accidents or poisonings by more than half? Or provide a five to seven point IQ boost to babies born to the most vulnerable mothers. Well, there is a way. The Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) was founded 40 years ago by David Old and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to improve child and maternal health through the influence of nurses.

Nurse Family Partnership: The Power of Nursing (Opinion)

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Advances in Patient Care Combine With Newest Technology at Nursing Conference

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Emerging trends in patient care combine with advances in health care technology as thousands of nurses who care for acutely ill patients gather this week in Orlando, Fla. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) hosts its annual National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) Saturday, May 19, through Thursday, May 24. Some of the discussion topics include benefits and risks of health care technology and eliminating health care-associated infections and medical errors.

How Would Eliminating the Individual Mandate Affect Health Coverage and Premium Costs?

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that most Americans have health insurance by January 1, 2014.

Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive?

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Most Americans consume diets that do not meet Federal dietary recommendations.

Oregon communities jump into health care reform by figuring out coordinated care organizations

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Oregon is set to receive a nearly $2 billion windfall from the federal government. That's good news. Gov. John Kitzhaber, the one who secured the funding, is betting that this lifeline will prevent our fragile health system for low-income Oregonians from collapsing as the state rushes toward a dramatic and ambitious reform of the health delivery system called coordinated care organizations.

Essentially, the state is betting that local communities can make better, more efficient decisions for patient care than the state bureaucracy in Salem, so the health system is being de-centralized. Local communities will get a lump-sum payment (called a global budget) and that will be it. That amount will have to cover Medicaid patients' physical, mental and (starting in 2014) dental health.

These local CCOs will be forced to reduce costly emergency room visits, identify and treat mental/behavioral issues up front (before they balloon into physical health problems or expensive chronic conditions), and focus on patient responsibility and primary/preventive care. They are being asked to incorporate the social determinants of health, such as housing and employment, into the health model. They will be expected to make the populations they serve healthier so that the state and the federal government can reduce the explosive rate of growth in the health care system.

East Hartford to Promote More Walking, Biking

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The town will soon kick off its "Healthy East Hartford Program" — involving the local YMCA and a nationally recognized community planning consultant — to promote more active lifestyles for residents. For its role in the national Pioneering Healthier Community program, the East Hartford YMCA has received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to work with community leaders to reduce childhood obesity. The grant funds will allow for the town and the YMCA to work with Mark Fenton, an MIT-trained biomechanical engineer who is a community design and planning consultant.

Soda Makers Scramble to Fill Void as Sales Drop

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Last year, the average American drank slightly under two sodas a day, a drop in per capita consumption of about 16 percent since the peak in 1998, according to Beverage Digest, a trade publication. What began as a slow decline accelerated in the middle of the last decade and now threatens some of the best-known brands in the business.

Editor’s Note: The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is mentioned in this article, and the Alliance’s Healthy Schools Program is a grantee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

U.S. Asthma Rates at All-Time High, CDC Says

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The proportion of Americans with asthma increased from 7.3% in 2001 to 8.4% in 2010, marking the highest level ever, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. In 2010, an estimated 18.7 million adults and 7 million children had the disease -- one in every 12 Americans.

FDA Panel Backs First Rapid, Take Home HIV Test

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

American consumers may soon be able to test themselves for the virus that causes AIDS in the privacy of their own homes, after a panel of experts on Tuesday recommended approval of the first rapid, over-the-counter HIV test.

U.S. Task Force Issues Blood Pressure Guidelines

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

"Team-based care" should be used to improve patients' blood pressure control, the U.S. Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommended on Tuesday.

The Weight of the Nation

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Health Care Costs to Exceed a Record $20,000 Per Year for Families With Insurance, Study Says

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Health care costs for a family of four covered by workplace health insurance will exceed $20,000 for the first time ever this year -- $20,728 to be precise -- according to a new study released Tuesday.

Health Exchanges' Sharing of Patient Data Heightens Privacy Concerns

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Victor Hand, a semi-retired railway manager in Maine, grew so alarmed when he learned that his state was building a database to store all residents' medical files that he rushed to the hospital to try to opt out.

Study: Insurers to Lose $1 Trillion If Health Law Struck Down

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Nearly one-tenth of the insurance industry's total revenue through 2020 is at stake in the Supreme Court's decision on healthcare reform, a new study by Bloomberg Government says.

Career Trends for Critical-Care Nurses

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Mary Stahl, RN, MSN, ACNS-BC, president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and clinical nurse specialist in medical cardiology at the MidAmerica Heart Institute in St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., discusses how health care reform will impact the profession (like electronic health records and 'change fatigue') and how critical-care nurses can best advance their own career.

Health Plans Providing Detailed Cost Estimates of Doctor Visits

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Health insurers have replaced online tools that showed only rough guesses as to how much a doctor’s visit will cost with new ones that estimate specific dollar amounts for both overall and patient out-of-pocket costs.

Health Plans Providing Detailed Cost Estimates of Doctor Visits

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Romney Medicare Plan Draws a Stark Contrast

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

President Obama and Mitt Romney agree on one thing about Medicare: the differences between them are huge.

Culture of Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Reducing disparities in health care remains an elusive goal in American medicine. On average, minorities in the United States face poorer health outcomes than their white counterparts. They are more likely to die as infants, face increased risk of disease and disabilities and have shorter life spans. In Delaware, minority outreach programs save money and lives by lowering barriers of language, background and other factors.

New Nurse Residency Program at Massachusetts' Baystate Medical Center

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

For the first time in years, new nurses are not simply falling into jobs after school. But a new nurse residency program at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass., will help some get a job but likely outside of a hospital setting. Because of health care reform, the trend now is toward more nursing jobs in home-based care. The difficulty is that those nurses need to be experienced since a nurse or doctor will not be down the hall to ask for help.

Hospital's Weighty Hiring Policies No Longer Exclude the Obese

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Should medical centers be able to refuse to hire nurses and physicians who are overweight? At least one hospital thought so, but it recently changed its mind. Citizens’ Medical Center in Victoria, Texas (southeast of San Antonio), issued a hiring policy in 2011 which declared that overweight health care professionals need not apply.

For Kids, a Healthier Way to Snack [Opinion]

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In Howard County, The Horizon Foundation is partnering with the health department, county government, the school system, health care institutions, faith communities and many other community groups, large and small, to help change the way our community thinks about sugary drinks. Let's rethink what we drink and begin to reverse our childhood obesity epidemic.

Lower-Than-Expected Medicare Drug Costs Mostly Reflect Lower Enrollment and Slowing of Overall Drug Spending, Not Reliance on Private Plans

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The House-passed budget would convert Medicare to a "premium support" voucher to purchase private health insurance or traditional Medicare.

Workplace Wellness Programs

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The poor health habits of many workers, growing rates of chronic disease, and the rising cost of health benefits have created new interest in workplace wellness programs.

Suspension Rates at a Washington School Drop 85%: Does Kindness Play a Role?

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

If you haven't heard about Jim Sporleder, high school principal at Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, Washington, you soon will. Lincoln High is an alternative school -- a school of last resort some might say -- where many of the students have come from other schools where they had been expelled. A high proportion of the students have had Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), traumatic events involving emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Despite these situations, Sporleder and his staff achieved an 85% drop in the suspension rate at Lincoln High.

They didn't lower suspension rates by administering sedatives, threatening expulsion, or bringing in a wrestler with muscles the size of Seattle. His staff didn't hire a police task force or military recruiters.

Instead, according to an article that emerged in April on the blog "ACEs Too High," Sporleder, inspired by research on the human brain, instituted a policy where students are encouraged to actually discuss their issues when disciplinary problems occur.

Lincoln High's approach has gone viral, and it's little surprise. Take Sporleder's approach with a student that used the F-word in class and was sent to his office: "Wow. Are you OK? This doesn't sound like you. What's going on?" The student, prepared to defend himself to avoid punishment, was caught by surprise by such empathetic treatment. The student's defenses melted in the face of the principal's care and compassion.

Study: Obesity Will Cost Utah Billions in Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Utah is getting fatter and it’s going to cost all of us in the long term. A new analysis of medical data estimates that $485 million was spent on obesity-related health care for Utah adults in 2008, the most recent year data was available. That number could more than quadruple by 2018, when the number is projected to jump to $2.4 billion, if Utah waistlines continue to expand at the current rate.

Pounding Away at America's Obesity Epidemic

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A new HBO documentary series, The Weight of the Nation, explores how our country got this way and what can be done to tackle what has become a growing national health crisis... "Very rarely do you hear the human stories [behind the epidemic]," says psychologist Kelly Brownell, who is featured in the documentary and directs the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale.

Editor’s Note: The Rudd Center is a grantee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

DSM 5 Could Mean 40% of College Students Are Alcoholics

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Are you or have you ever been a college binge drinker? Welcome to alcoholism, a diagnosis your college self could qualify for under the changes proposed to the next edition of psychiatry’s diagnostic manual, the DSM 5.

Lawmaker: 'Pizza Is Not a Vegetable' in School Lunches

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) introduced a bill Monday to stop the amount of tomato paste used on a children's slice of pizza from counting as a serving of vegetables in school lunches, arguing that the standard effectively qualifies pizza as a vegetable. He said he hopes the measure can be included in this year's farm bill.

It's Time to Serve Up Some Big Incentives to Curb Obesity [Opinion]

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

First, we should limit the marketing of fast food and junk food to kids. Young people are just not in a position to make wise choices when it comes to sweets and treats... How about a cigarette-style tax on such foods and beverages, with the proceeds going toward obesity research and wellness programs? How about higher insurance rates for the overweight, just as smokers typically pay more for health coverage? Meanwhile, there needs to be more attention paid to giving people healthful choices. This means incentives to encourage supermarkets and produce stores to open in lower-income neighborhoods, and perhaps subsidies to lower the price of organic fruits and vegetables.

No Single Answer on Obesity [Editorial]

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In order for America to reverse the dangerously unhealthy trend toward obesity, it’s going to take action on multiple fronts. That was the takeaway message from the report released last week by the Institute of Medicine.

Editor’s Note: This report was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

First Lady Has Plan to Get Kids Involved in Sports

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The first lady is partnering with the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Partnership for a Healthier America, U.S. Paralympics and numerous national governing bodies that have pledged their time and resources toward introducing young people to their sports over the course of the summer.

How Much Do the Nation’s Pre-Eminent Hospitals Cost Medicare?

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Can you cut health care spending without undermining the quality of care?

Bonus: Two Weeks’ Worth of Food Links

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Here is a video detailing the U.S.D.A.’s new nutrition labels for meat and poultry.

NYC's Mayor Bloomberg Ponies Up for California Anti-Smoking Measure

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Saying he wants to help fight tobacco company interests, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday kicked in up to $500,000 to support Proposition 29 on the June 5 California ballot.

It's Time to Serve Up Some Big Incentives to Curb Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

To combat the alarming obesity rate, the Institute of Medicine says the U.S. needs to overhaul everything from farm policies to zoning laws.

First Lady Has Plan to Get Kids Involved in Sports

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Michelle Obama remembers sitting in front of her television many years ago and watching Mary Lou Retton, Nadia Comaneci and Carl Lewis as they competed in the Summer Olympics.

Health Insurance Expansion Looming, Primary Care Turf Battle Heats Up

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

President Obama’s health care law is expected to expand health insurance to 32 million Americans over the next decade.

How Much Do the Nation’s Pre-Eminent Hospitals Cost Medicare?

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Can you cut health care spending without undermining the quality of care?

Kaiser to Launch Training of Family Doctors

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Responding to a looming shortage of primary care physicians in California's Sonoma County, Kaiser Permanente is launching the Kaiser Family Medicine Residency Program to train six family practice physicians a year. The program at Kaiser’s Santa Rosa Medical Center will enroll its first group in July 2014 and will graduate that class three years later. Kaiser's residency program will complement a similar program by Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa, which has graduated more than 580 family practice physicians since 1938.

“Button” Batteries Sending More Kids to ER

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Cases of children rushed to the emergency room after accidentally swallowing coin-sized batteries found in many household gadgets have doubled over the past two decades, new research reveals.

The Hidden Dangers of Baby Bottles, Pacifiers and Sippy Cups

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

They’re synonymous with infancy, but baby bottles, pacifiers and sippy cups may not be as baby-friendly as parents would like. Between 1991 and 2010, about 45,000 children under age 3 were treated in emergency rooms for injuries due to these products, according to a report in the journal Pediatrics.

Is World Outpacing U.S. on Health Care?

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Even as Americans debate whether President Obama’s health-care law and its promise of guaranteed health coverage should be scrapped, many far less affluent nations are moving in the opposite direction — to provide medical insurance to all citizens.

Is World Outpacing U.S. on Health Care?

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Need for Nurses Outpaces Growth in those Entering Field

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Yvonne Yacoub has been a nurse for half a century. In 50 years, she has seen her profession redefine itself to meet the challenges of change, yet continue to struggle with shortages of new practitioners.

FDA Weighs Prescriptions Without Medical Visits

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a move that would allow patients to obtain prescription medications without ever seeing a doctor. Instead, patients would use technology to evaluate their needs.The new model of drug distribution being considered by the FDA would allow some drugs for chronic conditions, such as asthma and allergies, to be sold under “conditions of safe use,” a proposed category that would describe prescription drugs sold over the counter. The model would expand the role of pharmacists while reducing that of physicians.

Physicians Will Lead ACOs Forward (Opinion)

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Giving doctors more opportunities to participate in programs targeting costs and quality allows them to demonstrate that innovation can flow from practices of all sizes. Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are part of this solution. The 21 of 27 ACOs chosen to participate in the Medicare shared-savings program are physician-led and is a positive sign for doctors — and for the health system overall.

New Jersey League for Nursing Convention Focuses on Future of Nursing

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

"Transforming Nursing for Healthcare’s New Age" was the theme of the 2012 New Jersey League for Nursing (NJLN) convention March 28-30 at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. "Our theme underscores the vital role that nurses and nursing will have in shaping our profession’s future and the future of our nation’s nursing and health care," said NJLN President Eileen P. Williamson, RN, MS, senior vice president.

Twitter Can Help Nurses Spread Messages Quickly

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Ab Brody, RN, PhD, GNP-BC, is an assistant professor at New York University’s College of Nursing. Pat Iyer, RN, MSN, LNCC, is president of Avoid Medical Errors, a Flemington, N.J.-based company dedicated to helping consumers stay healthy. Andrew Lopez, RN, is a Mantua, N.J.-based nurse entrepreneur, who has several social media businesses. Their professional nursing lives might be diverse, but all three use Twitter professionally and personally to connect with people who have similar interests, connects them to their patients, knowledge and opportunities.

Poor health care, lack of social services why women reoffend

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

For every 100 women released from a B.C. jail this year, 45 of them will be back behind bars next year.

The vast majority of these women will not reoffend because they love committing crimes, says a unique study by researchers at the University of British Columbia titled Doing Time.

The recidivism rates are directly related to a lack of access to health care and social supports in the community after they walk out of jail, the study, being released Monday, found.

Most of these women struggle to find safe housing, a doctor, clean clothing, service organizations - and, in some cases, a helpful friend.

Ignoring Obesity Builds Roadblocks to Better Health [Op-Ed]

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Though there are no easy answers for food deserts, obesity and other health-related issues, data (and common sense) strongly suggest that working to improve access to healthy foods in areas where it's needed is one of many ways to address the problem. Denying there is a problem at all may construct a roadblock to innovative solutions that could ultimately improve the health of Coloradans -- and keep us from getting sideswiped by Colorado's obesity epidemic.

Communities Want You to Break Out Your Walking Shoes

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

WalkBoston, through a grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation is working with officials in Franklin, Northborough and Milford to identify walkable areas and map out routes that show the distance and time to walk between shops, historical landmarks, schools and other destinations.

Bikeways Pedal into New Areas in Long Beach

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In its continuing quest to be the "bike friendliest" city, Long Beach hopes to extend its pedal-pushing mission to west and north portions of the city.

Nurse Practitioners Seek to Fill New Care Demands

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

President Obama’s health-care law is expected to expand health insurance to 32 million Americans over the next decade. Health policy experts anticipate that the wave of new insurance subscribers will lead to a spike in demand for medical services.

Cutbacks Hurt a State’s Response to Whopping Cough

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Whooping cough, or pertussis, a highly infectious respiratory disease once considered doomed by science, has struck Washington State this spring with a severity that health officials say could surpass the toll of any year since the 1940s, before a vaccine went into wide use.

Tobacco Company Ads Take Aim at Proposition 29

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Every morning when UC San Diego physicist Herbert Levine laces up his running shoes and chugs alongside Mission Bay, his earphones crackle with radio ads opposing a proposed $1-per-pack cigarette tax to raise money for cancer research.

Height, Weight — BMI? Doctors Urged to Treat Body Mass Index As A Vital Sign

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Doctors assess patients’ breathing, heart rate and blood pressure routinely at office visits. Soon, they may be adding body mass index to that list.

2 States Go Own Ways on U.S. Law

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

One day after President Obama signed federal health-care legislation into law, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) issued an executive order that essentially put out the welcome mat.

GOP Officials Stall on Insurance Exchanges

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In about two dozen states across the country, the insurance marketplaces at the heart of the 2010 health-care law remain in limbo, with Republican governors or lawmakers who oppose the statute refusing to act until the Supreme Court decides its constitutionality.

Insurers Must Credit Rebates to Health Law

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Health-insurance companies must tell customers who get a premium rebate this summer that the check is the result of the Obama administration's health-care law, according to federal guidelines released Friday.
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Integrating Immigrants Into the U.S. Health System

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

There are about 7 million low- and middle-income documented immigrants in the United States lacking health insurance.

The World Health Report 2008—Primary Healthcare: How Wide Is the Gap Between Its Agenda and Implementation in 12 High-Income Health Systems?

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In a 2008 report, the World Health Organization (WHO) set forth four policy reforms needed to elevate the role of primary care in health systems around the world.

Guidelines International Network: Toward International Standards for Clinical Practice Guidelines

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Because they are developed under a variety of approaches, clinical practice guidelines tend to vary in quality.

Detroit Proposal Calls for Transforming Health Department into an Institute

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The City of Detroit is expected to propose replacing its health department with a public health institute to save money as it tries to come up with a 2012-13 budget that satisfies the consent agreement it has with the state.

CDC Mulls Hepatitis C Testing for Boomers

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

So many baby boomers are infected with hepatitis C - and so few of them know it - that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may recommend everyone born between 1945 and 1965 be screened for the disease.

Battling the Bulge: Valley View Elementary Gets Kids Moving

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The latest Community Report Card from the Coordinating Council of Calhoun County said 17 percent of middle schoolers, 16 percent of high schoolers and 38 percent of local adults were obese in 2009. To combat that, Valley View’s Mileage Club invites students to walk or run quarter-mile laps at recess and earn punches in foot-shaped mileage cards. Every five miles, kids get a toe-shaped token that they can collect for prizes such as T-shirts, water bottles and more.

CDC: Food-borne Illnesses Drop, But Food Safety Still Crucial

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The rate of food-borne illness in the United States dropped by nearly a quarter since the late 1990s, according to a new report.

Prenatal Smoking Tied to Worse Asthma in Kids

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy may have a tougher time controlling their asthma than other kids do, a new study suggests.

Chronicling the Pounds, Their Risks and Causes

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

During the production of “The Weight of the Nation,” a set of films about obesity that HBO will start showing this week, John Hoffman watched over and over again the commercials for sugary snacks and gut-busting meals that appear in excerpts

Battling Junk Food in High Schools

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

School food has been under scrutiny in California.

Which Hospitals’ Patients Cost Medicare The Most? A Top 10 List

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

New government data identify which hospitals’ patients cost Medicare the most.

The Emergency Room Is Not Health Insurance

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

It’s an argument I’ve heard a lot covering health policy: The United States already has universal health coverage because emergency rooms are required to treat everyone who shows up in their waiting rooms.

A Need for New Thinking in Attacking our Weight Problem [Editorial]

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In the Journal of Preventive Medicine on Monday, health-policy experts estimated that 42 percent of American adults will be obese in 2030. That’s a 9-point drop from an earlier projection. Forgive us if we don’t cheer at the prospect of adding 32 million to the total number of Americans who are dozens of pounds too heavy, a count that stood in 2010 at 78 million. It’s not easy to transform deeply ingrained habits and attitudes, particularly given humans’ biological predisposition to gobble calories and remain at rest. But as a National Academy of Sciences report released on Tuesday indicates, there are policies worth trying. Like the battle against tobacco, the fight against obesity might be a slow, hard campaign in changing minds and behaviors. But it is no less important.

Watching TV Steers Children Toward Eating Junk

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

What you see is what you eat, according to the latest study to confirm that TV viewing encourages children to eat more junk food. But the researchers say there may be an easy way to counter unhealthy snacking in front of the tube, simply by putting healthier foods within easy reach. Leah Lipsky and Ronal Iannotti, staff scientists at the Eunice Kennedy Shrive National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, report that for every hour of television children watch, they are 8% less likely to eat fruit every day, 18% more likely to eat candy, and 16% more likely to eat fast food.

Massachusetts Wants to Cut $150 Billion in Health Costs. Can It Succeed?

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Massachusetts is inching toward health-care legislation that, if successful, could overhaul how the state pays for health care — and save billions in the process.

Overweight Nation

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

GOOD NEWS? In the Journal of Preventive Medicine on Monday, health-policy experts estimated that 42 percent of American adults will be obese in 2030.

The Tax Code Diet

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Beware of scientists who moonlight as politicians.

Massachusetts Backs Off School Bake Sale Ban

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Cupcakes, brownies and other baked goodies will be spared the chopping block at Massachusetts schools after Gov. Deval Patrick backed down from planned regulations to prohibit the sale of the treats at bake sales during school hours.

Which Hospitals’ Patients Cost Medicare The Most? A Top 10 List

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

New government data identify which hospitals’ patients cost Medicare the most.

Massachusetts Wants to Cut $150 Billion in Health Costs. Can It Succeed?

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Massachusetts is inching toward health-care legislation that, if successful, could overhaul how the state pays for health care — and save billions in the process.

Christie Vetoes Health Insurance Exchange

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In a swipe at President Obama’s signature health care legislation, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey vetoed on Thursday an online marketplace that the Legislature created to help residents and small businesses buy health insurance.

New Hampshire Wants Hospitals Near Massachusetts Border

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

New Hampshire lawmakers are pushing incentives for so-called destination hospitals to open along the state’s southern border, hoping to build a specialty health care hub that draws patients from Massachusetts.

Minnesotans Say Nursing Shortage Largely a Myth for Job Seekers

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

There's been a steady stream of reports predicting a dearth of nurses in the coming years. One recent forecast from The American College of Medical Quality projects a national shortage of 300,000 to 1 million nurses in 2020. So when Marc Anders of St. Paul, Minn., switched careers from bartending to nursing and started a two-year nursing program in 2008, he thought he would have it made in landing a job. Anders did get a job out of nursing school, but was laid off last October when the employer shut down.

Frank Chaloupka Q &A: Study Shows 2009 Federal Tobacco Tax Helped Cut Youth Smoking

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago found that in the first 60 days following a 2009 federal tobacco tax, at least 220,000 young people were prevented from using tobacco. The research, which was published online today by the National Bureau of Economic Researchand funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Cancer Institute, demonstrates the substantial and immediate impact of the tobacco tax on reducing youth smoking and youth smokeless tobacco rates.

Report Claims SCHIP Cut Smokers, Increased Revenues

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago claims that a large national tax increase "can influence youth tobacco use prevalence within a very short time period."

Norovirus Outbreak: Why You Shouldn’t Keep Your Grocery Bag in the Bathroom

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In general, microbes like bacteria and viruses cannot survive for long on inanimate objects such as bathroom surfaces or grocery bags. Usually, norovirus is transmitted through direct human contact, but as the report highlights, it can survive long enough on surfaces to sicken those in close proximity to an infected person.

The Deadliness of Income Inequality

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Growing income inequality in the United States has Americans talking about justice and economic fairness, but a new study suggests the burgeoning wealth gap is threatening more than just our pocketbooks. It might be raising our risk for an early death.

WIC Works, But Enrollment Is Down

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Special Supplemental Nutritional Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides nutrient-rich foods and nutritional counseling to those who need it. Ideally, participation in the WIC program alleviates some of the economic and the emotional stress on parents. That, theorized a group of researchers from a variety of institutions (including the University of Maryland and Boston University Schools of Medicine), should mean healthier parents and healthier children — and according to their research, reported in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, it did.

HHS: New Cuts to 'Red Tape' to Save Billions for Healthcare Providers

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Health and Human Services (HHS) Department touted new rules easing the regulatory burden on hospitals and healthcare providers to the tune of more than $5 billion in savings over five years.

What's In A Name: Health Exchanges, Marketplaces ... Or Swap Meets

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

If a Medicare staff recommendation is approved, health insurance exchanges may be up for a rebranding.

Doctors Training to Take on Health Care Transformation at New Maine Leadership Institute

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership, based in Portland, Maine has launched what is believed to be the nation’s first independent statewide Physician Executive Leadership Institute. Selected participants will be known as McAfee Fellows, after noted Maine physician and leader Robert McAfee, MD. The Physician Executive Leadership Institute is bringing 36 McAfee Fellows from across Maine together six times throughout the year for two-day sessions to assume key leadership and management roles and develop policy as Maine transforms the way health care is delivered and paid.

HHS Rules Seek to Reduce Regulatory Burdens on Providers

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced what it calls "significant" steps to reduce unnecessary, obsolete or burdensome regulations on hospitals and health care providers. One rule states that all eligible candidates, including advanced practice nurses (APRNs) and physician assistants, must be reviewed by the medical staff for potential appointment to the hospital medical staff. These employees must then be granted all the privileges, rights and responsibilities accorded to medical staff members.

HHS Rules Seek to Reduce Regulatory Burdens on Providers

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

University of Maine Nursing Students Take Classroom Into the Real World

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Students from all disciplines are expected to take their classroom lessons into the real world — but none more so than nursing students. That’s why prospective nurses choose the University of Maine’s School of Nursing. In fact, the university is setting its nursing program apart. Educators with real world experience, a supportive environment where nursing students learn to lean on each other for support, and the opportunity to learn in real-world settings all contribute to University of Maine’s successful program.

Study: Privately Insured Kids Get More Care in ED

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Emergency departments are required to treat everyone who comes through the doors, but that doesn’t mean they treat everyone the same way.

GOP Shies Away from Offering Healthcare Reform Alternative

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Republicans might not offer a comprehensive plan to replace President Obama’s healthcare law if the Supreme Court strikes it down this summer.

Study: Privately Insured Kids Get More Care in ED

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Emergency departments are required to treat everyone who comes through the doors, but that doesn’t mean they treat everyone the same way.

Hospitals Turn Up the Heat on Outpatient Centers

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

There is fierce plastic surgery competition between hospitals and physician-run outpatient centers, with the debate focusing on safety. Officials of outpatient centers say they provide personal care in a less stressful environment than hospitals and the procedures are less costly. It has become increasingly common for women to have breast reduction surgery at an outpatient surgery center. Hospital leaders insist there are questions about the ethics of some of the outpatient programs and their reliability.

Eating, Pedaling, Walking Toward Longer Life [Editorial]

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Fortunately, many Northeast Ohio residents seem eager to unite to battle the bulge. No one initiative or conference or slogan will be enough, but making this issue a priority can lead to a healthier region.

Reusable Grocery Bag Carried Nasty Norovirus, Scientists Say

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Oregon public health officials have traced a nasty outbreak of norovirus infections in a group of soccer players to an unlikely source: a reusable grocery bag contaminated with what some experts are calling “the perfect pathogens.” The incident is raising questions, once again, about the cleanliness of the portable shopping bags that many consumers use to avoid the paper vs. plastic impact on the environment.

U.S. Government Urged to Fight Fat at School

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A coalition of health advocacy groups on Wednesday urged the U.S. government to put more resources into school-based efforts to improve health and fight obesity among youth. The recommendations by the Healthy Schools Campaign and Trust for America's Health were backed by more than 70 groups including the American Cancer Society and the National Education Association.

Type 2 Diabetes in Kids not Child's Play

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

If ever we needed a wake-up call on the state of American children’s health, consider the growing proliferation of Type 2 diabetes in our youth, as detailed in a study recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

'Safe Routes,' Founded In Marin, Receives National Recognition for Fighting Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Fairfax-based Safe Routes to Schools was one of six groups in the nation to receive the Centers for Disease Control's Pioneering Innovation Award for its work toward preventing and controlling obesity. "This really is recognition for Marin which got the pilot program going," said Fairfax resident Deb Hubsmith, director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

Editor’s Note: The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is a grantee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

USDA Is Spending Millions to Give Farmers Markets Technology to Accept Food Stamps, Serve More

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The federal government is spending $4 million to help hook up farmers and low-income customers. Currently, fewer than a quarter of the nation’s roughly 7,100 farmers markets are set up to use the Electronic Benefit Transfer system, or food stamps. But Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary of agriculture, said she hopes these grants will bring another 4,000 of those outlets on line with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Medicare Spotlights Hospitals with Especially Costly Patients

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The government has identified hundreds of hospitals whose Medicare patients are incurring especially high bills, a first step toward using bonuses and penalties to encourage more efficient care.

Obesity, a New Kind of Smoke

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The war on smoking can help guide the nation’s fight against obesity. Trash food can be the cigarette.

Have California Schools Cracked the Code on Obesity?

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

When it comes to nutrition policy, we know about a lot of things that don’t work: Soda taxes and proximity to healthy foods, for example, have relatively shaky support in the public health literature.

Type 2 Diabetes in Kids not Child’s Play

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Medicare Spotlights Hospitals with Especially Costly Patients

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The government has identified hundreds of hospitals whose Medicare patients are incurring especially high bills, a first step toward using bonuses and penalties to encourage more efficient care.

Massachusetts is Closer to Controlling Health Costs

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Massachusetts is one step closer to passing major legislation that would aim to control the state's rising health-care costs.
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Medicaid Payments to Primary Care Doctors Will Rise Under New Regulation

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Primary care doctors could get a pay raise next year for treating Medicaid patients, under a rule announced by the Obama administration Wednesday.

Health Exchanges Vex GOP

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The controversy over President Barack Obama's sweeping health-insurance law is putting the nation's 29 Republican governors in an awkward position.
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Eight University of Louisville Doctors Graduate from RWJF's SMDEP

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Eight health sciences students graduating this Saturday – four dentists and four physicians – are achieving a milestone that has special meaning because they all came from rural, minority or disadvantaged backgrounds. The eight are the University of Louisville’s first group to complete the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP), a health sciences program aimed at creating a more diverse medical and dental workforce. Funded by grants totaling more than $2 million from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and matched by the University of Louisville Foundation and individual donors, SMDEP began at UofL in 2005.

New Simulation Lab Will Train Milwaukee Nurses for Emergencies

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Nurses can never know how they will react to an emergency, such as a severe allergic reaction or a patient's hemorrhaging, until they are tested. But advances in simulation labs can help prepare them for those rare events. This month, the College of Nursing at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., will begin construction on a $4 million simulation lab to prepare students for events they are unlikely to encounter during their training.

Retired Couples May Need $240,000 for Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Couples retiring this year can expect their medical bills throughout retirement to cost 4 percent more than those who retired a year ago, according to an annual projection released Wednesday by Fidelity Investments.

Medical School Enrollment Rise: Ending Physician Shortage?

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Medical school reinforcements are attempting to combat the predicted shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialty physicians needed to care for the aging Baby Boomer generation and others, according to a new study by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The AAMC recommended in 2006 that medical schools initiate enrollment increases to head off the 90,000 PCP and specialty care doctor shortage expected by 2020. Enrollment study data released recently by the organization shows that U.S. medical schools are on their way to achieving the 30 percent enrollment increase it requested by 2016. Now, AAMC leaders say, residency positions must be expanded to match the enrollment increases.

Obesity and Severe Obesity Forecasts Through 2030

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Previous efforts to forecast future trends in obesity applied linear forecasts assuming that the rise in obesity would continue unabated.

Obesity and Severe Obesity Forecasts Through 2030

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Previous efforts to forecast future trends in obesity applied linear forecasts assuming that the rise in obesity would continue unabated.

Recreational Use of Prescription Painkillers Linked to Other Drug Problems in Teens

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Nearly 1 in 4 high school seniors has ever taken a prescription opioid pain reliever either medically or recreationally, according to a new study. Nonmedical use of these drugs was associated with a higher risk of smoking, illegal drug use and binge drinking, but proper medical use was not.

Big Changes Coming on Portland School Menus

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

City schools are expected to be healthier places in September when new nutrition policies, approved by the School Board last month, take effect. The new policies, some of which have been in development for five years, represent a change in the way schools around the country feed students and teach them about nutrition. While the changes may be drastic at some schools, they represent something the Portland Public Schools have been doing for several years.

Bans on School Junk Food Pay Off in California

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Five years after California started cracking down on junk food in school cafeterias, a new report shows that high school students there consume fewer calories and less fat and sugar at school than students in other states. The findings suggest that state policies can be successful to some extent in influencing the eating habits of teenagers.

Obesity Fight Must Shift From Personal Blame: U.S. Panel

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

America's obesity epidemic is so deeply rooted that it will take dramatic and systemic measures - from overhauling farm policies and zoning laws to, possibly, introducing a soda tax - to fix it, the influential Institute of Medicine said on Tuesday.

Editor’s Note: This report was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Study: Consumers With ‘Skin In the Game’ May Have Lower Health Costs But Risks Remain

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

At some point we will all be paying a greater share of our health costs.

Magnet-Recognized Hospitals may have Better Outcomes for Low Birth Rate Babies

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A recently released interdisciplinary study revealed that very low birth weight infants fare better in hospitals that have earned Recognition for Nursing Excellence (RNE) and are designated Magnet Hospitals by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Column: Expand Over-the-Counter Medications? Very Bad Idea

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Food and Drug Administration is considering removing prescription requirements for medications that treat common conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, migraines and high cholesterol.

Senate Inquiry Into Pankiller Makers’ Ties

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Two senior senators said on Tuesday that they had opened an investigation into financial ties between producers of prescription painkillers and pain experts, patient advocacy groups and organizations that set guidelines on how doctors use the drugs.

New Weight Loss Plan for U.S. Obesity Crisis

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Obesity in America is a crisis that threatens national security -- and urgent action is needed, says the Institute of Medicine. The IOM's plan: Totally change the way Americans approach exercise and nutrition.

HHS Announces Health Law ‘Innovation Awards’

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the first set of so-called "innovation awards" created by the 2010 healthcare law.

HHS Announces Health Law ‘Innovation Awards’

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the first set of so-called "innovation awards" created by the 2010 healthcare law.

Q&A: RWJF on Meaningful Use Stage 2’s Impact on Public and Population Health

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Among the commenters publicly weighing in on the meaningful use Stage 2 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) focused on public and population health (PDF).

Bans of School Junk Food Pay Off in California

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Informed Patient: Doctors Ramp Up Type 1 Diabetes Screening

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

With Type 1 diabetes on the rise, researchers are stepping up efforts to screen patients’ family members, who are at higher risk of also getting the disease, the Informed Patient column reports.
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Panel Calls for More Active Federal Role in Fight Against Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Federal agencies should step in if industries that promote high-calorie foods to children do not implement common nutrition standards within two years, the influential Institute of Medicine (IOM) said Tuesday.

The ABCs of Beating Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Obesity is so entrenched in the U.S. that it would take an intense push by schools, employers, doctors and others to reverse an epidemic that accounts for billions of dollars in annual health-care costs, concluded a report released Tuesday.
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Study: States Should Limit Number of Plans in Exchanges

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

States should use their new insurance exchanges to narrow down the number of plans consumers can choose from, according to an analysis published in the journal Health Affairs.

These Health Law Bets Aren’t a Figure of Speech

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The stakes are high in the Supreme Court’s consideration of the 2010 health law, as countless commentators have observed.

Jawboning by HHS Doesn’t Scare Insurers

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Department of Health and Human Services isn’t that much of a bully, it turns out.

House Measure on FDA User Fees Set for Markup Thursday

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The “must-pass” Food and Drug Administration user fee bill was sent to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday morning on a raft of blown kisses from Democrats and Republicans on the Health Subcommittee.

More Americans Skipped Needed Health Care in 2010, Study Shows

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

More adults went without needed medical treatment, a dental visit or routine check-ups in 2010 than a decade earlier, according to a new study.
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Report: D.C. Children Who need Mental Health Services not Getting Help they Need

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Thousands of District children who need mental health services are not getting them, and the city’s complex system relies too heavily on institutionalizing and medicating those who do receive care, according to a report issued this week by a leading advocacy group.

Team Approach Treats Patient Depression, Comorbidities

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Among adults with depression and poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease or both, a collaborative care intervention incorporating a team-centered care approach is associated with improvements in depression-free days and quality-adjusted life-years, according to a report. This team-based collaborative care management included nurse care managers who worked with the patients and their primary care physician to optimize the systematic management of chronic illness.

Team Approach Treats Patient Depression, Comorbidities

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Survey Shows Shortage of Nurses Staffing a Key Concern

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A statewide survey of 25,000 registered nurses conducted by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals shows that nurses are still concerned with staffing in their facilities, with most nurses reporting they have much less time to spend with their patients than in prior years.The survey also included questions about patient safety, work environment and job satisfaction.

Study: Residents in Tenn., Fla. An Ga. Saw Biggest Jump in Access Problems

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Adults in nearly every state saw their access to health services worsen during over the past decade, with Tennessee, Florida and Georgia having the greatest increase in people reporting having an unmet medical need, according to a study released Tuesday.

Study Predicts 42 Percent of Americans will be Obese in 2030

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In 2030, 42 percent of American adults will be obese, and about one-quarter of that group will be severely obese, a condition that shortens life and incurs large medical expenses, a new study predicts.

Report: Schools Key to Fighting America’s Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Schools should be a cornerstone of the nation's obesity battle, but to trim Americans' waistlines, changes are needed everywhere people live, work, play and learn, a major new report says.

Multiple Strategies Needed to Fight Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Students should be physically active for 60 minutes every day at school, fast-food restaurants need to offer healthier foods to kids, and communities need to have trails and other safe areas for residents to encourage physical activity, says a report out today.

Illinois Rural Doctors Enjoy the Challenges, Benefits of Small Town Practice

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Sherry Williams, MD and Kenneth Brown, MD, enjoy practicing medicine in the small community of Arthur, Illinois just outside of Decatur. Both family physicians sought jobs close to home in proximity and mind-set. Brown and Williams find themselves calling on aspects of their physician training that an average family doctor might not use on a daily basis. Rural health care offers special challenges and rewards and the opportunity to care for an array of patients, ranging from city dwellers to the area’s Amish community.

Why Nurses Need More Authority (Opinion)

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

We're facing a severe shortage of primary care physicians in the nation. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) predicts a shortfall of 29,800 primary care physicians by 2015, and 65,800 by 2025, mainly because of the anticipated increase in demand for services from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), relatively lower incomes and growth in the elderly population. Allowing nurses to act as primary-care providers will increase coverage and lower health-care costs. So why is there so much opposition from physicians?

Why Nurses Need More Authority (Opinion)

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

What HBO And iCarly Can Do To Get Kids Psyched About Veggies

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

HBO is… working to get 100 salad bars up and running in selected schools across the nation by September... Another healthy campaign being launched this week is also a vegetable-eating one. Who better to convince kids and tweens that eating vegetables is cool than the stars of Nickelodeon's iCarly? That's the plan Birds Eye announced as part of a commitment announced by the Partnership for a Healthier America (The group formed to oversee private sector commitments to the First Lady's Let's Move campaign.) The company says it will spend at least $2 million per year for each of the next three years to market and advertise this campaign on Nickelodeon and other outlets.

Editor’s Note: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is one of six founding members of the Partnership for a Healthier America, along with The California Endowment, Kaiser Permanente, Nemours, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Health Care Increasingly Out of Reach for Millions of Americans

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Having trouble finding a doctor?

Rising Cost of ‘Specialty’ Drugs Prompts Employers to Limit Their Use

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

When Kathi Ryness’s multiple sclerosis worsened in 2000, she began taking Avonex, a drug that helps slow the progression of the disease and reduces the number of relapses.

Study: Bigger Hospitals Drive Cost Increases

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

For everyone out there worried that President Barack Obama’s health reform law will spur monopolies and make it easier for hospitals to raise their prices, a new study says it’s already happening, and it’s not because of the health law.

Industry Raises Millions to Fight Tobacco Tax

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Cycling legend Lance Armstrong is not accustomed to being the underdog. But the seven-time Tour de France winner faces a steep climb in his quest to raise tobacco taxes in California to fund cancer research. If voters approve the tax measure Armstrong is championing in the June primary, smokers in the nation's most populous state will pay an extra $1 for each pack they buy, raising hundreds of millions of dollars.

Fewer Young Women Complete HPV Vaccine

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The vaccine against human papillomavirus is highly effective in preventing cervical cancer, but researchers report that the percentage of young women completing the required three vaccinations is low and dropping.

Vaccination Rates Higher in States Requiring Them in Middle School

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

States that require vaccination for pertussis, meningitis andtetanus for admission to middle school have a higher vaccination rate than states that do not, but the rate is not nearly as high as one might expect from such a requirement, researchers reported Monday. States that required only that educational materials be sent home for those vaccines and the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine showed no improvement in vaccination rates.

How Our Prescription Drug Obsession is Killing Kids

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

As prescription sales in the U.S. continue to skyrocket, so does the rate of child deaths by poisoning. According to the latest Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood poisoning deaths increased 80 percent between 2000 and 2009, and prescription drugs accounted for 57 percent of the increase.

AF4Q Partners with Consumer Reports

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) signature effort to improve the quality of care in targeted communities, is teaming up with Consumer Reports to prepare and disseminate easy-to-understand information on the quality of care being delivered in select communities.

Recess Helps African American, Latino Students Perform in Class, Study Says

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

While the benefits of physical activity among children has given rise to little, if any, debate, the benefits of midday playtime has.

Meaningful Use Stage Two Proposed Rules Spark AAFP Concerns

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A May 7 letter on meaningful use criteria from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator, Marilyn Tavenner, MA, has generated great concern from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). AAFP Board Chair Roland Goertz, MD, MBA, of Waco, Texas suggests CMS exercise "ample restraint" in modifying existing stage one meaningful use criteria. Goertz thinks too many changes too fast "will lead to significant confusion among eligible professionals as they begin their meaningful use journey."

Health Care Costs Worry Workers Nearing Retirement

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Health care costs are a top retirement fear, and that's even though many older workers vastly underestimate how much they'll have to pay.

House Touts Health Law’s Benefits for Nurses in New Report

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The 2010 healthcare law is benefiting nurses and helping to cure nursing shortages, the Obama administration says in a new report to be released on Monday.

Obesity and Diabetes Afflict a New Jersey Family Fighting to Stay Fit

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

For two generations, obesity and its henchman diabetes have stalked Alicia Rivera’s family.

Obesity Could Affect 42% of Americans by 2030

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

If Americans continue to pack on pounds, 42% may end up obese by 2030, and 11% could be severely obese, adding billions of dollars to health care costs, according to new projections released today… If the obesity rate stays at 2010 levels instead of rising to 42% as predicted, then the country could save more than $549.5 billion in weight-related medical expenditures between now and 2030, says study co-author Justin Trogdon.

Editor’s Note: Rebecca Puhl from the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity is interviewed in this article. The Rudd Center is a grantee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

House GOP Plan Cuts Social Programs to Stave off Pentagon Cuts

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Republicans who control the House are using cuts to food aid, health care and social services like Meals on Wheels to protect the Pentagon from a wave of budget cuts come January.

Virtual Doctors' Visits Catch on With Insurers, Employers

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A Minnesota woman "meets" with a doctor in Texas via Internet and phone to receive a diagnosis and prescription for an upper respiratory infection. Her doctor's "visit" cost was $45. She logged onto NowClinic online care, an Internet site that started in 2010 and has expanded into 22 states. It is part of the telephone-based medical services that experts say are transforming the delivery of primary health care, giving consumers access to inexpensive, round-the-clock care for routine problems — often without having to leave home or work, making larger insurers and employers take notice.

Doctors' Love-Hate Relationships With EHRs

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Many likes and dislikes about electronic health records (EHRs) are consistent in the physician community. Implementation will, no doubt, change a practice. In a recent survey, physicians share their five loves and five hates with EHRs, which gives future users of the system a better idea what to expect.

No Longer Just ‘Adult-Onset’

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 06 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A study of diabetes in overweight and obese youngsters bears an ominous warning about future health care trends in this country.

No Just ‘Adult-Onset’

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 06 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A study of diabetes in overweight and obese youngsters bears an ominous warning about future health care trends in this country.

Nursing Places High Value on Education and Learning

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 06 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

During Nurses Week (May 6-12), nurses are celebrating all facets of their field including how highly the profession values education and training. The competence of new nursing grads can come under review, according to Lani Dickinson, MBA, BSN, RN, CNO at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, Calif. "Residency programs show at the end of the first year of employment, nurses are practicing with someone with almost two years more experience," says Dickinson.

Black Women and Fat

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Four out of five black women are seriously overweight.

War on Smoking Offers Some Lessons For Obesity Fight

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Since first lady Michelle Obama made childhood obesity her signature project almost two years ago, the issue has had the kind of highly visible national leadership that it previously lacked.

Black Women and Fat

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Four out of five black women are seriously overweight.

War on Smoking Offers Some Lessons for Obesity Fight

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Efforts to reduce smoking didn’t really have much success until advocates shifted their emphasis from changing individual behavior to community-based activism and holding cigarette manufacturers accountable for harmful products, [Stanton Glantz, director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco] said. A similar shift is needed today in the fight against America’s expanding waistlines, many experts believe. Instead of approaching obesity as a personal issue, it needs to be redefined as a community challenge that calls for collective action and wide-ranging policy changes such as more informative food labels, limits on marketing to children, and taxes on unhealthy products, they argue.

Coordinated Care Organizations Are a Chance to Include all Communities in Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Being healthy is about more than going to the doctor.

Washington Whooping Cough Epidemic Spurs Release of Extra Funds, Calls for CDC Help

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Washington State Health Department is asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help battle the state's whooping cough epidemic that has sickened more than 1,100 people.

Salmonella in Dog Food Sickens 14 People in US

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Fourteen people in at least nine states have been sickened by salmonella after handling tainted dog food from a South Carolina plant that a few years ago produced food contaminated by toxic mold that killed dozens of dogs, federal officials said Friday.

Same State, New Stab at Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Massachusetts is laying the groundwork for an ambitious new effort to rein in health spending that would be closely watched nationally in a state that's become a health-policy bellwether.
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Largely Preventable Health Conditions Hamper U.S.

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

For a person accustomed to grim health data, one prediction still tends to be jarring: The current generation of American children may be the first not to live as long as their parents. Much of this projection is linked to the increase in obesity and health conditions. These and other medical deficits in the U.S. health system were highlighted Thursday at an Atlanta conference and in national media reports.

‘The Weight of The Nation’ Contributor on a Parent’s Role in Fighting Childhood Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

This week in D.C., HBO premiered a new documentary examining the obesity crisis.

More Doctors On the Way, Higher Costs to Follow

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A major expansion is underway at the nation’s medical schools that will sharply increase the number of new physicians entering the workforce over the next decade to care for an aging Baby Boom generation. But critics say the move could backfire since medical schools are still channeling too many young doctors into highly paid specialties instead of primary care, which will exacerbate the problem of rising health care costs.

Yale Moving Nursing School Out of New Haven

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Yale University officials say they will be moving the School of Nursing out of New Haven to a campus in West Haven and Orange. The school will be the first major Yale program relocated to West Campus and will double the number of people there.

Medicare Disruptions Seen if Health Law Is Struck

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Tossing out President Barack Obama's health care law would have major unintended consequences for Medicare's payment systems, unseen but vital plumbing that handles 100 million monthly claims from hospitals and other service providers, the administration has quietly informed the courts.

Women and Obamacare

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration’s signature piece of legislation that reforms our nation’s costly and unfair health insurance market, is the greatest legislative advancement for women’s health in a generation.

Eliminating Social Serivces Block Grants Would Weaken Services for Vulnerable Children, Adults, and Disabled

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

To help generate the savings required by the House-approved budget, the House Ways and Means Committee voted on April 18 to eliminate the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), a uniquely flexible funding source that helps states meet the specialized needs of their most vulnerable populations, primarily low- and moderate- income children and people who are elderly or disabled.

Children Who Are Fit Tend To Do Better on Standardized Tests, Study Says

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Students with cardiovascular fitness tend to score higher on standardized tests, according to a report released by the Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The report says that students with cardiovascular fitness may score up to 5 percent higher on standardized tests than children who are classified as unfit.

Food Stamps Could Use Fresh Options [Opinion]

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A provision in the Senate farm bill, now making its way through the legislative process, would launch a pilot program to test and eventually give recipients of SNAP benefits the same access as every other American to online grocery retailers. More food stamp recipients then would be able to purchase fresh, healthful and quality food.

Food Stamps Could Use Fresh Options

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

It’s no secret that the Internet has fundamentally changed how people live and the way businesses operate.

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Take on Capitol Hill

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Congressional staffers bent over iPads to check the health of their constituents in their home counties yesterday at a Capitol Hill briefing on the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

USDA Unveils Plans to Stem Foodborne Illness

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

As grilling season fast approaches, the USDA today announced initiatives to better protect consumers from contaminants that can turn meat deadly. Officials told reporters that the new efforts will allow the agency to focus on the prevention of outbreaks rather than simply responding to them after they occur.

Salmonella Sushi Outbreak Cases Jump to 258

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Three more states have reported illnesses linked to the outbreak of Salmonella infection likely caused by raw sushi tuna imported from India, and the total number of confirmed cases has risen to 258, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.

Third-Deadliest U.S. Food Outbreak Was Preventable, Experts Say

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The 2011 listeriosis outbreak turned out to be one for the record books. It was, in fact, the most deadly food outbreak in the United States in nearly 100 years. It was the third-deadliest outbreak in U.S. history, according to health officials. It should not have happened, and it could have been prevented, according to numerous food safety experts and federal health officials.

Whooping Cough Vaccines Help But Aren’t Foolproof

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A statewide immunization effort seems to have curbed the epidemic of whooping cough that swept through California in 2010, but scientists will need to develop a stronger, more durable vaccine if they want to wipe out the illness altogether, infectious disease experts say.

How to Save $705 Billion in Health Costs: Be Like the Netherlands

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Here's one way America could cut $705 billion in health care costs: Act more like the Netherlands.

Continuity of Information: Will EMRs Remedy Discontinuity of Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Back when health information technology amounted to a clipboard, paper and a pen, "continuity of care" was one of the bedrock principles of medicine.

College Students Don’t Want to Be Lawyers – but Do Want to Be Doctors

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

If doctors enjoy their day jobs, you certainly wouldn’t know it from talking to them.

Food Stamps Could Use Fresh Options

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

It’s no secret that the Internet has fundamentally changed how people live and the way businesses operate.

Rethinking (Instead of Eliminating) Recess at Low-Income Schools

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Lately, school recess has been getting a lot of attention in the popular and research press.

How to Save $705 Billion in Health Costs: Be Like the Netherlands

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Here’s one way America could cut $705 billion in health care costs: Act more like the Netherlands.

Continuity of Information: Will EMRs Remedy Discontinuity of Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Back when health information technology amounted to a clipboard, paper and a pen, “continuity of care” was one of the bedrock principles of medicine.

Feds to Put Up $1.9B for Oregon Health Overhaul

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Obama administration is buying into an ambitious health care initiative in Oregon, announcing Thursday it has tentatively agreed to chip in $1.9 billion over five years to help get the program off the ground.

Report: Racial Bias Among Doctors Linked to Dissatisfaction With Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Few health professionals have ever addressed a hurdle Black patients face with their doctors: racial bias. In a study published in a March issue of the American Journal of Public Health, researchers found that two-thirds of doctors harbored "unconscious" racial biases toward patients. When those biases were present, researchers found that doctors tended to dominate conversations with African-American patients, pay less attention to their personal and psychosocial needs and make patients feel less involved in making decisions about their health.

Some California New Nurses Face Few Job Prospects

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Three nursing programs in Tulare County of Visalia, Calif., will graduate more than 200 registered nurses this year — but none of the area medical centers have job openings. The problem: baby-boomer nurses can't afford to retire.

U.S. Health Care Spending ‘Dwarfs’ Other Countries

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The United States Spends more on health care than 12 other industrial countries, a new Commonwealth Fund study finds - but that doesn't mean this country's care is any better.

Set to Give the Boot to Childhood Obesity

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Roughly 1,000 students in 10 Buffalo public elementary schools this fall will be able to participate in an after- school, sports-based youth development program that uses athletics as a tool to combat childhood obesity and provides nutrition education and mentorship to children living in at-risk communities.

U.S. Health Care Spending ‘Dwarfs’ Other Countries

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The United States spends more on health care than 12 other industrialized countries, a new Commonwealth Fund study finds – but that doesn’t mean this country’s care is any better.

Patient-Physician Dynamic Get Dramatic Treatment in UCLA's Emotion Theater Project Performances

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Currently, the field of relational medicine is bringing an empathetic approach to crucial interactions between patient and health professional. One of these techniques is to use theater performances. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) will present two plays via the Emotion Theater Project that draw on the relationships between patients and their physicians. According to Mario Deng, MD, UCLA’s medical director of heart transplantation, a big factor in a doctor’s ability to empower a patient rests in emotional guidance and the patient’s free will to make decisions for their own treatment.

Physicians Leveraging Social Media to Educate Patients

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Many physicians are still hesitant about using social media in their professional lives. Concerns range from time commitment, liability, patient privacy, and unfamiliarity with the technology, to the appropriateness of social media interactions in a professional setting. But physicians should know that social media sites are not just a health care marketing or recruitment tool. They can also help educate and engage patients—and physicians play a vital role in those conversations.

Oncology Nurses Are Poised to Lead Into the Future (Opinion)

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Oncology nurses are key to quality cancer care in an ever-evolving health care system. Experts and patients alike are calling on the profession to optimize its contributions to better meet patients’ needs for quality cancer care. Oncology nurses can lead in shaping the transformation and future of our nation’s health care system to achieve the best outcomes throughout the cancer continuum.

Facebook Organ Donor Initiative Prompts 100,000 Users to Select New Option

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Thousands of Facebook users have signed up to be organ donors this week, thanks to a new feature on the social networking site that makes it easier to register.

USDA Unveils Rules to Speed Tracking of Tainted Meat

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The updated rules by the U.S. Department of Agriculture allow inspectors to begin looking for meat contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 as soon as early testing shows a potential problem. The policy is designed to speed up the USDA's ability to track down contaminated hamburger and ground beef — and contain them.

Patients Leaving Hospital Against Advice Fare Worse

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Hospital patients who leave against medical advice may have an increased risk of being readmitted or dying within a month, a study at one New York medical center finds.

Analysis: ACOs Could Have the Medicare Muscle to Transform Health System

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A radical change just getting underway in the U.S. health system could transform how medical treatment has been paid for since Hippocrates made his first call.

Study: More Heart Surgery Centers Mean More Unnecessary Heart Surgery

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Catheterization labs are decidely dull places.

U.S. Lags in Global Measure of Premature Births

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Fifteen million babies are born prematurely each year, and the United States fared badly in the first country-by-country global comparison of premature births, which was released Wednesday by the World Health Organization and other agencies.

Foes of Genetically Modified Foods Seek Vote on Food Labeling

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Opponents of genetically modified foods are making headway in California with a proposed ballot initiative that would require food companies to label many products containing such ingredients.

Wash. Mayors Get Started on Weight-Loss Campaigns

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Sean Guard watched other people exercising from the window of his car or his office in City Hall, as the pounds piled on slowly, a little bit at a time.

Food-Safety Rules in Limbo at Office of Management and Budget

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

More than a year after President Obama signed a landmark food-safety bill, the key provisions are hung up at a unit of the White House that is in charge of reviewing proposed policy changes.

Study: More Heart Surgery Centers Mean More Unnecessary Heart Surgery

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Catheterization labs are decidedly dull places.

Employers Save $422 Billion if They Dump Health Coverage. Will They?

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

In the health reform debate, there’s a lot of crystal-ball gazing about what employers will do when, in 2014, tens of millions of Americans become eligible for publicly-subsidized health insurance.

Analysis: ACOs Could Have the Medicare Muscle to Transform Health System

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A radical change just getting underway in the U.S. health system could transform how medical treatment has been paid for since Hippocrates made his first house call.

Informatics and the Future of Nursing Technology

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Technology is being integrated into every area of health care. From meaningful use to accountable care, health care trends are transforming nurses' roles, responsibilities and career trajectories. Key to being part of this change is nursing informatics. What does that portend for nursing?

Study Finds Direct Link Between Obesity, Heart Disease

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A large new study is the first to show a direct link between a high body-mass index and the risk of developing heart disease, British and Danish researchers say.

Hospitals Could Face Rate Freeze in Maryland

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Maryland officials face a decision Wednesday on a controversial plan that would effectively freeze payment rates to hospitals in the state over the next year.

California Study Shines Light on Cost of Preventable Diseases

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

How much is spent on medical care for preventable chronic diseases?
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Most Workers Lack Disability Insurance, Survey Finds

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Two-thirds of Americans who work in the private sector lack disability insurance, even though most workers say missing work for three months or more because of sickness or injury would cause “financial hardship,” a new survey finds.

More Michigan Hospitals Care For Patients Through Music

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

A 5-year-old girl preparing for chemotherapy at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit sings and bangs drums with a music therapist. It relaxes her. Music also helps Dr. Michael Cher unwind the night before surgery when he plays the clarinet in rehearsals with the Detroit Medical Orchestra, a 2-year-old symphony made up of doctors, students and nurses from the Wayne State University School of Medicine and several metro Detroit hospitals. And after more studies, a growing number of leading medical institutions are expanding music use to ease the stress of hospital patients.

Racial, Gender Disparities Seen in Surgery Board Certification

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Women and ethnic and racial minorities who, while in medical school, declare their intention to become board-certified general surgeons, are more likely to fall off that career path and into other specialties. And even if they remain in surgery, this group is less likely to complete the surgery board-certification process, a study shows.

Bronx Senator's Health Quest