Obama’s plan to digitize America’s health records in five years faces many hurdles including cost, but experts say it will ultimately save billions.
Check out this article from CNNMoney.com:

http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/02/news/economy/stimulus_electronic_health_records/?postversion=2009070204

Hundreds of personal medical records were found dumped into a Montgomery, Alabama landfill where  sensitive information like names, numbers, doctors notes, and radiology reports were left in a dumpster.

To read more about this click below. 

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=10570404

A recent report lists the top 100 areas of medicine in which research is needed to determine which treatments or preventive measures work best.

Here’s the article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-06-30-treatments-government-study_N.htm

BusinessWeek has a great article focusing on how making primary-care physicians the center of America’s health system could ease the burden.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_27/b4138034173005.htm?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories

Headlines for the Week of June 24-July 1, 2009:

Here are links to the current news in life, legal and healthcare.  If you find stories that you think should be included please email me at epeterson@mediconnect.net, or leave a comment on the blog. If you would like to receive this as an RSS Feed, click on the “subscribe link” at the top of this page.

07/01/09 Newsinferno.com: Infuse Bone Graft, Other BMP Protein Products Linked to Complications in Neck Spine Surgery

07/01/09 Reuters.com: New Drug Raises Hope of Ending River Blindness: WHO

07/01/09 USAToday.com: Ala. Closes in on Miss. as most Obese State

07/01/09 USAToday.com: Panel Pinpoints 100 areas to Yield Most Bang for Health-Care Buck

06/30/09 Newsinferno.com: VA Cancer Probe Continues

06/29/09 USAToday.com: Wal-Mart Backs Employer Health Insurance Mandate

06/29/09 USAToday.com: FDA Panel Suggests Smaller Doses of Acetaminophen, Vicodin

Ban

06/29/09 Newsinferno.com: Accutane Pulled from Market Amid Lawsuits, Increased Generic Competition

06/28/09 CNNmoney.com: Obamacare: Cheaper than you think

06/25/09 BusinessWeek.com: The Family Doctor: A Remedy for Health-Care Costs?

06/24/09 Dallasmorningnews.com: Administration: Hospitals Unwilling to Share Electronic Records will Miss Out on Billions in Stimulus Funds

06/24/09 USAToday.com: Healthcare, Healthcare, Healthcare

06/23/09 USAToday.com: U.S. Insurers Send Warnings on Healthcare

Headlines for the Week of June 17-24, 2009:

Here are links to the current news in life, legal and healthcare.  If you find stories that you think should be included please email me at epeterson@mediconnect.net, or leave a comment on the blog. If you would like to receive this as an RSS Feed, click on the “subscribe link” at the top of this page.

06/24/09 Dallasmorningnews.com: Administration: Hospitals Unwilling to Share Electronic Records will Miss Out on Billions in Stimulus Funds
06/24/09 USAToday.com: Healthcare, Healthcare, Healthcare
06/23/09 USAToday.com: U.S. Insurers Send Warnings on Healthcare
06/23/09 USAToday.com: Waiting Isn’t ER Patients Top Issue
06/23/09 Newsinferno.com: Decision in Katrina Levee Breach Case Gives Policyholders More Time to File Lawsuits
06/23/09 WSJ.com: Knee Replacements are Determined to be Cost-Effective
06/23/09 Reuters.com: Bad Test Results Often Not Reported to U.S. Patients                                     06/22/09 Securityprivacyandthelaw.com: AMA Adopts Principles on EMR Breach
06/22/09 Newsinferno.com: Another VA Hospital Scandal: Botched Prostrate Cancer Treatments
06/22/09 USAToday.com: “One-stop Shopping at Heart of Health Debate
06/22/09 USAToday.com: Obama Announces Agreement with Drug Companies
06/19/09 Reuters.com: Democrats Push for New Government Health Plan
06/19/09 Newsinferno.com: E.Coli Illnesses May be Linked to Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough, FDA Warns
06/18/09 Newsinferno.com: Food Safety Bill Moves to House Floor
06/17/09 Reuters.com: Obama to Extend Benefits to Unmarried Partners
06/17/09 USAToday.com: Budget Chief Sees “Hard Slog” on Health
06/16/09 Reuters.com: Republican Plan Rival U.S. Healthcare:
06/16/09 NYTimes.com: G.E. Offers Loans for E-Health Record Purchases

Will electronic medical records have an impact on the future of healthcare? 

Andy Kessler weighs in.

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22852/

This is a really interesting article, about the American Medical Associations’s feelings towards electronic medical records.

http://industry.bnet.com/healthcare/1000797/fear-and-loathing-at-the-american-medical-association/

President Obama welcomed the pharmaceutical industry’s agreement to help close a gap in Medicare’s drug coverage, calling the pact a step forward in the push for overhaul of the health care system.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-22-obama-drugs_N.htm