Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

New Guidelines To Standardise Access Criteria For IVF Treatment
The National Infertility Awareness Campaign (NIAC) welcomed the document "Standardising Access Criteria to NHS Fertility Treatment"1 produced by Infertility Network UK (I N UK) and funded by the Department of Health.

New Control System Of The Body Discovered - Important Modulator Of Immune Cell Entry Into The Brain - Perhaps New Target For The Therapy
Researchers in Berlin, Germany have ameliorated inflammation of the brain in mice caused by immune cells. A receptor they discovered on the surface of T cells in the central nervous system (CNS) plays the key role. The researchers showed that this bradykinin receptor 1 (B1) controls the infiltration of immune cells into the CNS. When they activated B1 in mice with encephalitis, they were able to slow down the crossing of the immune cells through the blood-brain-barrier into the CNS. As a result, the inflammation markedly decreased. The work by Dr. Ulf Schulze-Topphoff, Prof. Orhan Aktas, and Professor Frauke Zipp (Cecilie Vogt-Clinic, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Max DelbrÃøck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and NeuroCure Research Center) together with researchers in Canada and the USA may unveil a new target for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) (Nature Medicine, doi 10.1038/nm.1980)*.
News of the day
Sensory Impairment Among Older U.S. Workers Raises Risk Of Injury
A new study analyzing the prevalence of sensory impairment among older U.S. workers found that hearing impairment prevalence was three times that of visual impairment, and that 38 percent of older workers reported experiencing either impairment.
Public Health

Oregon Department Of Human Services Selects APS Healthcare To Manage Expanded Statewide Medicaid Program

APS Healthcare, a leading provider of specialty healthcare solutions, has been selected by the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Medical Assistance Programs, to manage its statewide Medicaid disease and medical care management programs. The integrated program will assist Oregon"s Medicaid and SCHIP fee-for-service clients to access healthcare, minimize catastrophic health events and improve health outcomes through education and interventions that help promote behavior change. "After a thorough review of APS Healthcare"s service proposal and experience against our selection criteria, we determined APS was the best choice to meet the unique needs of our population," said Walter Shaffer, MD, Medical Director, Oregon Division of Medical Assistance Programs, DHS. "This program will deliver critical health coordination services to Oregonians, improving their health status and reducing our overall healthcare expenditures." The program emphasizes coordination of care and collaboration with local healthcare providers; as well as early intervention with clients at high risk for health issues. Eligible Oregonians can access a telephonic nurse advice line 24-hours-a-day which connects clients with referrals to essential community providers and facilitates the establishment of a medical home -- a primary care health provider who provides preventive medical services, and care for chronic or acute health issues. Locally-based nurse health coaches will monitor and evaluate the participant"s progress, help eliminate barriers to care and encourage behavior changes which will improve health outcomes and reduce overall costs. "We are very excited to begin our collaboration with essential community providers to focus on supportive services that change behaviors and lead to improved outcomes," said Jerry Vaccaro, MD, president and chief operating officer of APS Healthcare. "Our shared goal is to help the state make the best and most cost effective use of its healthcare res." APS" model leverages partnerships with Oregon providers to enhance coordination of care, identify and close gaps in needed services, and holistically address issues negatively impacting the health and wellness of clients. APS will partner with key Oregon stakeholders, including the Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), which will work with the state and APS to assess the program"s impact. APS also will form a Clinical Advisory Committee of state medical organizations to establish and maintain a consistently high level of communication with the provider community. "We look forward to working with APS to develop metrics to evaluate the program"s impact," said Ariel Linden, DPH, MS, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health and Science University. "Feedback from the program is invaluable in measuring and identifying areas for enhancement to make the program better over time." The new program, scheduled to start June 1, 2009, will initially be available to more than 66,000 individuals. About APS Healthcare APS Healthcare is a leading provider of specialty healthcare solutions to more than 20 million members in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company partners with agencies in more than 20 states, representing more than 40 percent of the nation"s Medicaid population. APS delivers customized, integrated healthcare solutions that help people engage in behaviors that optimize their health status. By uniting all participants in the healthcare landscape -- individuals, practitioners and payers - APS improves overall health and reduces total healthcare expenditures APS Healthcare


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009