Update on Rural Healthcare

Today, numerous challenges are hindering providers in rural areas from delivering the best care possible. Rural populations are generally older, poorer, and sicker than their urban counterparts, and providers are more dependent on Medicare reimbursement, and susceptible to shifts and changes to the program.

In addition, rural hospitals which are often the primary providers of care are facing declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels making it a challenge to serve rural residents.

To help alleviate some of the problems, Representative Arron Schock (R-IL) recently introduced the bipartisan “Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act” (H.R. 986). This bill would help rural healthcare affordable and allow seniors to continue to receive high quality care from Rural Health Clinics (RHC) (more…)

Smartphones to Save Lives

The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) is developing a cellphone-based device to use for pathogen detection. Researchers are developing the technology to collect a sample, analyze the results, geotag the location of the sample, and then send the results to a laboratory for further review which will all be accomplished using a smartphone.

Scientists at ECBC worked with a team at UCLA to adapt the prototype of a plastic clip-on microscope so it will fit on an android phone commonly used by the Army. The device clips directly over the smartphone camera and operates just like a microscope. (more…)

N.Y and Utah Actions

Legislation (S4023-2013) was recently introduced in the New York Senate to develop and provide telehealth and telemedicine services in the state and to provide funds for telehealth and telemedicine development research grants. The purpose of this bill is to serve as catalyst to expand and improve telehealth and telemedicine programs in communities across the state and develop an integrated telecommunications system. (more…)

mCARE in Bangladesh

The Fogarty International Center’s newsletter “Global Health Matters”, reports that women’s lives are often threatened during pregnancy and childbirth by complications such as hemorrhage, sepsis, eclampsia, and obstructed labor in Bangladesh.

Researcher Shegufta Sikder working with a team from Johns Hopkins University is developing a mobile health system to reduce these risks and improve emergency obstetric care for Bangladeshi mothers.

The mobile phone-based platform called “mCARE” is a pregnancy and neonatal health information system to connect rural health workers and facilities with pregnant women and their newborns. (more…)

NIH Issues RFI

On March 13th, NIH issued a Request for Information (RFI) looking for suggestions or ideas related to the NIH FY 2012-2018 Strategic Plan for the Office of Disease Prevention (ODP). NIH is making plans to improve the prevention research portfolio.

The ODP wants to have input from researchers in academia, industry, healthcare professionals, patient advocates and advocacy organizations, scientific or professional organizations, federal agencies, and from other people in the public. Organizations are encouraged to submit a single response that reflects the views of their group and the group’s membership as a whole. (more…)

VA Funds “CREATE”

The Department of Veterans Affairs within the Office of R&D funds the “Collaborative Research to Enhance and Advance Transformation and Excellence” (CREATE) initiative. The objective for CREATE is to encourage research on high priority issues affecting the healthcare of veterans, perform critical research on PTSD, develop teams to deliver more efficient care, manage pain more effectively, work with veterans with substance use disorders, develop teamwork to specifically help the health needs of women veterans, and study how to best treat veterans with mental disorders. (more…)

Register for the 8th WLSA Summit

The Wireless Life Sciences Alliance (WLSA) is gearing up to present a stellar lineup of speakers and rich networking opportunities at its 8th Annual “Wireless Health Convergence Summit” to take place May 28-30 at the Omni Hotel in San Diego.

The theme of this year’s conference “Moving Healthcare from Innovation to Adoption” will focus on educating and aligning stakeholders throughout the healthcare ecosystem on the many innovative solutions available driving enhanced health outcomes and more efficient healthcare services. Today, innovative ideas are needed by healthcare providers, insurers, technology innovators, governmental and non-governmental agencies, patient advocates, and many others. (more…)

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