Top Stories

• U.S. in top 10 countries for premature births
  A study in The Lancet revealed that the U.S. is among the 10 countries worldwide with the highest number of babies born prematurely in 2010 and had an annual average increase of less than 1%. Of the 65 countries included in the study, only three reported a decline in premature birth rates: Croatia, Ecuador and Estonia. HealthDay News (6/7)     

Providers & Suppliers

• Report: U.S. hospitals work toward equity in health care
  Data from an American Hospital Association report showed 80% of U.S. hospitals translated health documents into languages most used by patients using standard methods, while 62% used interviews or surveys to collect data on patient satisfaction for serving diverse populations. The Health Research & Educational Trust report also found that 54% of hospitals have implemented initiatives to improve health care quality in diverse groups. BeckersHospitalReview.com (6/7)     

• Cloud computing technology offers 6 benefits for hospitals
  Moving to the cloud offers benefits for the health care industry, although many are still wary of the security issues it presents. Health care experts cited six benefits that hospitals can reap from implementing cloud technologies, including creating advanced capabilities that can be the basis for innovative data efforts, improving care coordination and treatment delivery, and achieving a cost-effective health IT infrastructure. BeckersHospitalReview.com (6/6)     

Medical Drug Management Service™ allows health plans to apply the precision of Argus Health System's proven pharmacy claim management techniques to medical drug claims to increase compliance. Learn more during the AHIP Institute, June 20-21 at booth #319 or sign up for a personal meeting: Sign up now.

Medical Update

• More U.S. children develop diabetes, study finds
  The number of U.S. children with type 1 and type 2 diabetes grew 23% and 21%, respectively, between 2001 and 2009, according to a study presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting. More children with type 2 diabetes had protein in their urine than those with type 1 diabetes, indicating that they could be at higher risk of kidney damage, researchers noted. Yahoo!/HealthDay News (6/12)     

• CDC: Hospitalized patients at risk of venous thromboembolism
  An average of 547,596 hospitalized patients were diagnosed with venous thromboembolism annually from 2007 to 2009, according to a CDC analysis of data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey. "Current use of prophylaxis in hospitalized patients might be suboptimal. CDC is collaborating with partners to promote implementation of evidence-based guidelines for prevention," researchers wrote in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Nurse.com (6/7), PhysiciansBriefing.com/HealthDay News (6/7)     

Emerging Trends

• Medtronic set to release Endurant II stent in U.S.
  Medtronic is poised to launch its Endurant II stent in the U.S. after securing FDA clearance for the product. The device is used to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms less invasively and improves on the company's Endurant stent, which has been commercially available for almost two years. MedGadget.com (6/6)     

• Melicor gains FDA approval for surgical cleaning device
  The FDA has granted Melicor Medical approval for its Laparoscopic Lens Internal Cleaning System, or LLICS. The device, which is inexpensive and disposable, is used to clean the lens of devices used by surgeons in minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures. Boulder County Business Report (Colo.) (6/7)     

Health Insurance Plan Company News

• Amerigroup to Partner with CMS on Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative

• UnitedHealthcare Voluntarily Extends Important Health Reform Protections Regardless of Upcoming Rulings by Supreme Court

• Season Four Biggest Loser Bill Germanakos Helps Aetna Kick-off Employee Wellness Program

• Kaiser Permanente And National Medical Fellowships Help Curb The African-American And Latino Physician Shortage

• New Program Helps Aetna Members Make Informed Decisions When Considering Surgery

• Humana: CMS Announces Joint Commitment with Private Sector to Improve Primary Patient Care, Save Medicare Money

• Independence Blue Cross Executive Named Father of the Year

Vendor Company News

• American Specialty Health: Engage! Creative Group Named Best MarCom Team of the Year by LACP for Third Time

• Help Shape NCQA’s New Specialty Practice Recognition Program

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AHIP Solutions SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Magazine ranks best children's hospitals in U.S. (Healthcare IT News)

• Purine-rich foods increase the risk of gout attacks, study finds (DoctorsLounge.com)

• Phone-based therapy benefits patients with depression, study shows (PhysiciansBriefing.com)

• Majority of U.S. hospitals now offer palliative care (Yahoo!)

• Life-expectancy gap between whites, blacks decreases (Reuters)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Pharma News

• FDA: Injectable form of Genentech's Boniva is in short supply
  The FDA announced a shortage of Genentech's osteoporosis drug Boniva, saying forecasts failed to match demand. "Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Genentech, and we are working as fast as we can to address the temporary stock out of Boniva injection," said spokesman Christopher Vancheri. The Hartford Courant (Conn.)/Reuters (6/7)     

Policy Watch

• USDA expands rural health efforts with $8 million for telemedicine
  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Agriculture Department has given nearly $8 million to more than 30 projects that create or expand telemedicine initiatives in rural areas. "The funding I am announcing today for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine program will help ensure that rural citizens receive the same high-level, specialized medical care ... as enjoyed by their fellow citizens in urban areas," Vilsack said. Modern Healthcare (subscription required) (6/7)     

• ONC begins new initiative for CDS interoperability, standards
  Health eDecisions, an interoperability and standards framework, has been unveiled by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to provide standards for sharing clinical decision support interventions. Putting sharable CDS into a set format could boost their incorporation into EHR systems, the ONC says. "It is the intent of this new ONC effort to assemble input from leading technical contributors toward the establishment of a standard format for CDS interventions," according to Alicia Morton and Jacob Reider of the ONC. Healthcare Informatics online (6/6)     

Compliance focused? Don't miss the Forum at Institute At AHIP's Compliance Forum, June 20, in conjunction with Institute 2012, experts will discuss compliance challenges around ACA implementation, commentary on the Supreme Court's health reform decision, and other issues that will impact nearly every American. By participating, you earn six credits toward AHIP's newest professional designation, the Healthcare Compliance Professional™. For Forum details, click here.

AHIP News

• It's almost here: Compliance Forum at Institute 2012
  At AHIP's Compliance Forum, June 20, in conjunction with Institute 2012, experts will discuss compliance issues around ACA implementation, commentary on the Supreme Court's health reform decision and other issues that will impact nearly every American. By participating, you earn six credits toward AHIP's newest professional designation, the Healthcare Compliance ProfessionalTM. Get Forum details here.     

• HSA Direct - Showcasing AHIP's financial institution members
  With the exponential popularity and growth of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), more and more health insurance plans are launching HSAs in their marketplaces. HSA Direct allows health insurance plans to easily and quickly access information about AHIP financial institution members. OptumHealth Bank, Member FDIC, an HSA Direct member, administers health savings accounts (HSAs) for over 800,000 individuals and families covered by employer-sponsored or individually purchased health plans.     

• The AHIP Select Program
  From claims process automation to complex data analysis, AHIP Select Program Members provide a range of products and services for health plans and the health care industry as a whole. Click here to learn more about the AHIP Select Program and to view the 2012 AHIP Select Members.     

SmartQuote

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second." --William James, American psychologist and philosopher