Healthcare can be a daunting topic for most Americans. There is a very negative stigma attached to it: expensive, complex and bureaucratic – just to name a few. According to the HealthLiteracyFactst2009(1), eighty-eight percent of Americans aged 16 and older do not have proficient health literacy. Unable to interpret clinical information, like prescriptions, health charts … Continue reading
Category Archives: Healthcare
Healthcare / Politics / UN
One successful Millennium Development Goal can have many positive outcomes
The United Nations’ “Millennium Development Goals” (MDGs) are a set of eight target areas that many nations believed needed improvement and should be universally available to all world citizens. With access to international funding and global support, many nations have been working towards achieving the following goals: “eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary … Continue reading
To Give and To Be Taken From: Doctors in America Going Bankrupt
Perhaps the most controversial bill passed in the last 20 years was the Affordable Care Act (ACA). On the coming of the bill’s second anniversary, the Center for American Progress (CAP) hosted a forum, aptly titled “Illustrating the Success of Health Care Reform”. Three major panelists, Jonathan Gruber, Liz Fowler, and Dr. Alice Chen all … Continue reading
America / Healthcare / Politics / Presidency
Time is Up for Obama’s CMS Appointee
Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, Don Berwick, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced his resignation. Consequently, President Obama has nominated Berwick’s top deputy, Marilyn Tavenner, as Berwick’s successor. Tavenner has an extensive health background as a nurse, a healthcare official at both the state and federal level and a … Continue reading
‘Right to Die’ Case in UK, Reflection on Assisted Suicide in the US
History is still being made in the British Isles. In Wiltshire, a small county in the South-Eastern Britain, is in the midst of a landmark case pertaining to a patients ‘right to die.’ Tony Nicklinson, 57, suffered from a stroke in 2005 which left him paralyzed from the neck down, also called “locked in syndrome.” … Continue reading
Healthcare / Other / UN
World Health Organization Releases New Statistics
The World Health Organization released their annual data book on health-related data of its 193 Member States. Data includes topics ranging from Health Expenditures and health workforce, infrastructure and essential medicines. Below, I created a quick visual that gives a small preview of the new report with key and interesting information pertaining to certain countries. … Continue reading
Must Be the Money
The Obama administration has decided to invest $433 million in Siga Technologies’ new ST-246 smallpox vaccine. On the surface, this appears to be a worthwhile investment since smallpox is a terrible and contagious disease. But a more in-depth look by the Los Angeles Times has revealed a likely ulterior motive that has little to do … Continue reading
Democrats & the CLASS Act – Flogging a Dead Horse
The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health recommended by voice vote today to pass the Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act of 2011, which would repeal the CLASS Act, the long-term care program created by PPACA. Democrats on the panel resisted, refusing to give up a part of the healthcare law that would open … Continue reading
Obama’s Health Care Innovation Challenge
Announced Monday, the Obama administration is planning to spend $1 billion to hire, train and deploy healthcare workers. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, created as part of the Affordable Care Act, will administer and oversee the program, called the Health Care Innovation Challenge. The $1 billion in funds will be awarded as grants to … Continue reading
America / Gov. Officials / Healthcare / Other
New CDC Statistics
By Conor O’Malley I made a visual for some of the interesting statistics that the CDC provided in their “Vital Signs” report (http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/Issues.html). Theres more information provided in the actual report, which I suggest everyone read. However, until then, please enjoy! Click on the picture to enlarge. Continue reading
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