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African-American Women With Advanced Breast Cancer Often Forego Vital Treatment
A new study finds that nearly one in four African American women with late stage breast cancer refused chemotherapy and radiation therapy, potentially life saving therapies. Published in the July 1, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that more efforts are needed to ensure that all women with breast cancer receive appropriate care.
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Patient-Centered Research Report Sent To Congress Outlining Research Priorities
Recommendations for how the HHS Office of the Secretary will spend $400 million in funds for patient-centered research, also known as comparative effectiveness research, were released by Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER). The report, mandated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is designed to help the HHS Secretary and lawmakers improve the quality of care for patients, and provide patients and doctors the best information possible to make decisions about health care.
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Medicare Analysis Finds Too Many Needless Deaths At Hospitals
A new Medicare analysis by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found a "double failure" at U.S. hospitals. Its release comes as the White House and Congress seek ways to reward quality over quantity of care in health care reform. USA Today reports that "Too many people die needlessly at U.S. hospitals, according to a sweeping new Medicare analysis showing wide variation in death rates between the best hospitals and the worst. The analysis examined death rates for heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia at more than 4,600 hospitals across the USA. At 5.9% of hospitals, patients with pneumonia died at rates significantly higher than the national average. With heart failure, 3.4% of hospitals had death rates higher than the average, and 1.2% of hospitals were higher when it came to heart attack. Researchers also found that the majority of U.S. hospitals operate the equivalent of revolving doors for their patients. One of every four heart failure patients and slightly less than one in five heart attack and pneumonia patients land back in the hospital within 30 days, data show."
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Internists And Other Physician Groups Support Comparative Effectiveness Provisions In Proposed Legislation

The American College of Physicians (ACP) joined with two other physician groups to offer strong support for the Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) provisions included in the Tri-Committee health reform bill about to be considered in the House. The Tri-Committee, which unveiled its proposed legislation on June 19, is made up of the House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor Committees. Today"s support was provided in a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the three committees. The organizations - ACP, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) - represent more than 200,000 physicians who treat patients every day, many of whom have multiple chronic conditions. "We know the value of having scientifically valid information available that permits physicians and their patients to make informed decisions on the most effective and appropriate treatment in individual cases. We also firmly believe that patient care will benefit if coverage decisions are informed by the best available science, including evidence on the clinical effectiveness of different treatments," said Jim King, MD, FAAFP, board chair of AAFP, Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of ACP and Nancy Rigotti, MD, FACP, president of SGIM "Comparative effectiveness research brings to the patient and physician the best chance of providing the right treatment to each patient in the most safe and effective manner. We know that better information on which treatments are most effective leads to better patient outcomes, less suffering, and more efficient use of limited healthcare res. Moreover, we agree with the approach of your bill, which makes clear the importance that this information must be the result of scientifically valid research, emanating from a trusted and dedicated solely to the development of comparative effectiveness research based on the best available science and through a transparent process," the letter continued. "We have great respect for the incredibly hard work your committees have undertaken in the enormous and complex objective of healthcare reform. As the bill moves through the House and eventually into a Conference Committee with the Senate, we urge you to hold fast to your positions on CER that will maintain it as a scientifically-based research initiative designed to benefit patients. CER should not be subjected to arbitrary legislative limits on use that could harm patients by denying them, their physicians, and their health plans with access to the best scientific evidence to improve the care patients receive." "Thank you for considering our views. We look forward to continuing to work with you in the weeks and months ahead as you endeavor to provide the American people with a healthcare system, with CER, that will work to their great benefit," the letter ended. The American College of Physicians


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