News

U.S. deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide increased by 11% in 2016, to nearly 142,000, according to a report released today by Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday released a congressionally-mandated report on the public health burden of traumatic brain injury in children and policy options to support care management for these children.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of salmonella linked to products reported to contain kratom.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of Antibiotic Stewardship yesterday released the first in a four-part online training course on antibiotic stewardship.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs have selected eight cities to participate in the first year of a joint initiative to prevent suicide among service members, veterans and their families.

Andy Bindman, M.D. – professor of medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco – has joined Health Services Research journal as co-editor-in-chief.

The departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury today issued a proposed rule that would allow consumers to buy short-term health plans of up to 364-days duration, eliminating the current less-than-three-months limit on short-term plans.

Responding to a request from Senate Finance Committee leaders for policy recommendations to address the opioid epidemic, AHA urged the committee Friday to preserve health insurance coverage through the exchanges and Medicaid.

Anthem last week notified network providers in Missouri, Kentucky and Georgia about changes to its program to prevent “avoidable” emergency department visits.

The AHA and its Health Research & Educational Trust affiliate have released a discussion guide, self-assessment tool and video modules to help hospital and health system trustees as they work to improve patient care in their organizations and communities.

John Riggi, a nationally recognized expert in health care cybersecurity who spent nearly 30 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has joined the AHA as senior advisor for cybersecurity and risk.

The Maryland Hospital Association yesterday named as its new president and CEO Bob Atlas, currently president of EBG Advisors, the consulting affiliate of the health law firm of Epstein Becker Green.

The lower court incorrectly dismissed as premature their lawsuit to prevent a nearly 30% Medicare payment reduction for many hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program, AHA and other hospital groups told a federal appeals court in a brief filed yesterday.

AHA today applauded the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology for pursuing a voluntary “network of networks” approach to the draft framework for trusted health information exchange that builds on existing efforts.

According to early estimates released yesterday, this season’s flu vaccine has been 36% effective overall at reducing the risk of having to go to the doctor.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration yesterday issued guidance for health care and addiction professionals using methadone, naltrexone or buprenorphine to treat patients with opioid use disorder.

Every day, Olympic-sized talent, dedication and drive are on display at hospitals and health systems across America.

Broward Health hospitals received 17 patients from a mass shooting yesterday at a high school in Parkland, FL, including two who have died and five who are in life-threatening condition.

The House Energy & Commerce Committee yesterday approved the Good Samaritan Health Professional Act (H.R. 1876), AHA-supported legislation that would extend liability standards under the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 to licensed health professionals who volunteer in another state during a disaster.

The AHA and three member hospitals today urged the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to require the Health and Human Services Secretary to clear the Medicare appeals backlog at the administrative law judge level within five years.