Birmingham Medical News - Healthcare News of Birmingham for Physicians and the Medical Profession

The Arrhythmia Institute at Grandview Promotes Care with New Initiatives

With improvements in technology, the physicians at Grandview Medical Center's Atrial Fibrillation Clinic are finding new ways to offer cardiac care to rural and out-of-state patients.

New Non-invasive Procedure Treats Essential Tremor

Essential tremor is a progressive neurological disease that affects about 10 million people in the United States. There is no known cause for the disease, but now there is an improved, non-invasive treatment option using the ...

Business

Private Equity in Medical Practices

In the eighteen months leading up to January 2018, hospitals bought 8,000 medical practices, reports Avalere Health and the Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI).

Hiring a Practice Administration Consultant

Practice administrators hesitate to seek the help of healthcare consultants out of fear more than a lack of usefulness.

The Amazon-ification of Healthcare

Yesterday, I received a text from my eye doctor informing me that I have not scheduled my yearly exam and need to make an appointment.

Understanding the New National Practitioner Data Bank Reporting Requirements

Since its establishment in 1986, the National Practitioner Data Bank ("NPDB") has served as a nationwide clearinghouse for information about matters relating to the professional competence of physicians and other practitioners.

340B Program has Uncertain Future

The government's 340B drug discount program, which was begun in 1992, has been under the scrutiny of the Administration and Congress for the past two years with ill effects for participating hospitals and the potential for more reform on the horizon.

Alabama Hospitals May See Wage Index Increase this Fall

"I hate to say it, but anything is better than nothing. We're getting slaughtered," says David McCormack, about the potential hospital wage index (area wage index - AWI) increase in Medicare reimbursements.

The Dread River - Where Spirits, Beer and Wine Flow

A new business venture has joined Birmingham's successful craft brewing industry on the southside of the city.

Meal Timing Strategies Appear to Lower Appetite, Improve Fat Burning

Researchers at UAB have discovered that meal timing strategies -- like intermittent fasting or eating earlier in the daytime -- appear to help people lose weight.

New Trial of Long-Acting HIV Medication

A new clinical trial led by the National Institutes of Health will evaluate the effectiveness of a long-acting antiretroviral therapy, or ART, combined with conditional economic incentives for patients living with HIV who have had a history of non-adherence to daily oral medication and treatment.

Using Bag-Mask Ventilation During Intubation Improves Outcomes

New research published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that using bag-mask ventilation during intubation improves outcomes and could potentially change the standard of care.

Study: Low-carb Diet Provides Relief from Knee Osteoarthritis

A study conducted at UAB, published in Pain Medicine, shows a low-carbohydrate diet was more effective in reducing pain intensity than a low-fat diet in adults ages 65-75 suffering from osteoarthritis.

Discussions among Physician Groups - Avoiding Antitrust Issues

Driven by Federal Health Care Reform and a desire to remain independent of hospitals and health care systems, physician groups are actively exploring different collaborative and alignment options, including the formation of independent practice associations (IPAs), integrated care networks (ICNs), and participation in accountable care organizations (ACOs).

HHS Issues Final Rule on Conscience Protections

On May 21, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the final regulations referred to as the Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws.

DOJ: EHR Companies Should Consider Themselves on Notice

Make no mistake, the federal government intends to hold health information technology ("HIT") companies accountable for failures to develop HIT in accordance with federal certification standards and compliance with federal fraud and abuse laws, including payments for customer referrals.

HHS Publishes Guidelines on Cybersecurity

This December, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Healthcare & Public Health Sector Coordinating Councils issued voluntary guidelines to assist healthcare providers assess cybersecurity risks and suggestions for mitigating those risks.

New Non-invasive Procedure Treats Essential Tremor

The Arrhythmia Institute at Grandview Promotes Care with New Initiatives

With improvements in technology, the physicians at Grandview Medical Center's Atrial Fibrillation Clinic are finding new ways to offer cardiac care to rural and out-of-state patients.

Southlake Orthopaedics Doubles its Grandview Office Space

When Grandview Medical Center relocated to Highway 280, Southlake Orthopaedics Sports Medicine & Spine Center opened its second office in a new 9,000-square-foot space.

Andrews Sports Medicine Expands Nonsurgical Staff

Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, which has long been known for orthopaedic surgery, is now expanding its presence in nonsurgical orthopaedics with the recruitment of more physicians who specialize in treating muscle, bone and joint conditions that don't require surgery.

Getting America Moving

Updated physical activity guidelines incorporate new scientific findings, a focus on prevention and more flexibility in how Americans get their move mojo back.

New Technology for Earlier Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Princeton Baptist Medical Center is the first in Alabama and the 16^th in the United States to use a new innovation that shows great potential for fighting lung cancer.

UAB Seeks All of Us Participants for Precision Medicine Study

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is continuing to enroll patients in the All of Us Research Program, a national program spearheaded by the National Institutes of Health. The goal is to enroll a million patients nationwide.

Brookwood Baptist Medical Center Structural Heart Team Selected to Perform Live Cases

The Chicago Endovascular Conference (CVC) is one of the most important endovascular meetings in the U.S.

Midtown Pediatrics Celebrates 20 Years

Midtown Pediatrics is celebrating its 20-year anniversary of pediatric healthcare. Current staff, physicians, retired employees and administration attended an anniversary celebration on July 26.

New Linear Accelerator at Lewis and Faye Manderson Cancer Center

The Lewis and Faye Manderson Cancer Center is now treating cancer patients using a new TrueBeam system from Varian Medical Systems.

Medical West Hospital Approved to Build New Facility

The State Health Planning and Development Agency has approved a Certificate of Need filed by Medical West Hospital to construct a replacement hospital in McCalla in Jefferson County.

Children's of Alabama Named Accredited Center of Care by CCF

Children's of Alabama has been named an Accredited Center of Care by the Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF), a national nonprofit committed to improving the health outcomes for children with cardiomyopathy.

St. Vincent's Health System launches Ascension Online Care

St. Vincent's Health System has launched its Ascension Online Care platform, giving consumers 24/7 access to care. Ascension Online Care (ascension.org/onlinecare) is an online urgent care that allows a patient to have a video visit with a healthcare provider using a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

Southern Research to Study Neuronal Death in Parkinson's

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has awarded Southern Research scientist Rita Cowell, PhD a $150,000 grant to study how certain brain cells die in Parkinson's disease in order to gain insights that could lead to new therapeutic targets.

Study Shows Link between Diet and Symptoms of Depression in Youth

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