Adam Kosloff Traditionally, weight-loss surgery has been considered a last resort for those who are morbidly obese. But new research suggests that those who are mildly obese also can benefit from bariatric surgery. Cost-benefit analysis of weight-loss surgery Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis analyzed the cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery for patients … Read more
Marcus Pickett After a serious illness, many patients rejoice at the idea of leaving the hospital and going home. An increasing number of patients, however, are avoiding long hospital stays altogether by being cared for at home. While your home may seem like a more comfortable and supportive environment than a hospital, at-home health care … Read more
Adam Kosloff Many of those who have high blood pressure might not even know it. A study by the National Institutes of Health looked at data more than 14,000 between ages 24 and 32. Nineteen percent of them had high blood pressure, and many didn’t realize it because they didn’t notice any symptoms. Even though it … Read more
Justin Stoltzfus It’s a popular assumption that more choice is a good thing when it comes to health care and health insurance. But a 2011 study demonstrates that the array of choices for Medicare enrollees have is making it difficult for seniors to make the best choice for them. A Medicare maze The study, performed by researchers … Read more
Marcus Pickett With so many reports that people aren’t getting enough medical care, it might seem surprising that many are receiving too much of it. A recent study by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine looked into unnecessary care in primary care settings and found almost $7 billion in waste. Waste in primary care The Mount Sinai … Read more
Adam Kosloff When someone advises you to “walk it off,” they’re usually referring to a minor injury. But that advice might actually work if you’re in the hospital for a serious illness. A study from the University of Haifa’s Department of Nursing found that older patients who walked around the ward shortened their hospital stays … Read more
Marcus Pickett With the 2014 health insurance mandate looming, the spotlight has been on Massachusetts, which enacted its own health insurance mandate in 2006. Although the state’s reform package has substantially cut the uninsured rate in the state, it still falls short of universal coverage, according to a recent Harvard Medical School study. Simply put, the … Read more
Jill Overmyer For the elderly or anyone with a potentially life-threatening medical condition, medical alert bracelets can be lifesavers. Traditionally, the bracelets have been engraved with important information like medical conditions, medication allergies and emergency contact information. Advances in technology, however, are turning bracelets into miniature data repositories that let emergency personnel plug into your … Read more
Justin Stoltzfus It can be hard to justify going to the doctor when you’re not even sick, so annual doctor visits can be easy to put off. But what if that visit were free? It is now for Medicare recipients. The federal health care reform law requires Medicare to provide one free visit every year … Read more
Leah Shepherd If you have health insurance through your employer, consider yourself lucky – the number of Americans with employer-provided health insurance keeps dropping, continuing a decline that began in 2008. According to Gallup, 55.9 percent of Americans age 26 to 64 said they had employer-based coverage in 2012, down from 56.7 percent in 2011. Part of … Read more