The National Committee for Quality Assurance has awarded Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's HMO Colorado Inc. with an excellent accreditation status. The company's rating was based on a review of how the health plan ensures high quality healthcare for its members.
The Food and Drug Administration has blocked imports of more than 30 generic medications made by India's largest pharmaceutical company—among them are generic versions of Cipro and Zocor. Officials say poor quality is to blame.
Hospitals nationwide, including those in the St. Louis area, are beginning to adopt concepts that will ultimately enhance the quality of care and make facilities more efficient, taking a lesson from manufacturing companies that have been employing such tools for decades.
Clostridium difficile is fast emerging as one of the most dangerous and virulent foes in hospitals' war against antibiotic "superbugs." C. diff is spawning infections in hospitals in the U.S. and abroad that can lead to severe diarrhea, ruptured colons, perforated bowels, kidney failure, blood poisoning, and death. Despite hospitals gaining control of other drug-resistant infections such as MRSA, rates of C. diff are rising sharply, and a recent, more virulent strain of the bug is causing more severe complications.
Pfizer has launched a new website on medication safety designed to help patients bewildered over how to weigh the risks and benefits of a medication, or even how to find out what they are. The company plans to promote the site by working with medical and patient advocacy groups, as well as with online advertising on websites targeting medical professionals and patients.
Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, KS, and St. John Hospital in Leavenworth, KS, will host its second annual "Think Pink" event next month. The event, meant to teach women about mammograms, self-breast exams, and healthy lifestyles, was developed last year, as breast cancer mortality rates continue to increase in the region.