The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a challenge designed to identify practices, clinicians and health systems that have successfully worked with patients to reduce high blood pressure and improve heart health.
Affordable Care Act provides incentives to offer cardiac rehab in work settings
August 20, 2014
Through financial incentives and an emphasis on proven health outcomes, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides opportunities to increase the availability of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs — including offering CR as part of worksite health programs (WHPs), according to an article in the August Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).
Wouldn't it be wonderful if a single blood test could gauge the heart's health? Medicine isn't quite yet at that point. But there are a few indicators that can signal where your cardiovascular health is headed and let you know whether you need to take action now to prevent a heart attack or stroke, according to the August 2014 Harvard Women's Health Watch.
But having to search for work may also cause unhealthy stress
August 19, 2014
Stress at work may raise your risk of heart attack and stroke, particularly if you work in the service industry or have a blue-collar job, U.S. health officials reported Thursday. But being unemployed might be just as unhealthy, they added.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is seeking public comment on a draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) Promoting Health and Preventing Disease and Injury through Workplace Tobacco Policies.
Nearly one in ten cancer survivors reports smoking many years after a diagnosis, according to a new study by American Cancer Society researchers. Further, among ten cancer sites included in the analysis, the highest rates of smoking were in bladder and lung cancers, two sites strongly associated with smoking.
The current Ebola outbreak is centered on three countries in West Africa: Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, although there is the potential for further spread to neighboring African countries. Ebola does not pose a significant risk to the U.S. public.
Research shows that when patients are engaged in their health care, safety and quality can improve measurably. To promote stronger engagement, the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) developed the Guide to Patient and Family Engagement in Hospital Quality and Safety, a tested, evidence-based resource to help hospitals work as partners with patients and families to improve quality and safety.
The prevention of Ebola HF presents many challenges. Because it is still unknown how exactly people are infected with Ebola HF, there are few established primary prevention measures. When cases of the disease do appear, there is increased risk of transmission within health care settings.