March 2014 Archive
Drilling for Certainty: The Latest in Fracking Health Studies
ProPublica surveys some recent research on potential health implications of hydro fracking.
Why Hospitals Are Failing Civilians Who Get PTSD
More than 20 percent of civilians with traumatic injuries may develop PTSD. Trauma surgeons explain why many hospitals aren’t doing anything about it.
Chart: Trauma Hospitals Fail to Screen for Civilian PTSD
A growing body of research shows injured civilians, particularly those injured as a result of violence, are developing PTSD at rates comparable to veterans of war. But many hospitals are doing little to address the problem. We asked 21 top-level trauma centers in cities with the nation's highest murder rates whether they screen injured patients for signs of PTSD.
Medicare’s Drug Program Needs Stronger Protections Against Fraud, Watchdog Says
A new report finds that more than half of insurance companies in Medicare’s drug program haven’t reported fraud cases to the government. The findings echo an earlier ProPublica investigation that found fraud flourishing in the program.
As Full Disclosure Nears, Doctors’ Pay for Drug Talks Plummets
As transparency increases and blockbuster drugs lose patent protection, drug companies have dramatically scaled back payments to doctors for promotional talks. This fall, all drug and medical device companies will be required to report payments to doctors.
Freed of Disclosure Requirement, Drug Maker Pulls Doctor Payments Offline
Drugmaker Cephalon had been required to post its payments to doctors online as part of a lawsuit settlement. After its agreement expired, it removed them from its website.
One Third of Skilled Nursing Patients Harmed in Treatment
A study by Medicare’s inspector general of skilled nursing facilities says nearly 22,000 patients were injured and more than 1,500 died in a single month — a higher rate of medical errors than hospitals.
