Content about healthcare

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Almost $8,000 a year in healthcare savings, per patient. That’s how much patients with congestive heart failure could save the U.S. healthcare system simply by taking their medications as prescribed, an exhaustive, three-year study by CVS Caremark concluded.

(THE NEWS: Adherence among chronic disease patients can lead to big savings. For the full story, click here)

WASHINGTON — The economic recession attributed to a mere 4% rise in healthcare spending, the slowest rate of growth in the 50-year history of the National Health Expenditure Accounts, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

That number translates to $2.5 trillion, or about $8,086 per person.

CMS added that, despite the slowdown, healthcare spending growth continued to outpace overall economic growth, which declined 1.7% in 2009, as measured by nominal Gross Domestic Product.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens and currently operates more than 370 worksite clinics nationwide, has officially announced the opening of a new on-site medical center at Intel's Jones Farm Campus in Hillsboro, Ore.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Kerr Drug, North Carolina’s regional pharmacy power, had a busy year in 2010. After shedding 11 stores in the Charleston, S.C., market in 2009, the 90-store chain turned its full focus to serving the healthcare needs of North Carolina’s population.


It was, in retrospect, a wise move. Kerr has launched a series of initiatives in pharmacy care, store design, community health services and iPhone technology at a breathtaking pace, easily sustaining its reputation as one of chain pharmacy’s leading innovators. 


TSAILE, Ariz. — Some people enter the twilight years of college without a clue of what they want to do, only to decide at the last minute. Others, like pharmacist Terry Teller, know early on.


For Teller, a member of the Navajo Native American tribe originally from Lukachukai, Ariz., helping to heal people is part of his heritage, with multiple generations of medicine men and women on both sides of his family.


LAS VEGAS — A designer and manufacturer of digital personal healthcare products has launched a blood-pressure monitoring system for the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

IHealth Lab's iHealth blood-pressure monitoring system lets users measure and track their blood pressure and heart rate.

BOULDER, Colo. — Now 10 years operating its unique footprint in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy has been revving its growth engine lately. Pharmaca is targeting three new store openings in 2011, and between three and six new stores each year through 2015 — a pace that would put the chain at 44 locations in time for its 15th anniversary. “We will be expanding outside of the states in which we currently operate in the future,” said Mark Panzer, Pharmaca president and CEO.


HINGHAM, Mass. — Wellness Workdays on Wednesday adopted the Stayhealthy total body composition system to provide state-of-the-art measurement tools to increase the effectiveness of employee wellness programs. Wellness Workdays, a consulting firm based here, creates worksite wellness programs to inspire employees to make simple and positive changes and improve their health while working to lower healthcare costs for the employer.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation is inviting health and pharmacy experts and other researchers to join the Herculean effort to improve patient adherence rates.

The invitation comes in the form of a new Request for Proposal, issued Tuesday by the NACDS Foundation. The foundation is seeking bids from research organizations to study primary medication nonadherence, which occurs when a patient fails to fill or pick up his or her newly prescribed medication.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has released its guidance on the healthcare-reform law’s tax on drug makers, according to documents posted on the agency’s website.

The tax applies to branded drug companies with total sales of at least $5 million to government health programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare and programs administered by the defense and veterans affairs departments.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — The CVS Caremark-sponsored study that illustrates pharmacists and nurses are the most effective healthcare "voice" in promoting medication adherence among patients is important because it marks the first step toward unlocking the potential of the collaborative care model (i.e., pharmacists and nurses), and getting those people who matter to pay attention.

WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Monday announced plans for a joint education effort with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Foundation to help raise the level of awareness within the supplement industry and with consumers about the valuable role of nurse practitioners in the quest for good health.