Hospitals using their patients’ health and financial records to help pitch their most lucrative services, such as cancer, heart and orthopedic care and buying detailed information about local residents compiled by marketing firms — everything from age, income and marital status to shopping habits and whether they have children or pets at home.
Julie Grabow, an oncologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, recently prescribed an exciting new therapy for a 60-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer — Afinitor made by Novartis. There was a catch, though. Novartis is charging $10,000 per month for the drug
Next month, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center offers its annual “Science for Life” series in which the center’s top researchers will explain the latest science in a fun and informal atmosphere.
Teens and young adults with cancer talk about their experiences with the disease – from treatments and hair loss, to dealing with school, friends and family.
The clinic will provide treatment for children, teens and young adults ages 0-21 needing non-emergency medical care in the evenings, over the weekends and during the holidays.
Many veterans on Medicaid qualify for the more generous benefits offered by the VA. Washington state’s program has helped these vets obtain those benefits while a the same time helped reduced costs for the state’s cash-strapped Medicaid program. Two state officials explain how the program works.
“I practiced for 30 years without knowing how long patients waited to see me,” says Dr. Robert Mecklenburg of Seattle’s Virginia Mason. After meeting with employers, “you realize how important it is to see patients when they need to be seen,” Mecklenburg says,. “Any wait is not OK.”
U.S. heart attack patients tend to be sent home sooner than other countries, but were more likely to be back within 30 days. Better post-hospital care may explain why other nations do better.
Hospitals are usually eager to embrace the latest medical technology, but the road to deploying tablet computers has been bumpy.
Chef Eric Eisenberg, executive chef at Swedish Medical Center, has come up with some healthy holiday drinks to help those watching their weight get through the season’s celebrations.
How doctors die (Hint: Not like the rest of us). Can vaccines end cancer? Newt Gingrich’s health-care heresies. Should your doctor take money from drug companies? — This week’s top stories.
Errors are often the result of poor coordination within the health care system and poor communication on the part of physicians, nurses and patients. What can you to protect yourself and loved ones?
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Seattle Times Health News
Experts divided over recommendation to screen children for cholesterol
Some clinicians say universal screening is an important tool to help identify children who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and to pinpoint others who could benefit from treatment. Others express concerns that screening may do more harm than good.
People in state high-risk insurance plans often feel left behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Peeking in on your doctor’s notes
Although federal law guarantees patients the right to examine and get copies of their medical records, providers haven’t always made it easy to do so. But the movement to give patients direct access to their health information has picked up steam, and policymakers have encouraged it as a way to empower patients to help manage their health and their medical care.
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