December 2008 - Posts

Medicare's E-Prescribing Incentive Program
December 29, 2008 10:43 AM by Jennifer Ford

Starting January 1 2009, Medicare will be providing a 2% payment to health care providers submitting prescriptions electronically, via its E-Prescribing Incentive Program . The percentage of the incentive decreases over the next three years, and by 2012, Read More...

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A Little Levity: NP Will Be on "The Bachelor"
December 18, 2008 4:23 PM by Jennifer Ford

Here's just a fun tidbit of news that you might be amused to follow: a nurse practitioner is going to be one of the 25 bachelorettes vying for bachelor Jason Mesnick's attention on the upcoming season of ABC's " The Bachelor ." Her name is Treasure and Read More...

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Manage Stress - For Yourself and Your Patients
December 17, 2008 2:05 PM by Jennifer Ford

NPs are just as susceptible to stress as anyone, but keeping your stress levels in check can help patients manage their stress, too, according to Nurse.com's " Patients and RNs Face Unprecedented Stress ." The article notes activities and tips to reduce Read More...

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Daschle Asks for Your Thoughts on Health Care
December 17, 2008 9:43 AM by Jennifer Ford

Tom Daschle, president-elect Obama's pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services, wants to know what you think about health care. On the transition Web site, Change.gov , Daschle makes a plea to the American public to organize informal meetings to Read More...

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Boston Bans Cigarette Sales in Retail Locations
December 15, 2008 11:49 AM by Jennifer Ford

According to Thursday's article, " Boston bans cigarette sales in drug stores but delays cigar bar closings ," at Boston.com, the city of Boston has banned all cigarette sales in drug stores and also college campuses. Walgreens and CVS, the nation's largest Read More...

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Bringing Disease Screening Home?
December 10, 2008 12:59 PM by Jennifer Ford

Anyone can now order kits online for anywhere from $30 to $70 that test for diabetes, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, osteoporosis and other diseases. BioIQ makes kits that are delivered to consumers' homes, consumers perform the self-test and send Read More...

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Easing Prison Health Care Burden
December 9, 2008 5:16 PM by Jennifer Ford

The death of Ernest Heino, whose undiagnosed and untreated pneumonia ended his life in the Outagamie County Jail in Wisconsin, should not have happened. But an overburdened correctional health care program meant that until Heino's death, a physician visited Read More...

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Have You Gotten a Flu Shot?
December 5, 2008 12:46 PM by Jennifer Ford

With a busy and sometimes stressful holiday season upon us, the last thing some think about is their health, though NPs and other health care providers often remind the public to be vigilant of their health, especially during flu season. Yet, ironically, Read More...

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NP Promotes Awareness on World AIDS Day
December 2, 2008 9:17 AM by Jennifer Ford

At her clinic on World AIDS Day yesterday, NP Marcie Bordelon provided HIV testing for $5. The health department where she works usually charges $15. See a video about this NP doing what NPs do best - educating and listening to patients - by visiting Read More...

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