Will ACOs really get off the ground?
The hype over accountable care organizations—something every major hospital in Indianapolis is moving to become—is increasingly being laced with skepticism as the economics behind the idea get more scrutiny.
Public Health
Articles
Study spoils common wisdom on health spending
The Thomson Reuters study that showed Anderson as the highest-spending health care market in the nation also concluded that treatment and spending vary widely from one locale to another with no clear reason based on demographics or health outcomes.
Daniels says smoking ban has chance to pass next year
The governor says he wants to see the percentage of adult Hoosiers who smoke drop to 20 percent by the end of his term. A recent report put the state's smoking rate at a historic low of 21.1 percent.
Q&A
The adult smoking rate in Indiana dropped to 21.2 percent last year, a major reduction from the 27 percent rate logged five years ago. Karla Sneegas, assistant commissioner of the State Health Department’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Commission, discussed the progress, as well as her agency’s efforts to help employers help their workers quit smoking.
Obesity, tobacco use among targets of state’s health priorities
Indiana health officials are targeting infant mortality, obesity, tobacco use and other health priorities in a new five-year plan aimed at improving the health of Hoosiers.
Study: Medicaid better than nothing
Health care reform will add roughly 500,000 Hoosiers to the Medicaid program and, in spite of great criticism of that expansion, a new study suggests Medicaid coverage does help consumers get more care, have fewer unpaid bills and feel better.
Hamilton, Boone counties among Indiana’s healthiest
A new report says Hamilton and Boone counties are among the healthiest in Indiana, while Marion ranks among the worst.
Peru immigrant built career on helping local Hispanics
Aida McCammon has spent 20 years helping Hispanics improve their lives and succeed in the United States.
Carmel firm gets FDA approval for lice treatment
ParaPRO LLC’s treatment, called Natroba, has a potential U.S. market of 6 million to 12 million infected children annually.
Bill would let Indiana pharmacies collect old meds
A bill authored by Republican Rep. Kevin Mahan of Hartford City would revise state law so that pharmacies could accept unused prescription drugs from customers and dispose of them securely and safely.
Q&A
Les Zwirn, executive director of Better Healthcare for Indiana, talked about his group’s progress on promoting community collaborations to improve health and reduce the cost of care in cities around Indiana. BHI is hosting its third health care summit of Indiana community leaders today at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis.
Men on Viagra, Cialis show triple rate of sex diseases in study
The findings suggest that users of drugs to treat erectile dysfunction, including Eli Lilly’s Cialis, may be more likely to
engage in unsafe sex than nonusers.
Fairbanks Foundation gives $20M to IUPUI public health school
The Indianapolis-based Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation is contributing $20 million to support IUPUI’s effort to open
a school of public health.
Meatpackers say inspection cuts will hurt small businesses
Indiana’s plan to lay off some meat inspectors has small, independent processors fearing for the future of what has been a
growing industry.
Ex-Lilly medical director named state health commissioner
Dr. Gregory N. Larkin, the former global medical director at Eli Lilly and Co., will replace Dr. Judy Monroe, who is leaving
to become deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State health commissioner leaving for CDC
Dr. Judy Monroe, after five years as Indiana’s public health leader, will spearhead communication between federal and state
health agencies.
Clarian eyes vacant Levitz space for office, warehouse use
Clarian Health Partners is considering converting a long-vacant, 180,000-square-foot Levitz furniture store on East Washington
Street into a center for home-health and pharmacy services.
Lilly charity gives $1M to new IU health school
The Eli Lilly and Co. Foundation has given Indiana University $1 million to start a school of public health at Indiana University-Purdue
University Indianapolis.
HealthNet lands $10.5 million in stimulus funds
HealthNet said it will use the funds to expand and renovate two community health centers that have outgrown their space.
Indiana near top in smoking survey; national rate rises
A survey found cigarette smoking rose slightly on a national basis for the first time in almost 15 years and that Indiana
had the second highest smoking rate among states.