Drugs for women's healthcare are thriving
The pharmaceutical market for women's healthcare is poised to exceed $97 billion by 2013, according to estimates compiled by medical market research publisher Kalorama Information. The forecasted figure equates to a compound annual growth rate of approximately 9 percent for the period beginning in 2008, when the women's healthcare market reached almost $64 billion. Kalorama expects the next 10 years to progressively reflect significant changes in the market for new treatments combating women's health disorders.
Texas coalition calls for nursing education funding
The Texas Nursing Workforce Shortage Coalition, a collection of healthcare organizations, business groups and education officials, has called on state legislators to address the state's critical nursing shortage. The coalition - which is led by the Texas Hospital Association and Texas Nurses Association - is asking the 2009 Texas Legislature to provide an additional $60 million in special-item funding to increase the annual production of RN graduates from 7,000 in 2007 to 13,000 in 2013.
S.C. hospitals could save $40M monitoring infections
South Carolina's 65 acute care hospitals are banding together to prevent healthcare-acquired infections across the state. The effort is expected to save hundreds of lives and as much $40 million a year. Key to the effort is the use of an automated infection-monitoring tool developed by the Premier healthcare alliance. Premier will also develop an information-sharing portal to support the initiative. Hospitals will be able to track their improvement against state and national benchmarks to develop and share best practices for combating HAIs.
Staffing regulations boost wages for Calif. nurses
Wages for registered nurses increased faster in California than elsewhere after the state began implementing legislation mandating minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in acute care hospitals. According to a new study published in the journal Health Affairs, implementing nurse-staffing standards in California could cost more than some anticipated. The findings in the new study could also mean higher costs for other localities that implement nurse-staffing regulations.