Minnesota rated as nation’s healthiest state — again

Minnesota has been named the healthiest state in the nation for the fourth year in a row, according to a new report from the United Health Foundation. States were rated according to 20 key measures, including rates of cancer, smoking and car accidents. On the opposite end of the scale, Louisiana ranked as the unhealthiest state. USA Today

New Mexico providers follow standards in diabetes care

New Mexico is ahead of other states in treatment of diabetes, as rates of the disease there are among the highest in the nation.New Mexico’s healthcare providers have agreed on a one-page set of standards to which they all adhere. New Mexico Business Weekly

Editorial: All states should provide shots against cervical cancer

New Hampshire’s announcement that it will offer vaccines against cervical cancer free to all girls is “a progressive public health step,” the Denver Post said in an editorial. The newspaper noted Colorado plans to follow suit, and said public health officials across the country should consider taking the same step. The Denver Post

Commentary: Preventive strategies can reduce health spending

The best way to reduce health costs is not to shift the burden to employees but to reduce risk factors responsible for some leading diseases, such as obesity, according to the Maryland Hospital Association. The association is proposing several strategies to boost healthcare coverage and healthy lifestyles, including recommending that the state’s new governor and lawmakers establish tax incentives for companies to offer health risk assessment and screening programs. Baltimore Business Journal

Study: Thousands of heart attacks tied to dropping statins

Dutch researchers estimate 9,000 Europeans and 7,000 Americans taking cholesterol-lowering statins have heart attacks because they don’t follow recommended treatment plans. The research notes the drugs are effective, but only if taken as intended, and they said too many users do not take enough or they stop taking the drug altogether. Reuters

Hypnosis proves beneficial for easing breast-biopsy anxiety

Women undergoing a needle breast biopsy were found to be anxious before the procedure, however, those in self-relaxation hypnosis had lower levels of anxiety during the procedure compared to women who received empathetic and standard care, a recent study found. Additionally, the cost and treatment times did not differ significantly for the three types of care. BBC News

Largest wound-care company in U.S. formed by merger

Florida-based Diversified Clinical Services announced its upcoming merger with a former competitor, Wound Care Centers. The new organization, funded by private-equity groups, will create WCS Clinics, the largest wound-care company in the U.S. Jacksonville Business Journal

News from JCAHO regarding patient safety

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has released a list of draft patient safety goals and requirements that may be included in the group’s 2008 standards. Clinical goals include reducing post-operative risk for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, preventing catheter misconnections and reducing the likelihood of harm from anticoagulation therapy. On the administrative level, JCAHO’s targets include preventing harm caused by worker fatigue. Among several recommendations, JCAHO’s goals suggest that organizations identify tasks affected by worker fatigue levels, and bar excessively fatigued workers or those on extended duty hours from performing fatigue-sensitive tasks. The draft goals also ask organizations to improve the way they recognize and respond to changes in a patient’s condition, and propose that healthcare organizations consider using improved technology for patient identification. JCAHO will accept feedback on the goals until January 26, 2007. JCAHO’s Field Reviews and Draft Standards

Seven-country collaborative project on patient safety launched

The World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety, the World Alliance for Patient Safety and the Commonwealth Fund have kicked off a seven-country project implementing five solutions intended to prevent avoidable catastrophic events in hospitals. Solutions address prevention of patient care hand-over errors, wrong site/wrong procedure/wrong person surgeries, continuity of medication errors and high concentration drug errors. They also include promotion of effective hand hygiene. JCAHO Press Release