United States Military to Use E-Ceptionist Scheduling Service.
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Military has signed an agreement with E-Ceptionist, Inc. and will begin using the real-time Internet based E-Ceptionist(TM) scheduling service to make health care appointments, the company announced today. The service is being used to support the...

First-trimester ACE inhibitors linked to fetal malformation: FDA has issued a public health advisory.
The use of ACE inhibitors in the first trimester has been linked to an array of congenital malformations of the fetal cardiovascular system, CNS, and renal system, and therefore can no longer be considered safe, according to an observational study involving more than 29,000 pregnancies conducted by Dr. William...

Mifepristone package updated in wake of deaths: four U.S. women died of sepsis in 2003-2005; their symptoms were atypical in that none had fever.
The maker of the abortion drug mifepristone has again announced it is adding to the warnings section of the product's package insert--less than a year after a previous revision--to include information on four deaths that have occurred in women using the drug. The previous revision warned that...

Public health nurses' views on their position within a changing health system.
Abstract To date nursing research exploring the relevance of the practice environment has focused substantially on the experiences of hospital-based nurses. More recently greater attention has been paid to the community nursing environment and nurses involved in primary health care. This study considers the context of public...

Kizer to be presented with APHA's 2008 Award for Excellence.
Kenneth W. Kizer, MD, MPH, will receive the 2008 APHA Award for Excellence for his distinguished achievements in transforming the operation and quality of the U.S. Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Kizer, who was VA undersecretary for health and chief executive officer for the Veterans Health Administration...

Antifungals and Cardiac Risks.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued two public health advisories concerning oral antifungal agents indicated for the treatment of onychomycosis. The agency warns of serious risks associated with the use of Sporanox (itraconazole) capsules and the development of congestive heart failure. Further, Sporanox and...

Barack Obama's plan for a healthy America.
"We now face an opportunity--and an obligation--to turn the page on the failed politics of yesterday's health care debates ... My plan begins by covering every American. If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change for you under this plan is the amount of money...

The center holds.
As soon as the welfare-reform bill passed last year, advocates for disabled children began lobbying the Clinton Administration over the interpretation of a provision in the bill tightening the eligibility requirements for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. In recent years, the number of children on SSI had exploded as more...

ACE inhibitors linked to congenital malformations: the FDA wants more data on first-trimester use before changing the black box warning or designation.
The use of ACE inhibitors in the first trimester has been linked to an array of congenital malformations of the fetal cardiovascular system, CNS, and renal system, and therefore can no longer be considered sale, according to an observation study involving over 29,000 pregnancies conducted by Dr. William O....

Food safety certification regulations in the United States.
Introduction The vast number of foodborne illnesses in the United States today results in huge personal, medical, and productivity costs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that medical costs and loss of productivity resulting from seven of the most serious food pathogens are between $6.5 million...