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Daily Archives: August 28, 2008

Striking Jump in Consumers Seeking Health Care Information

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Center for Studying Health System Change: Striking Jump in Consumers Seeking Health Care Information, Tracking Report No. 20, August 2008, Ha T. Tu, Genna Cohen

  • In 2007, 56 percent of American adults—more than 122 million people—sought information about a personal health concern, up from 38 percent in 2001, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Use of all information sources rose substantially, with the Internet leading the way: Internet information seeking doubled to 32 percent during the six-year period. Consumers across all categories of age, education, income, race/ethnicity and health status increased their information seeking significantly, but education level remained the key factor in explaining how likely people are to seek health information. Although elderly Americans—65 and older—sharply increased their information seeking, they still trail younger Americans by a substantial margin, especially in using Internet information sources. Consumers who actively researched health concerns widely reported positive impacts: More than half said the information changed their overall approach to maintaining their health, and four in five said that the information helped them to better understand how to treat an illness or condition. “

    • Pew Internet Survey: Podcast Downloading 2008

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    Pew Internet and American Life Project – Podcast Downloading 2008, 8/28/2008, Mary Madden Sydney Jones “As gadgets with digital audio capability proliferate, podcast downloading continues to increase. Currently, 19% of all internet users say they have downloaded a podcast so they could listen to it or view it later. This most recent percentage is up… Continue Reading

    State Department OIG Report: Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operation

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    Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG): Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (ISP-I-08-34) Aug 2008 [208 pages, Sensitive but Unclassified] “The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) successfully completed 54 new embassy compounds (NEC) and annex office buildings under the Construction Security Program, placing… Continue Reading

    Joint Economic Committee Report: U.S. Families Are in Worse Economic Shape Now Than in 2000

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    News release: “Senator Charles E. Schumer and Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairman and Vice-Chair of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released statements in reaction to troubling new data from the U.S. Census Bureau on household incomes, health care coverage, and poverty. While wages have risen slightly from 2006 to 2007 and fewer families are without… Continue Reading

    Health Plans Ramp Up Hospital-Physician Price and Quality Transparency Tools

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    News release: “While health plans are developing tools to help consumers compare price and quality information across hospitals and physicians, the tools’ pervasiveness and usefulness are limited, according to a study released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Responding to large employers’ interest in greater health care price and quality transparency,… Continue Reading

    Justice Department Revises Charging Guidelines for Prosecuting Corporate Fraud

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    News release: “Department of Justice is revising its corporate charging guidelines for federal prosecutors throughout the country. The new guidance revises the Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations, which govern how all federal prosecutors investigate, charge, and prosecute corporate crimes. The new guidelines address issues that have been of great interest to prosecutors… Continue Reading